Having in our previous posts (which please see) now an understanding of what it means to be “IN Christ Jesus”, the next question naturally would be,

How does one get “IN Christ Jesus” in the first place?

How do we get into the body of Christ?

The Apostle answers that we were baptized into it, and hence are now counted as members of our Lord, members under him as our Head, members of “the Church which is his body.”

“But let us inquire particularly what was the process by which we came into membership IN Christ Jesus. The Apostle answers the question in his next statement, “So many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death.” Not a word about being baptized into Him by being baptized into water. No, no! How evident it is that if we were baptized a thousand times in water it would not bring us into membership in the body of Christ! But, accepting the Apostle’s statement, we realize that our union with Christ, our membership in His Church or Ecclesia, whose names are written in heaven, dated from the time that we were baptized into the death.

But when and how were we baptized into the Lord’s death?

We Answer–that this baptism into death with the Lord, this overwhelming or burial of ourselves, our flesh, which resulted in our incorporation by Him as members of His body, as new creatures, took place at the moment when we made the full surrender of our wills to him consecrating our all, to follow and obey him, even unto death.

The will represents the entire person and all that he possesses. The will has control of the body, hands, feet, mouth, eyes and brain. It has control, too, of the pocket, the bank account, and any possessions we might have. It controls our time, our talent, our influence. There is not a thing of value that we possess which does not properly come under control of the will, and, hence, when we surrender our wills to the Lord or, as the Scriptures sometimes represent it, our “hearts” we give Him our all; and this burial of our human wills into the will of Christ is our death as human beings, our baptism into death the burial of self.

“Ye are dead; and your life is hid with Christ in God.” (Col 3:3) This death (the death of the will), this burial, is our baptism into His death. Henceforth, from the divine standpoint, we are not to count ourselves as human beings, of human nature, of the earth, earthy, and as having earthly aims, objects, and hopes, but as new creatures in Christ Jesus.” (F435-436)

What specifically does it mean to wholly consecrate ourselves to the Lord?

 It might help if we first determine what the meaning of the word “consecration” is.

Consecration means to be “set apart”, sanctified or dedicated (covenant) to a specific purpose or work. It implies “a complete turning away from sin and the world; a thorough turning of every sentiment, hope, ambition and desire ‘unto the Lord,’ and into harmony with his will, his divine plan.” Thus it involves the complete surrender (sacrifice) of our own wills to that of our Fathers.

In order to be fully or wholly consecrated the personal or individual “will” MUST be dead, fully “crucified”.

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him DENY HIMSELF (his own will), and take up his cross, and follow me.” Matt 16:24

“Thus the conditions therefore upon which we become probationary or trial members in the body of Christ, are that we covenant, or solemnly consecrate ourselves and all our interests as human beings, to the Lord’s will and service. “Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by SACRIFICE.” Psa 50:5

This the probationary member symbolizes by baptism into water. His immersion into water is a figure of his death to all earthly things, chief among which and representative of all, is his HUMAN WILL. It must be buried in order that the consecrated one may be reckoned a fellow-member in that will-less body, whose will is the will of the head only.

“Therefore are we buried by baptism INTO CHRIST” into membership in that “body of Christ;” “for as many of you as were baptized into JESUS CHRIST were baptized into his death”, “Crucified with Christ” to earthly hopes, etc., and risen by faith to heavenly hopes, plans, etc., under his direction, to which we shall attain if we faint not, but continue firm unto the end…unto death, keeping our wills fully subject to the will of Christ, and our bodies as much so as possible”.

What specifically does it mean to enter into a covenant with the Father, a covenant by sacrifice?

“Jesus taught (Matt 7:21) that “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father.”

What is that will of the Father? Paul answers, “This is God’s will, your sanctification.” (1 Thess 4:3)

“Sanctification” means a complete setting apart of self to God. That is what we agreed to do when we gave our hearts, our wills, to God. Being a footstep follower of the Lamb is far more than a mere profession! It means a living-up-to the terms of the “Covenant by Sacrifice.”

Many believers are not True Christians because they have not entered into a covenant with God.  A true Christian is a student or disciple of Christ, one who is following in the Master’s footsteps and the first step to following Christ is to follow his example when at the age of 30 under the Law he fully consecrated himself to the Father and to the doing of His will. It was at this point in which he entered into covenant relationship with the Father. We of course are not under the Law and therefore are able to fully consecrate ourselves to the Father as soon as we are ready.

