Baptism: Romans 6.3-11

I remember being baptized when I was 21 years old at a church in Vancouver, not far from here, on 49th and Granville St. back in 2001. Prior to my baptism, though, I remember a number of years ago when I was back in Hong Kong, attending a church in North Point, and one of my good friends at that time was getting baptized. He brought me along one day after sunday service and asked me “hey, wouldn’t it be cool, if we both got baptized together?” And yeah, I thought it would be cool. The problem was, I didn’t understand what baptism meant. I talked it over with my father, and in a nutshell, he told me these words “once you get baptized, there is no turning back.” Those were scary words for a teenager trying to find out what the meaning of baptism was. I thought it over, prayed about it - I understood what it meant, because of my conversation with my father, but I wasn’t sure if the time was right for me to make the jump. I was scared to make that commitment. I questioned my motives. Was I wanting to get baptized because I WANTED to, or was it because my friend was getting baptized, and I wanted to get right in there with them? I ended up waiting until I was in college to get baptized.

Baptism is an essential part of the Christian life. But let’s not get confused about being baptized. There are some people out there who will tell you that you must be baptized and have faith in order to be saved. This is false. The Bible does not teach that we need to be baptized to be saved. It is simply by faith. Ephesians 2.8-9 tells us “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Acts 16.31 says “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.” Faith is what is required for salvation. Faith is what Jesus is looking for. Some of you may be asking, if I believe in the Lord Jesus, then why do I have to get baptized? Ah, now this is a good question. Now, in order for us to find out, let’s turn and look to Romans 6.3-11, which reads “...don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” The apostle Paul, in verse 2, speaks of being “dead to sin”. What does he mean by this? The apostle Paul used the imagery of death to demonstrate that there was a shift that happened. When someone becomes a Christian, their relationship to God changes. Their relationship to sin changes. Our state, our place before God is so dramatically changed, it’s like night and day. Death and life. Take a look at verses 3-5. Here, Paul explains that all who believe, and were baptized in Christ, were baptized into his death. You see, in baptism, we are joined to Christ and to his death and resurrection. Jesus’ own death was a death to sin, that sin had no dominion over him, and his resurrection meant living to God. Now, the word “baptized” in Greek basically means to “immerse in”. What does it mean, then, to be baptized into Jesus’ death? It means we identify with Christ in all the major events of His redemptive work. And what is that redemptive work? Turn to 1 Corinthians 15.3-4 which says “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day...” People who believe have participated with Christ in each of these events. We died with Him, we were buried with Him, and we will be raised by Him. What does this all mean? This means that we now have the ability to live a new life.

I know it’s a lot to take in, hang in there with me, okay? So what happens then when we have died to sin? What does it do to us who have been baptized into Christ? Our identification with Jesus Christ means we no longer are dominated by sin. When we are confronted with temptations, the work, wisdom, and discernment of the Spirit, helps us, compels us to choose God over sin. Look at verse 6, where Paul writes “We know that our old self was crucified with him [that is Jesus] in order that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” What does it do to Christians who been baptized into Christ? Verse 7 tells us “...one who has died has been set free from sin” - in other words, we’re free from the chains of sin that have enslaved us. We’re FREE from our old way of living, which was hostile to God. Turn to Colossians 3.3-14, this passage tells us what the difference between our sinful nature, and our new life in Christ, “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator....Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

You see, the power and penalty of sin died with Christ on the cross. We no longer live in sin, we no longer obey our sinful desires, but now, the desires of God rule our hearts. The work of the Spirit continues to conform us to the image of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 8-10 tells us that “if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. the death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.” Three things here from these two verses. First, because we have died to sin, we will one day be bodily resurrected when Christ comes back. We will be given new bodies. Turn to Luke 24.36, this was when the disciples locked themselves behind closed doors, because they were afraid of the Jews. But notice in verse 36, that while the disciples were talking among themselves, Jesus appears among them. Verse 37 tells us that the disciples were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. But look at what Jesus says “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” We will be bodily resurrected with Christ. Second, Christ has conquered death. After Jesus’ crucifixion, he was raised by God the Father from the grave. Christ now lives in a state where death is no longer possible, and the power of death no longer applies. Because Christ has risen from the grave, those who believe, also will have that assurance they, too, will have the assurance of conquering death. Just as Jesus did not stay dead after His crucifixion, so the same will be with us. We will not remain dead after death, because of our faith in Christ. It has been said many times that “death is not the end, but only the beginning.” Third, the death that Jesus Christ died, he died to sin. Why would Jesus have to “die to sin” if he was sinless? Jesus was not held under sin’s power the same way that we are. It didn’t turn him into a sinner. He was sinless to begin with. He was both fully man, and fully God. But he came here, as a human being, and was therefore subjected to the power of sin. Look at what Hebrews 2.14-16 tells us about this “Because God’s children are human beings - made of flesh and blood - the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.” After dying to sin, Christ now lives for the Father, and in the same way, we must also live our lives to God our Father.

There’s a lot in Romans 6, and some of you here this morning may be asking, “what does any of this stuff have to do with baptism?” Everything. Does baptism save us? No. It doesn’t. God receives a person when they respond in faith to His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is by faith that one is saved, not by works. Faith in Christ alone brings a person in right relationship with God. So why do we need to be baptized then? Three brief things. First, it is an act of obedience. In Matthew 28.19, the last command that Jesus gave to his disciples was “...go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” To be baptized means to obey the command of Jesus, who gave it to his disciples, but to us as well. Second, It identifies us with our Lord Jesus. In the same way that Christ died to sin, for those of us who have placed our faith, our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, have also died to sin. We no longer have sin as our masters. We no longer are under the dominion of sin. Sin no longer has power over us. The sinful nature has been crucified. Jesus “died to sin” - we have also died to sin. He was resurrected. We will, one day, be resurrected. Third, it is an outward expression of an inward reality. Baptism is symbolic in the sense that we have died to our old way of life, and have been risen in the life that Christ gives us. 2 Corinthians 5.17 says “...if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” When we place our faith in Christ, the expression of that faith points to baptism. To demonstrate that you have made a change in direction in life, and that God has made his home in your heart. To proclaim to the church, and the world that you have left your old way of life, and begin to walk in the newness of life that God has given to you, through and in Christ Jesus. Are you a Christian this morning? Have you made a commitment to Christ? Have you placed your faith, your trust in Him and in Him alone? If you have, then the next step in your faith and in your walk with the Lord, is to be baptized. To proclaim to the world and to the church that you now walk with the Lord Jesus Christ, and your commitment is to Him and to Him alone. That you have died to sin, that sin no longer reigns in your life, no longer is a master of yours, but that you have been given the authority and power from the Father to live a life that pleases Him. If you are a Christian this morning, you are living by faith. Allow that faith to be expressed in obedience through baptism. Come to me, if you want to be baptized, we’ll talk, and we’ll set up some times when we can meet up, and learn more deeply what it means to be baptized.
Let’s pray.