I Know Whom I Have Believed

I Know Whom I Have Believed

by Chip Brogden

The Scriptures exhort us to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Our spiritual growth may be generally discussed as occurring in three seasons of development.

Please do not use this teaching to examine where others are, but use it to examine yourself and see if you are indeed growing and maturing in the knowledge of Christ....

Click here to read the rest of this article:
http://theschoolofchrist.org/articles/i-know-whom-i-have-believed.html

When Things Go Wrong

When Things Go Wrong

“We wanted to come to you – even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us.”
1 THESSALONIANS 2:18

We should not expect things to always go as planned, even when we are indeed following the will of God, and especially when we are trying to do what we feel led to do. Sometimes it seems as if everything is rising up against us. Cars break down, people get sick, misunderstandings arise, businesses fail, things happen.

We do not want to give the devil any glory and attribute everything to him. But we do want to discern the true operation of the enemy so we may dispose of him. We must exercise discernment and wisdom to know the difference between the hand of the Lord, the work of the enemy, and the natural environment. Otherwise we will suffer unnecessarily.

Source: Dealing With Difficulty by Chip Brogden

To Be With Him

To Be With Him

“He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach…”
MARK 3:14

I like the way Jesus selected His disciples, and the explanation as to why they were selected: “That they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach.” Their being sent forth was contingent upon their having been with the Lord. Preaching was only optional, but being with Him was the primary objective. If they will only be with the Lord then they will have something to say when they do go forth.

Source: The Church in the Wilderness by Chip Brogden

God's Eternal Design

“[Abraham] was looking forward to the city
that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.”
HEBREWS 11:10 ESV

An artist sees a new painting before he picks up the brush to create it. A musician hears a new song in her head before she picks up her instrument to compose it. A writer conceives ideas, concepts, and things to be conveyed to others in his heart long before he sets words to paper. An architect designs the building before construction begins.

The creative process is the progressive, orderly arrangement of things until what is seen outwardly lines up with what has already been seen inwardly. God is the Ultimate Creator. We find that He established an order of things before He ever brought them into being – an eternal purpose that He purposed in Christ. The crucifixion of Christ was not God’s startled reaction to the unforeseen and unimaginable fall of Adam. God envisioned things straight through to the end before He set them in motion.

Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden

The Glory is His

“Yours is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory forever. Amen.”
MATTHEW 6:13

There is a Remnant of called-out ones who have seen the Glory of the Son and WILL seek the interests of God’s Only Begotten One. In a time when men solicit the glory and honor and power from one another, there is a Holy Nation of priests and kings who will give the Son the glory He deserves, declaring, “YOURS IS THE GLORY, we will render to You, and to You alone, the glory due Your Name.”

Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden

ROUTINE

 

Hi all,

Wherever I travel to house churches I always receive questions that inevitably lead me back to the church at Corinth for answers.

The mix

Acts 18 tells us people from 3 cultures were thrown together in the house of Justus: Roman, Jewish, Greek - each of whom did not normally mix. That means they were violating every social custom they were raised with, yet they gathered initially in the Roman house of Justus to worship and learn of the Lord.

The same type of thing is true of house churches today: People coming to house church from various backgrounds, nationalities, and religious practices, not to mention socioeconomic differences all thrown together for home based meetings.

We know Corinth had major issues as a result, as seen in Paul's first letter to them - strife in chapter 3, two brothers suing one another in chapter 6, some were eating meat sacrificed to idols because they thought it ok to do, while others disagreed in chapters 8 & 10, wives taking their veils off which in that culture dishonored their husbands and the rich refusing to eat with the poor in chapter 11, and so on.

A revelation to one is not...

The kingdom works by revelation, but a revelation to a Jewish person that they could eat lobster at house church if they wanted, would mean nothing to their Roman or Greek brethren, and maybe their revelation would even offend fellow Jewish believers who weren't ready to eat shellfish!

But sometimes a personal revelation hits with such force that the person thinks EVERYONE should hear about it and then do it.

Moses had this issue as stated in Acts 7:25 when he killed the Egyptian for 'he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them from the Egyptians, but they understood not.'

