Lesson 704

(Lesson 704)(07-24-13) The next three usages of a form of the term "baptized" are found in Romans 6:3-4.

We will quote verses 1-14, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 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. 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. 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. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace."

In this lesson, Paul is teaching clearly what we would refer to as, the security of the believer. He was assuring his audience that those who had truly placed their faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ had "likewise" taken on Christ or was "baptized" into him through that faith they had placed in Him and were, in essence, buried and resurrected with him.
Paul devoted much of his ministry in an attempt to persuade the Jews that Jesus had fulfilled the old Law and that those who had accepted Jesus Christ as redeemer were no longer bound by it.

To quote verse 3 in modern English, it says, "Don't you know that everyone of you that have immersed yourself into Christ have also immersed yourself into His death?" (Remember, baptizO, the Greek term from which the word baptize was transliterated, simply means immerse.)

Verse four, in modern English would read, 'Therefore, we are buried with Him by our immersion into His death so that, as Christ was lifted up, we too will be lifted up to be walk, reborn, into a new and everlasting life.'

It is very safe to say that NONE of these three usages infer that water is the intended medium into which we are to be "baptized" (immersed), we are clearly commanded to immerse ourselves into Jesus Christ crucified in order to attain eternal life.~