However none can any enter into this covenant without a definite knowledge of its terms and conditions, as is alluded to by our Lord when he advised that we first “count the cost”. Obviously one could not count the cost unless first he knew just what that cost entailed.

“In the First Chapter of 2 Peter, the Apostle reminds the Church of their invitation to become partakers of the divine nature. He shows in 2 Pet 1:3 that God has supplied all that is necessary for our entrance into the race for that prize. Then in 2 Pet 1:5-8 he declares our part — what we must do to win. We are to use “all diligence” to add to our original faith certain qualities or fruits, Fortitude, knowledge, self-control, patience, piety [godliness], brotherly kindness, love. Continuing in Verses 9-11: “For he who is not possessed of those things is blind, closing his eyes [to God’s Word], having become forgetful of the purification of his old sins. Therefore, brethren, more earnestly endeavor to make pour calling and election sure; since by doing these things [putting on those fruits] you will never fall, for thus richly will be furnished to you the entrance into the everlasting (Greek aionian) Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

THE COVENANT BY SACRIFICE

 Such fruitage comes from compliance with the terms of our entrance into the race — a true consecration to God. Or, in Scriptural language, the entrance is by or through or upon a “Covenant by Sacrifice,” as stated in Psa 50:5, where God says, “Gather my saints together unto me: those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” The Septuagint rendering is: “Assemble ye his saints unto him, those that have engaged in a covenant with him upon sacrifices.”

Everyone accepting God’s invitation into the Kingdom covenant confirms that acceptance by the offering of himself (his will, his life) to God. The correct meaning and Scriptural thought of the word sacrifice is “offering“; and it has the idea of a complete devotion — dedicating oneself to Jehovah. In very truth — “Holiness unto Jehovah.”

Jesus himself entered into that Sacrifice covenant at Jordan. As the perfect man he consecrated himself to God to begin his mission. The Scriptures put into his mouth there the words: “Lo, I come to do thy will, O God” (Heb 10:7). That was his consecration, his “sacrifice,” his agreement to seek and perform God’s will. That was his entrance into that “covenant by sacrifice.” He faithfully continued that sacrifice, that offering, unto death on the cross.

We too who have chosen to follow in the Master’s footsteps have entered into that selfsame sacrifice covenant, the offering of our wills and hence our lives to God. Paul exhorts us to continually present our bodies (our everything) to God as a “living sacrifice,” a continuous performance of our consecration vow, a full devotion to the Lord. Such an offering includes the giving of thanks and praise to God, and the giving of assistance to brethren, and to others in need. (See Heb. 13:15, 16; Psa 107:22; Psa 116:17, 18). Therefore, as counseled in Heb 10:24, let us be diligent to provoke one another (not to discouragement or to worldliness-or even to anger, but) to love, to good works, to Godliness! “Run in such a way as to get the prize” – 1 Cor 9:24.”

Our Sacrifice

“We are “always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus.” The Apostle thus declares that the Lord’s people, in proportion as they are faithful in His service, have a likeness to the Lord in their service, in their death. Our Lord’s experience in the narrow way was three and a half years of dying. He was daily laying down His life–surrendering His life.

He was an Example to us of how we should surrender our lives. He laid down His life, not in the service of the world, but of the Lord’s professed people. While the merit of His sacrificed life was to be used of the Lord for the life of the world, yet He laid it down in the direct service of His Jewish brethren.

The Hebrew people were the people of God (the Lord’s professed people). Our Lord spent His life especially with those who were truly desirous of pleasing God and knowing His will, whether found amongst the rich and influential or amongst the poor and lowly. Jesus welcomed publicans and sinners, and gave His life for them. He knew that among this humble class He would find the greater proportion of true wheat. He was laying down His life during all the three and a half years of His earthly ministry, and merely completed this work at Calvary.

And so it is with all of the Lord’s true people (true Christians, those following in his footsteps). They have made “a covenant by sacrifice.” They have consecrated, dedicated their lives to the Lord and His service; and as Jesus their Master laid down His life in doing good, in proclaiming the Truth then due, so they are to lay down their lives in the same manner, whether the time of their ministry be three and a half years or twenty years or whatever it may be–until the Father’s good time shall come for their deliverance. They will be in full harmony with the Lord and will gladly have fellowship in the sufferings of their great Head—and properly so; for they are prospective members of His Body. Thus all of these members are continually bearing about in the body the dying of their Lord. They are dying daily as He died, “laying down their lives.” (R5671)

We will continue with our examination of the Covenant of Sacrifice in our next post.