Most Christians probably think Moses received the revelation he was God's deliverer at the burning bush, but in fact he had that revelation 40 years earlier while still in Egypt. His mistake was assuming the revelation God had shown him, He had also shown to 'his brethren', and that they would be just as thrilled as he was!

That mistake cost him 40 years, or 1/3 of his life, for he was trying to do God's will in his flesh. Some 40 years later he learned by revelation God would deliver them by His hand, not Moses' citing a civil war in Egypt by his hand. God gets the glory after all, not man.

Back to Corinth

What I have seen from nation to nation, culture to culture in my travels these last 11 years, is that Moses' misstep is relatively common in house churches. Like the hypothetical situation of a Jewish person receiving the revelation that he can eat lobster, but it would mean nothing to the Roman or Greek believers present who had eaten shellfish all their lives, so too do house church people assume similar things.

In the early years of CWOWI I'd hear of people who received revelation about celebrating the Lord's Supper and how it was to be. Based on their revelation they wanted to put that revelation on everyone else, becoming a point of contention with the rest of the house church.

How do you celebrate it?

Soon I heard people saying you had to use real wine, others said it had to be part of a regular meal as Jesus did, and some said it had to be celebrated every week, some said it had to be home made unleavened bread.

When I'd ask people about the how and why, they would most often say, 'The Lord showed me...' or 'I did it this way by myself for a time and it blessed me so much, I just know if we all did it this way everyone would be blessed like I was...' or other words that revealed they thought their revelation should be practiced by everyone else. And to do otherwise was wrong.

But they were assuming their brethren would have understood how God by their hand would teach them the 'right way' to celebrate the Lord's Supper, but they understood not. lol.

That's one example - I could share many examples of things that started out as a true revelation, but somehow became fixed in stone that it had to be 'this way'. Like any revelation or move of the Spirit we can examine down through history, someone's freeing move of the Spirit based on revelation gradually becomes rigid and a tradition and expectation on others to follow. Many denominations started this way.

Reality

The truth is, the New Testament is purposely (I believe) vague about how to 'do' house church. The basics are there - rotate homes and rotate who leads weekly, discussion oriented, all may participate, love and courtesy guide all things - but beyond that nothing is set in stone because revelation to one is meant to bless others, but not necessarily intended to be revelation for all.

So those with revelation feeling God is leading them to do say, the Lord's Supper as part of a larger meal - great, do it! Don't expect others to have that same revelation, and don't be disappointed by their juice and crackers that close the meeting next month - that is their revelation, and it isn't wrong, it's just not your revelation.

These types of things can include the order of a meeting, the kinds of food (if served), how and when prayer requests are received if at all, what kind of music there is (band, keyboard, cd, MP3, no music), if song sheets or overhead projection or nothing at all is used to provide words for people. How the Lord's Supper is celebrated, whether to follow a guided study or keep in line with I Corinthians 14:26, and so on.

The key is - look at your house church meeting. Has it become as rigid, inflexible and set on an agenda as x church you once attended?

Whoever is leading that week needs to take ownership of their meeting - and do what is on their heart - and the rest get over themselves, they can lead it how God leads them when they next lead.

Be ready to experience someone else's revelation.

The disclaimer

The disclaimer in this is of course any revelation someone claims they have will be in line with the Word and Spirit, and lead to peace - a revelation they say God showed them to have an affair, isn't a revelation from God. What I share isn't a license to do the weird, sinful, or unscriptural, for house church is about what we agree on, what we have in common, not a place to drum up support for the controversial topics out there.

My point is that one person's revelation may not be another's, so don't let your house church become as predictable at the sun's rising. Each person leading should have revelation from the Lord, felt in their spirit and what seems good to them as well, for that meeting, and the freedom to move in that revelation.

Serve some lobster if that's your revelation! And don't roll your eyes if it isn't, just say, "Pass the butter please." LOL.

    Some thoughts...blessings!

