I Die Daily

Through 1 Corinthians 15, the apostle Paul preached the resurrection, and through the passage above, he gives us even greater assurance of the resurrection. In other words, because the resurrection — that is, being raised to life again after death — is certainly given to mankind, the apostle Paul declares that he dies daily. And this word also teaches us today that if we, like the apostle Paul, “die daily,” then we too may partake in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In verse 29 above, where it says, “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all...” rather than focusing on what “they which are baptized for the dead” means, we should focus our attention on the intention of the apostle Paul, namely the meaning of “baptism.” “Baptism” does not merely mean the ceremonial act of going down into water and coming up again. Rather, it means that one’s old man dies together with Jesus and lives anew by the life of Jesus, that is, His word. [For more details on baptism, see “Concerning Baptism.”]

Colossians 3:9-10 “9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.”

Romans 6:2-4 “2God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

Colossians 2:12 “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”

Therefore, after coming to know Jesus, the apostle Paul testified as follows concerning the reason he lived:

Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

In this way, those who put to death their old man for Jesus will surely live again by the new life of Jesus, just as the passage above says. Therefore, in verse 29 above, the apostle Paul was saying that “if the dead do not rise at all, then receiving baptism has no meaning whatsoever.” In other words, because “resurrection” certainly exists, he was speaking of the necessity of baptism — that it is only right for us to die daily in the name of Jesus, that is, to be baptized. He then continued, saying, “And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?” This also means that the very reason they stood in danger every hour was because of the resurrection.

Hebrews 11:35-38 “35Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.”

As this passage says, our forefathers of faith did not avoid danger, but rather endured it in order to obtain a better resurrection. Therefore, in verse 31 above, the apostle Paul even said that dying daily was his boast. By this, he was teaching that it is only natural to die daily in order to obtain the resurrection.

Philippians 3:10-12 “10That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”

In this passage also, we can see that the apostle Paul sought to be made conformable unto the death of Jesus in order, by any means, to attain unto the resurrection. Since resurrection is something that can only be obtained when one dies, the apostle Paul did not fight with beasts at Ephesus after the manner of men, as verse 32 says, nor did he live in dissipation, thinking, “If death tomorrow is the end, then let us eat and drink today.” Jesus, who became the firstfruits of the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20), first showed us this example beforehand. Later, Peter testified of Jesus as follows:

1 Peter 2:20-24 “20For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”

According to Peter’s testimony, although Jesus had no sin at all, He willingly suffered reproach and affliction, and died on the cross, for our sins and for our healing. The apostle Paul and the disciples of Jesus followed this example of Jesus, and now we also must not refuse to “die daily” for the sake of Jesus and the life of resurrection. As we have seen above, resurrection can never be obtained unless I die, and the very act of seeking to die for Jesus is the way by which we live. Therefore, in our daily lives, we must strive all the more to willingly take part in putting our old man to death “in the name of Jesus,” that is, enduring so that we do not go beyond what is written in the Word.

Luke 9:23-24 “23And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.”

John 12:24 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”

Romans 8:13-14, 16-18 “13For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

Colossians 3:1-4 “1If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”

Amen.