The Significance of Baptism

Romans 6:5-10

As we saw in te previous verses, baptism in water portrays in a physical way what has happened spiritually. In the great Commission, Matthew 28:19-20. Jesus commanded his followers, “Go ye therefore, and teach (matatheno: disciple, to cause to become a disciple) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching (didasko: to teach) them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Clearly there is a distinction between being saved and being baptized, but baptism is to be done.

In Acts 2:38, Peter commands those who believe to repent and then be baptized because they are saved, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

But if it doesn’t save us, why bother? The thief on the cross was still with Christ in paradise. Why does God still want us to be baptized?

In the discourse on counting the cost, Jesus stresses the commitment required to be saved. “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26-27). It is reiterated in Luke 14:33. “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”

Baptism is the first opportunity to demonstrate that commitment. James 2:26 tells us, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” Faith that will not take the first step of the commitment is dead. It is a test of their belief.

Romans 6:4 stated the symbolism of baptism. “Therefore 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.” By being baptized we acknowledge what has happened spiritually, and that we accept responsibility for the new life God intended for us.

“For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.” (Romans 6:5-7)

We are spiritually dead, having been crucified in Christ. Just as a dead dog no longer has to obey an abusive master, we no longer have to obey the sin nature, or Satan. Unlike the dog, we are still physically alive, so we can still physically obey sin, but we can live with Christ instead. We are free just as the slaves were after the Proclamation of Emancipation at the end of the Civil war. They had freedom to live where they wanted to. They were responsible for their own lives. We now accept responsibility for our own life before God. We need to learn what will please him.

“Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.” (Romans 6:8-10)