        John

www.cwowi.org and email at cwowi@aol.com

The Daily Walk

“The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”
PSALM 34:18,19

We must learn sooner rather than later that discipleship is a process of tearing down in order to build up. We cannot expect to have a single mountaintop experience with the Lord and then assume from henceforth the work of the Cross is completed in us. When we are standing with the Lord in the New Jerusalem we may lay down the Cross. Until then, we dare not entertain the thought that we have already been made perfect. We must deny ourselves and take up the Cross daily.

Source: Embrace the Cross by Chip Brogden

As church planters, it is vital that we establish our leadership role within the church.

Saul or David?

By Dionne Carpenter Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands. ~ I Samuel 23:14b
READING: I Samuel 23
Saul and David both led “young bucks” but provide stark contrast between great and awful leadership styles. David consistently kept charging forward, courageously doing the jobs God assigned him to do. His own personal forward momentum of obediently following the Lord kept him from getting sidetracked into squashing his own people. He kept his focus on the enemies “out there” and welcomed the strength and skills of mighty men who joined him in his noble enterprise.
When Saul began to stall and sputter and dilly dally, he created a vacuum of leadership but deeply resented his young lieutenants who rose to the challenges he should have been first to face. He stopped focusing on Israel’s true external enemies, and instead, became fixated on stamping out perceived rivals for his crown.
As church planters it is vital that we establish our leadership role within the church. Most fledgling churches attract a few prowling, carnal folks itching to become “a big fish in a little pond.” We protect our congregation by dealing decisively with power grabs by these ungodly predators.
However – and this is a big however – keep your eyes on the main goal to build a thriving, healthy church body. If within a few years you have crushed every potential threat to your own leadership, you have also most likely driven off all the best go-getters who could help you accomplish truly great things as a church.
Conversely, if you encourage your young bucks, training and empowering them while you continually lead the charge to fulfill your own God-given mission, you will raise up an army of courageous, faith-filled leaders.
Dear Father, Give me holy boldness to do all You’ve called me to do and healthy discernment regarding the potential leaders in my church. Amen.

Dynamic Church Planting International (DCPI) “Equips Leaders to Plant 5 Million Churches Worldwide.” Learn more

The Age of Miracles

“God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will.”
HEBREWS 2:4

When people are healed and delivered it gives us a taste of what conditions are like when Christ has preeminence over all things. Miracles give us a glimpse of a future time when He will make all things new and there will be “no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). What we consider miraculous in this Age will be commonplace in the Age to come.
Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden

Recommended books

Dear Friends,

Jared Patel here. I'm writing to let you know about 6 important announcements that will benefit you.

1. Andrew Farley's book God Without Religion is only $1.99 on Kindle for a week. Frank hasn't read this book yet so he cannot comment on it, but he's looking forward to reading it. Andrew is a friend of his so we wanted to let you know about this special.

 

2. Thank you for buying Frank's new book, God's Favorite Place on Earth. The book sold so well on release week that Amazon ran out of stock. But Amazon has been sent 6,000 copies of the book. So you will be getting your copy soon. Click the link to get your copy if you haven't ordered it yet. 

3. We gave away almost 5,000 free ebooks & audios to those who purchased the book on release week (as promised). The conference audios are now being released to everyone via Frank's podcast.  

4. Be sure to check out Frank's frequently asked questions as it's been updated.

5. Frank's online course - Living by the Indwelling Life of Christ - will be available in September. Stay subscribed and you'll be the first to know when it's available.

6. Subscribe to Frank's blog by Email and receive his eBook Rethinking the Will of God (Revised) FREE. The book will be sent to all Email subscribers in early June.

God bless, 

Jared  

No Testimony Without a Test

“They overcame [the dragon] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they did not love their lives to the death.”
REVELATION 12:11

Just as there is no victory without a fight, no Crown without a Cross, so there is no Testimony without a test. Our Testimony is not a thing that is said, but it is a LIFE that is lived. We overcome the Dragon by the word of this Testimony. This Testimony demonstrates the preeminence of Christ over sin, self, and satan: and it is a violent thing, a proactive thing, not a passive thing. The Lord’s Testimony is actually strengthened when the enemy comes against it, for in the end we see that Christ is, indeed, preeminent. If we are really demonstrating this then we should be getting stronger spiritually.
That is not to say we will always feel good and always have a smile on our face while engaging the enemy. But regardless of our outward condition, our inward condition will be continually strengthened as we bear the Testimony of Jesus.
Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden

