Romans 6:3-4, "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 the newness of life." In this, our Key Verse, Paul compares a Christian's baptism to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

Matthew 12:40, "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the fish's belly: so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." When Jonah was swallowed by the fish, where was he taken? (Under...) When Jesus died, where was He taken? (Under...) As we are taken under the water at our baptism, we show that a part of us has died and is buried with Christ.

Romans 6:6-9, "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him (Jesus), that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him." This "old man" which we crucify is referring to the bad old ways we lived in before we were saved. We get hold of these old sinful ways by the hairs of their head and tear them out by the roots.

Romans 6:11-12, "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." The sins in your life which seems to control you and sometimes do control you, let them go, kill them.

As we get rid of the sins that overpower us, as we get rid of our old wants and ways (all of this is through God's help, of course!), as we do these things, we partake, or join, in the death and burial of Jesus.

But that's not all, we are raised to "walk in the newness of life" (Romans 6:4). 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (Also see Romans 8:10).

Sure we show that we have done away with those old sinful ways, the control of sin and those sinful wants we had before we were saved. But to take the place of these, we show the world a new and different person. A person changed, by God, from lost to saved.

Romans 6:11-12, "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." (Also see 1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

God gives us power if we want to use it. It is the power that keeps sin from constantly controlling or overpowering us. This power comes as we yield (give right of way) of our whole selves - mind, body, soul strength - to God for His glory.

Let us do just that. Colossians 2:6-7, "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him. Rooted and built up in Him and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving."

Death is compared to immersion; burial is compared to submersion; resurrection is compared to emergence.

Part 2 - What Baptism Is Not

We have seen some good verses of Scripture which discuss what baptism is. Now let us look at some things baptism is not.

1. It is not required of a person to be baptized in order to be saved. Remember the story of Phillip explaining to the Ethiopian part of the Bible? The Ethiopian eunuch asked, "See, here is water; what doeth hinder me to be baptized?" This part of the story is found in Acts 8:36-39. Phillip answered, "If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest." Upon this, the eunuch replied, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." And Philip "commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water" and Phillip baptized him. Then they, "came up out of the water."

Some folks believe that to be saved, a person has to be baptized. But here, we see that the eunuch believed first, then he was baptized. On the day the Holy Spirit was poured out on the 120 disciples of Jesus, three thousand souls were baptized. Let's see which came first; salvation or baptism. Acts 2:41, "Then they that gladly received his (Peter's) word were baptized." What did they receive to be baptized? God's grace, salvation. Peter told the people at another time, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12). Nothing else. No one else can save us. Only trust in Jesus. This is the only command to be saved, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." (Acts 16:31).

After we receive Christ into our hearts at the moment of salvation, then our baptism will mean something. Then, and only then, can we be "buried with Him by baptism." And be raised to "walk in the newness of life." (Romans 6:3-4).

2. Baptism is not sprinkling or pouring water over a person's head. There is not a single verse of Scripture that teaches that we should baptize someone by sprinkling or pouring water over his head.

Before the New Testament was translated into English, it was written in Greek. The word used by the Greek writers of the Bible was "baptizo." Baptizo means "to dip, to immerse, to submerge." Jesus, in Matthew 3:16, after He was baptized, "went up straightway out of the water." This surely is not sprinkling or pouring. In John 3:23, we read, "and John also was baptizing ...because there was much water there." "Much water" is not necessary for sprinkling or pouring. Phillip and the Ethiopian "went down into the water." And after the baptism, "came up out of the water." (Acts 8:36-39). These baptisms are all immersion.

Our Key Scripture during this study has been Romans 6:3-4, "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 the newness of life." "Baptism into His death." "Buried with Him by baptism." "Raised (up) to walk in the newness of life." All of these phrases are a beautiful symbol of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Sprinkling or pouring do not symbolize either the death, burial, or resurrection of Jesus.

Colossians 2:12, "Buried with Him in baptism...risen with Him." If our baptism is to show our death to the control of sin, our burial with Jesus, and our rising to walk inn the newness of life; then we must be taken down under the water, and raised up again. Sprinkling or pouring are not Christian symbols. A Christian is Christ-like. A Christian is dipped under the water.

3. Baptism is not for babies or infants. Some churches allow the babies and infants to be sprinkled, "baptizing" them into the watchcare of the church. But what does the Bible say is necessary to be baptized?

Peter preached in Acts 2:38, "Repent, and be baptized." Can a baby repent? In Romans 10:9, Paul says, "believe" and "confess" to be saved. Remember, we found that salvation must come before baptism? Babies and infants cannot talk. They cannot know to "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." One of the first steps in salvation is to repent. This is to realize that we are living in sin, to ask God to forgive these sins, then to allow God, not those sins, to control us. Isn't it a little ridiculous to imagine a baby repenting? The Ethiopian eunuch asked Phillip to be baptized. Can you imagine a baby asking to be baptized?

When a child is old enough to realize he is a sinner, that he must tell those sins to God and ask His forgiveness, then this child is old enough to be saved, then to be baptized.

Throughout this "Bob's Brief Bible Study", we look at things which may be surprising, or that may be disagreeable with some people. When any questions come up on any subject, Peter gives us a good rule to remember, and with this I conclude. "We ought to obey God rather than men." Acts 5:29. **Also find, "Let God be true, and all men a liar."

I welcome you to visit my page, How to Have a Full and Meaningful Life, then, my Feedback Page and send me your comments, or request additional information. I would be delighted to hear from you! Do you wish to return to The Bible Studies Page?

May God speak to your heart! Bob Conar