Romans 6:1-6
This passage of scripture teaches the doctrine of being “Baptized Into Christ.” It is a wonderful thing to be immersed into Jesus, bringing about many important changes. Without one being immersed into Christ he cannot see the Kingdom of Heaven.
Notice, I didn’t say immersed in water. Neither I or the Apostle Paul are speaking of water baptism. For water baptism would be being immersed into H2O not into Christ. Water Baptism is merely a pictorial ordinance picturing the Baptism into Christ! One wades off into deep heresy when taking the word “baptism” out of context. Be very careful with this word not to speak of the wrong baptism. As I mentioned in a early post there are many baptisms in scripture: water, suffering, Holy Spirit, repentance, and into Christ.
Being baptized into Jesus Christ:
1. Crucifies the Flesh.
2.Presents us to the Father.
3. Performs a Spiritual Operation.
Looking carefully at the first point we must address a familiar question. As an Eternal Security believing Baptist I get this a lot: “Well you Baptist think you can just live how ever you want to.” This not true. Paul says in Romans 6:1-2, “God forbid how can we who are dead to sin live any longer therein.”
That’s how we are to view sin in our lives. I don’t try to live above sin so I can earn salvation or earn the right to maintain it. I try to overcome sin because I’m a new creature in Christ! My want to has been fixed because I was Baptized into Christ by placing faith in him!
This immersion into Christ has also presented me justified to the Father. This is first pictured with Adam and Eve. Fig leaf religion didn’t hide sin. Fig leaf religion is man’s way to try to cover up sin. God saw right through it and covered them with animal skins which pictured Christ. One day we’ll all stand before God, do we want to put on fig leafs or put on Christ? (Gal 2:22-26)
