From Reconciled & Redeemed to Born Again

The Bible declares repeatedly that we are reconciled & redeemed by the death of God's son Romans 5:9,10 - 2 Corinthians 5:19 - 1Peter 1:18,19 - Hebrews 9:12. So, in that 40 day period from His crucifixion to His ascension His disciple were redeemed & reconciled to God. But, in that 40 day period they were not in what the Bible calls the body of Christ, because at that time He was occupying a glorified physical body. But, after He ascended up to heaven, He filled the saint with His spirit and by doing so made them a part of His mystical body. Ephesians 1:22, Colossians 1:24, 1Corinthians12:13. Also, they were commanded to baptized in water in the name of the Lord Act 10:47,48. If it took baptism of water & Spirit to make them a part of the body of Christ which is the New Testament church, then it still does.

Most people think that by exercising faith in Christ, that they have become a new creature, but that only makes one an old creature that has become justified. Romans 5:1 & John5:24. In order to become a new creature, one has to be in Christ 2 Corinthians 5:17. How does one get to be in Christ? The Bible says as many that baptized into Christ have been made a part of His body. Gal 3:27,28 &1Corinthians 12;13.

So, if one has put faith in Christ's blood and sacrifice of His physical body for their justification & redemption, then they should go on to baptism of water & spirit and become a part of His mystical spiritual body and thereby become a new creation instead of just an old creation that has become reconciled to God. Faith brings you justification i.e. righteousness, but it takes baptism of water and Spirit to be in Christ. Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift 2Corinthians 9:15.