Hello My family! A new blog post has just been added to the site... The Law of Decrease by Chip Brogden Just like the Law of Increase, the Law of Decrease does not depend upon your understanding, agreement, or acceptance. It must be so, therefore it is so. Just as surely as Christ must increase, so you must decrease. We will see how this is accomplished later; but for now, simply accept it as a spiritual law because that is how the Bible presents it. Even if you do not agree with it or like it, if you are honest, you can look back over your life and see that any advancement made in spiritual things was the result of some kind of decreasing of you and an increasing of Christ. In fact, most people will not come to the Lord without an extraordinary, life-changing negative event... Click to read more: http://theschoolofchrist.org/blog/the-law-of-decrease.html

 

What promises from God’s Word do you hang onto as a church planter?

God's Plans Are Good Plans

By Jim Carpenter “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)
READING: Jeremiah 29:1-14
What promises from God’s Word do you hang onto as a church planter? When the challenges come, when you’re tempted to quit, trust God’s promises! Jeremiah 29:11 is a wonderful promise originally given to God’s people after they had been carried into captivity in Babylon, assuring them that one day they would return to the Promised Land.
While Jeremiah 29:11 wasn’t originally given to church planters, it is a great promise, a personal favorite that Dionne and I have claimed throughout our church planting journey. Here are four blessings:
First, God knows – and rules – over everything about us. The Lord begins by saying “I know.” It’s incredibly comforting that nothing about our circumstances escapes the wise control of our Heavenly Father.
Second, God has a plan. “Plans” in Hebrew could also be translated “thoughts.” If God thinks about something, it’s already a plan, isn’t it? What He thinks, He does. He always carries out His intentions. God’s plans are never spoiled or foiled. What He plans for you and your church plant will happen.
Third, God’s plans unfold in His timing, not ours. When God originally spoke this promise, He told His people they must wait 70 years – but He would deliver them. Our church planting timetable sometimes runs ahead of God’s. But He will deliver.
Finally, His plan is for our blessing: “plans for welfare and not for calamity . . .” “Welfare” is shalom – a Hebrew word often translated “peace.” It means wholeness, fulfillment, harmony and well-being. The God who led you to plant churches intends shalom for you and for your church.
Father, Thank You for Your promises and for Your good plans. Give me patience and confidence to rest in Your perfect timing. Amen. 
Dynamic Church Planting International (DCPI) “Equips Leaders to Plant 5 Million Churches Worldwide.” Learn more

Created for Him

"All things were created through Him and for Him."
COLOSSIANS 1:16

In the beginning, when man walked with God, there was an obvious Heavenly Order in the earth. This simply meant that Christ was in His rightful place. When Christ has the preeminence, when He has the centrality and the supremacy, then all is well.
God created all things “by Him and for Him” and installed Him as Lord of All. With Christ in His rightful place the rest of creation could proceed. Six times in the Book of Genesis God declared that what He had just made was “good.” When the work was finally completed, God judged the final state of things to be “very good” (Genesis 1:31) and by far the greatest benefit of living under this Heavenly Order was the spiritual condition of man before the fall. Spiritually he was at peace with himself and at peace with his God. In a word, the state of things as they existed in the Heavenly Order was perfect. It was, quite literally, heaven on earth.
Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden

From Pigs to the Pulpit

 

