As was established in the passages of scripture examined in the last couple of articles, the elements associated with being born again under the New Covenant in Jesus Christ are water, spirit, obedience to the truth, the resurrection of Jesus, and occurring in Christ. The first three were briefly explored in the previous article, and this week the remaining two will be examined. Reflecting back on the previous articles in this series, remember that we set out to determine what was required to enter the covenant relationship with God through the current covenant, which was established by the blood of Christ. After identifying that one must be born again, five elements were discovered in scripture connected to one being born again. Following this discovery, we set out to determine if there is a single instance in which all these culminate for one seeking to enter this covenant with God. Thus, it has been established that the scriptures indicate that water, spirit, and obedience to the truth all appear connected to baptism. Let’s see if scripture also connects the remaining two to this singular event.
As we continue this journey, turn in your Bible to Romans 6:3-4; “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore, we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” In this text, Paul connects several things which occurred when his initial audience (the Christians living in Rome) were baptized. While it is not one of the elements that we discovered, Paul remained those at Rome that their baptism was directed connected to the death suffered by Christ on the cross, and that in baptism we in essence die with Him. This is a very important aspect of baptism to understand because without connecting with His death, there is no forgiveness of sins. This death is important because it leads to the dead being buried, and just as with Christ’s death in the watery grave of baptism, we likewise are buried with Him…thus the reason sprinkling and pouring are not sufficient…but immersion which, after all is what the original Greek word used in the text meant (but more on this in future articles). It is after this baptismal death and burial we come into contact with His resurrection. We are raised up out of the water grave of baptism where our old sinful self was put to death to live a new life in Christ.
Paul also makes this connection in his letter to the Christians living in Colosse; Colossians 2:11-12; “In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” In the series on the God of Covenants, we visited this verse when understanding that God’s covenants with mankind involved a form of circumcision. Under the covenant with Abraham and later with Israel, it was a physical circumcision done by the hands of men cutting away the foreskin, but under this new covenant secured by the blood of Christ, it is He who performs the circumcision in the waters of baptism. Here He does not cut away physical flesh but rather sin. As we come to this passage again, let us notice that here we also find the connection between baptism to the resurrection. Notice carefully the language here “…buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him…” Baptism in the occurrence in which we are also raised with Christ; it is here in this simplistic act that we come in contact with His death, His burial, and His resurrection. By natural order, one must be dead and buried in order to rise. While there are several more scriptures which we could examine to reinforce this connection, I hope that these two can serve to represent the rest that simply repeat this same reality.
As we turn our attention to the final element associated with entering into the covenant relationship with God through Christ, let’s first note that it was alluded to in Romans 6:3 above; “…baptized into Christ Jesus…” The event of baptism itself is meaningless if it is not in (or into) Christ. Thus, the reason His name is invoked during the act itself normally along with the Father and the Holy Spirit. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” (Matthew 28:19). Peter, when delivering the first gospel message following the ascension of Christ, answered the plea of the crowd, “Men and brethren what must we do?” (Acts 2:37b) with these words; “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38). Peter knew full well that salvation is only in the name of Jesus, and states it very plainly as recorded in Acts 4:12 as he gave his defense before the rulers of the Jews; “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” This scriptural truth is firmly displayed in Acts 19:1-5 where Paul encounters some individuals that had previously been taught by Apollos, who at the time had not himself been properly and fully educated with regards to the baptism in the name of Jesus (reference Acts 18:24-28 to learn about Apollos).
And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said “Into John’s baptism.” Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
There are many things made evident from Paul’s encounter with these individuals, but as related to our current pursuit, we find that while both baptisms (John’s and Jesus’s) mechanically are the same, only in one is the name of Jesus invoked and thus brings with it the circumcision of sin that He performs and the connection to His resurrection. Note also the flow of this conversation and how the receiving of the Holy Spirit is a result of being baptized in the name of Jesus, not a separate event that occurs apart from it. Thus, as discovered in the last article, the element of spirit is likewise firmly connected with baptism. In conclusion of this final element of ‘in Christ,’ let us consider Galatians 1:27; “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Paul points out here that in the act of being baptized into Christ, one actually puts Christ on…or enters into Christ. Some translations here translate ‘put on’ as ‘clothed yourself with’; it is in this event that we enter into our new relationship with Christ. We are no longer on the outside but on the inside.
A lot of ground has been covered over the past seven articles, and as we have concluded this journey, discovering so many elements that are interwoven in the simple ceremonial emersion in the water while invoking God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit to do their work there; it should not be surprising that it is talked about so much throughout the entirety of the New Testament. Take some time to look up all the approximately 100 passages in the New Testament that talk about baptism and fully discover why it should be very important to each and every one of us.
(Carl Hartman is the Minister at Main Street Church of Christ in Lockney)
