Baptism Union with Christ

 

Romans 6:3–4“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

Continuing with this study that I am reading on the Biblical Sacraments, the lesson states that Christian baptism includes a testimony of our belief in Christ, but it refers chiefly to God and to what He does for believers. Baptism actually confers divine grace, albeit only to those to whom the grace “belongs”—true Believers. The Bible speaks of Divine Election, which is defined as: In theology, divine choice; predetermination of God, by which persons are distinguished as objects of mercy, become subjects of grace, are sanctified and prepared for heaven. True Believers, called of God.

Romans 9:11 “For the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls.

We know this to be the case since only the true Believer receive His saving, regenerating grace and since the New Testament speaks of baptism in ways that make it more than a visible depiction of spiritual realities. Something actually happens in baptism—grace is conferred—but only to the called of God, who invariably respond to that grace with repentance and faith, though the time of response does not necessarily coincide with the time of baptism. God calls us and does the work; we respond … or do not.

In today’s lesson, they looked at how Scripture speaks of baptism as accomplishing what it signifies. Romans 6:3-4 speaks of baptism as the sign and seal of “ingrafting into Christ,” or union with Christ. According to this passage, our baptism buries us with Christ in His death. Paul does not say we are buried with Christ because we are baptized. No, we are joined to Christ in His burial because God calls us, regenerates us, and grants us faith.Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Still, as union with Christ is dependent on the grace of God exhibited and conferred to the called in baptism, Paul can say our baptism buries us with Christ.

Admittedly, we cannot describe exactly how this happens; it is of God. We cannot be united to Christ apart from personally believing and trusting in Jesus, so baptism in itself cannot unite us to Christ. Yet we cannot have faith without the gift of God’s saving grace, which is somehow conferred to the true Believer in baptism since baptism is a sign of that salvation. Ultimately, there is mystery here that must be preserved this side of glory. We tend to err by collapsing the sign of Baptism and the thing signified together such that baptism regenerates all who receive it, or by so divorcing the sign and the thing signified that baptism confers no spiritual benefit even to the elect of God. May we not be distracted by false doctrine and confused. Whether we are immersed, sprinkled, dipped, or receive a pouring, we come under water— are buried—in baptism. Thus, our union with Christ is signed and sealed. And if we are truly baptized into the death of Christ, we are also united to Him in His resurrection. Baptism is God’s promise to believers that our old Adamic selves have been crucified and that we are new, resurrected creations in Christ. 

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

The lesson concludes that Scripture tells us that we are new creations in Christ, but we often feel as if we are still old creations in Adam who are enslaved to sin as Galatians 5:13-25 explains so clearly. But if we have faith, we have been baptized into the death of Christ and have died to sin. In your struggle against sin, look to the waters of baptism as proof that you have died to sin and have been raised with Christ such that you need not give into temptation. 

2 Peter 1:5-11 “Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 Bible Study is good for the soul.