From Pigs to the Pulpit

By Buddy Johnson . . . And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. ~ II Timothy 2:2
READING:  II Timothy 2:1-3
He was a long-haired, seventeen year old runner who ran past my house with his dog. I stopped him one morning and introduced myself. His family had recently moved into our small Aztec town and he was a student of veterinary medicine in Mexico City. I invited him to visit some Aztec villages with me, and he readily accepted. At that time we were planting churches in about a dozen villages.
Our “Paul and Timothy” relationship lasted for two years. We traveled in my old yellow jeep to many Aztec villages to evangelize and disciple. My new friend was enamored with all the pigs which ran at will in the streets. As time passed, the young “Vet” operated on many of the pigs and thus earned the respect of the villagers.
Near the end of the second year of our journey together, he sensed God’s call to ministry. Upon graduation from the University, he proudly donated his “Pig-skin Diploma” to his mother and stated, “This is what you have helped me through school to earn, but now I am going to serve the Lord.”
He continues to operate on pigs when necessary but has been the pastor of the First Baptist Church in our city for twenty years. He has also trained 17 men to lead the new churches they have begun. II Timothy 2:2 is a work in progress in the life of my Pig-to-Pulpit friend. Hundreds of pigs have been helped, and thousands of men now know Christ because of him.
Dear Heavenly Father, Please open our eyes and hearts to see those around us who are longing for You. Teach us to teach others for the multiplication of Your Kingdom. Amen. 
Dynamic Church Planting International (DCPI) “Equips Leaders to Plant 5 Million Churches Worldwide.” Learn more

Many church planters find it difficult to teach about giving.

The Grace of Giving, Part 2

By Jim Carpenter I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. ~ Philippians 4:18-20 (ESV)
READING: Philippians 4:14-20
Many church planters find it difficult to teach about giving. They’re afraid people will misunderstand, and falsely conclude their church is interested only in money. But the Apostle Paul had no such fear. He rejoiced in the grace of giving, gave thanks for his financial supporters, and in the process, taught us all a lot about this spiritual discipline.
Yesterday we looked at two great truths about giving. Here are three more: Third, financial giving is an act of worship. Paul calls their gift “a fragrant offering”and “an acceptable sacrifice” and says it is “pleasing” to God. He is comparing it to the Old Testament sacrifices. Giving is really a way of worshiping God. Done out of a heart of love, it is a statement of the worthiness, greatness and glory of our God.
Fourth, financial giving brings a promise of God’s provision. Verse 19 is one of the most wonderful promises in the New Testament. Like many Bible promises, it is conditional: because the Philippians are giving sacrificially (v. 16) and are “filling Paul full” (v. 18), as a consequence, God will fill them full!
Finally, financial giving is a commitment to God’s glory. Paul ends with a benediction: To our God be glory forever and ever! In the end, the discipline of giving means a life committed to God’s glory above everything.
To God be the glory, great things He has done! Amen. 
Dynamic Church Planting International (DCPI) “Equips Leaders to Plant 5 Million Churches Worldwide

The Fig Tree Has No Figs

by Chip Brogden

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A growing number of people have come to the conclusion that the social benefits of going to church can no longer compensate for the lack of spiritual life.

