Fourth-century preacher, John Chrystostom, in his sermon entitled Dead to Sin, shines a deeper light on Christian rebirth and baptism. John’s words call us to appropriate Christ’s resurrection as well as his death, and in this way to embrace more fully what it means to be born again.

Do you believe that Christ was raised from the dead? Believe the same of yourself. Just as his death is yours, so also is his resurrection; if you have shared in the one, you shall share in the other.