Believers Who Stink!

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Joseph from Arimathea was one of Jesus' disciples. He had kept it secret though, because he was afraid of the Jewish leaders. But now he asked Pilate to let him have Jesus' body. Pilate gave him permission, and Joseph took it down from the cross.
Nicodemus also came with about seventy-five pounds of spices made from myrrh and aloes. This was the same Nicodemus who had visited Jesus one night.  The two men wrapped the body in a linen cloth, together with the spices, which was how the Jewish people buried their dead.  In the place where Jesus had been nailed to a cross, there was a garden with a tomb that had never been used.  The tomb was nearby, and since it was the time to prepare for the Sabbath, they were in a hurry to put Jesus' body there.

 John 19:38-42 

Once Jesus had died on the Cross Joseph and Nicodemus were in a hurry to put His body in the tomb. The Sabbath was upon them and putting a body in the grave quickly is what you do when the body is not embalmed. If you don't do that and seal the tomb it will become very unpleasant in just a few days. 

Romans 6:4 says that "When we were baptized, we died and were buried with Christ." We are tempted to seek an understanding of the process of being buried with Christ rather than simply doing it. 

Baptism is not an action that must be studied and accurately understood, it is rather a command that must be obeyed! 

Here is the silliness of arguing about baptism. It is like a couple of men discussing whether or not to bury a friend who has died. Even if they do decide to bury the man they keep talking so long that the body begins to stink! 

So here is the bottom line! If someone is indeed dead to the world around them, then be about burying them with Christ! Un-buried believers will start to stink if you don't bury them with Jesus! 

"Lord Jesus, help me be about obeying You more than understanding everything You have told me to do. Thank You Lord for giving me understanding about many things, but thank You more for letting me know how to obey Your every Word. May You be praised forever. Amen."