“And seeing a fig tree by the road, [Jesus] came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, ‘Let no fruit grow on you ever again.’ Immediately the fig tree withered away” (Mt. 21:19).
People are tired of going to fig trees that promise fruit, but offer a hungry person nothing but leaves to eat. They’ve been eating leaves or chewing on bark, but there is no fruit, no sustenance, no nourishment. One day they wake up and say, “No more.  Whatever this place used to mean to me, whatever purpose it used to serve in my life, this place no longer represents the Lord Jesus.  I can’t fully explain it, and I don’t completely understand why or how, but the religion of church is hindering my relationship with the Lord and it is time for me to leave.”
You do find two groups of believers in the Book of Revelation who were doing well, who received no rebuke, only praise from the Lord; only two out of seven that He expressed satisfaction with.  Before you begin to think that your church is one that Jesus is satisfied with, let me tell you one thing both these had in common: both of them were suffering persecution.  Isn’t it interesting how persecution has a way of re-arranging your priorities?  Isn’t it amazing how the only two that Jesus was completely satisfied with were the two that were going through deep affliction and persecution? Persecution brings adjustment. It brings a sense of eternal purpose.
I had a ministry to burned out pastors when I was still working for a denomination. What a great ministry; there’s never any lack of burned out pastors. I would take over their pulpit for one or two Sundays and give them a break so they could take some time off, spend time with their families, go get counseling, or do whatever they needed to do but couldn’t take time to do because they were so consumed with running their church. That opened my eyes to a lot of things.
I remember getting a call from a pastor of a medium-sized church, and he wanted to take me to dinner. I agreed to meet him because I was flattered, and I was really looking forward to it because he was someone I considered “successful.” His church was growing, they had a nice building, he drove a nice car and had nice clothes. I was struggling with all those things so this man was someone I kind of looked up to. I was hoping I could get some words of wisdom or some ideas that would help me become as successful as he was.
So we met for dinner and things are going well. He seems friendly and I am just on the verge of asking him, “What is the secret to your success?” The words were on the tip of my tongue, and then this pastor broke down right in front me. His personal life was a mess, his church was a mess, and he wanted me to take over his services for a couple of weeks so he and his wife could take some time off and put their marriage back together. I nodded and listened but inside I was thinking, “My God! Here I am looking to this man as an example of success, and he is a nervous wreck.” And that meeting taught me something.  I learned not to judge success by the outward appearance of things. I saw that pastors are just as clueless as anyone else, but they have to convince themselves and everyone around them that they really have it all together.  Most of the time they do not, and you can only be a hypocrite for so long before the whole things takes its toll on you.
I like to teach, and I have a heart for pastors.  If it were up to me I would probably be working with burned out pastors. But God had something else in mind. “Leave them alone, Chip – they are blind leaders of the blind, and if the blind lead the blind, they will both fall in the ditch.” And God showed me that until a blind leader falls into a ditch, they cannot be healed.  He can’t have his eyes opened until he realizes he is blind and has no business trying to lead others. My efforts to help them by taking over their pulpit for a week or two was like treating cancer with a band-aid.
Pastors aren’t bad people. Pastors, for the most part, are good people who become trapped in a bad system. It’s the religious system that is at fault. Yet this religious system was created by people – well-intentioned, good-hearted people who thought they were doing something for God. And now this thing called “Churchianity” has become a monster, a grotesque creation of our own hands, and now we can’t control it; IT controls us. It masters us, all the while tricking us into thinking that when we serve IT then we are serving God. The work of the Lord becomes more important than the Lord of the Work.
How far we have fallen from the days when people could look at disciples of Jesus and would notice that they had been with Him. They had been with Jesus. Now we look at religious folk dressed up and going out to eat lunch on Sunday and all we can say of them is that they have been to church.

God's Primary Purpose

“In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”
COLOSSIANS 2:9,10

Everything God has done, is doing, and will do is aimed at bringing us deeper into Christ, to finish what was begun in us when we first received Him. God is the One Who brings us through the Gate, and God is the One Who leads us along the Path.
Everything God has done, is doing, and will do has the same purpose, and that purpose explains everything you have been through, everything you are going through, and everything you will go through.
Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden

Our God Delivers

“There is no other God who can deliver like this.”
DANIEL 3:29

The Lord reveals Himself to us when we are at our end, when the fire burns the hottest. When we have reached the end of ourselves then He intervenes. He is committed to us there in the fire, because we are committed to Him outside the fire. As we have stood for His Will and His Kingdom in a state of universal compromise, darkness, and deception, so He will stand with us in our state of temptation, testing, and trial.
Toward what end? That the preeminence we have been proclaiming may be demonstrated. He will rise to the occasion and prove Himself faithful.
Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden

The Real Meaning of Baptism

“As many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
GALATIANS 3:27

What does it mean to be baptized? It is to go down into death and to come back up into Life. We were baptized into Christ. The water of baptism does not merely signify the washing away of sins, but the death of the sinner. We go down into the water, and we are brought up out of the water. If we were to stay under the water for long we would surely die. But we are quickly lifted back up out of the “grave.” This represents death and resurrection.
The outward sign of water baptism is meant to represent an inward spiritual truth – that I am baptized indeed, not into water only, but into Christ. I died with Him, and I was raised with Him. If I am one with Him then His death is my death; when He is raised, I too am raised. God has placed us in Christ, and since we are joined to the Lord, we are one spirit with Him. The Branches will go the way of the Vine. The Body will go the way of the Head.
Source: Embrace the Cross by Chip Brogden