romans 6:3-5

* Remember, Paul is here answering objections to the doctrines of Grace.
* Nothing in this passage, therefore, can be made to contradict salvation by Grace, nothing can be made to contradict justification by faith.

1. Preliminary Questions:
a. What is the subject of 6:3-11?
(1) Context—Rom 5:15-21—you are in Adam, or you are in Christ, one or the other.
(2) The question being answered, 6:1-2—we died to sin!
(3) We are one with Christ! Gal 2:20, Eph 2:4-6
(4) The subject is our union with Christ

b. What is the meaning of “baptized” here? (two incorrect views). It is NOT about water baptism

(1) Does “baptize” always refer to water baptism? No! 1 Cor 10:1-4, Mat 20:22-23, 1 Cor 12:13, Acts 1:5
(2) The Problem of the Sound of Words
(a) Baptize—not really an English word, but an anglicized Greek word: Why? (example of “bishop vs. overseer.”)
(b) Our ears are conditioned to think of the religious ceremony of water baptism any time we hear the word “baptism,” but the word often means something other than water baptism
(c) The word “baptiso” means “to immerse,” or “ to place into.” It only means “place into water” if that is the obvious context.

b. What Kind of Baptism Is This?
(2) Holy Spirit Baptism—One of the key concepts missed by many in the baptism/salvation discussion is a proper understanding of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

(3) The outpouring, or baptism, of the Holy Spirit was predicted in the Old Testament in several places: Isa 44:3, Joel 2:28-29
(4) The Baptism in the Holy Spirit was defined by John the Baptiser, the forerunner of Jesus Christ, as being a distinctive part of the ministry of Christ. Indeed, the baptism of water was contrasted with the baptism in the Spirit—Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16
(5) Christ promised the outpouring, or baptism, of the Spirit to His disciples: Acts 1:5
(6) The initial outpouring came on the day of Pentecost, and there were other outpourings in the books of Acts. Some of these outpourings came to those who had been baptized in water, and some came to those who had not yet been baptized in water. Acts 10:47-48, Acts 11:15-16
(7) In discussing the ministry of the Spirit in the Body of Christ (the church) Paul made it plain to the Corinthians that it was Spirit Baptism which placed them in Christ—1 Cor 12:12-13
(8) Therefore we understand that when baptism is talked about in the Bible, there is a way to distinguish between water baptism and Spirit Baptism in those scriptures which do not specifically tell which type is being discussed.
(9) That way is this: if the passage is talking about being placed into Christ, then it is talking about Spirit Baptism, not Water Baptism, for Spirit Baptism is how we are placed into Christ.

(10) In the our passage in Romans 6, for example, it is obvious that the context is being placed into Christ and the passage dwells on the believer's identification with Christ, with His death, and with His resurrection. In this passage, the believer is not baptized into WATER, but into the death of Christ. Rom 6:4-5
(11) The common interpretation of those who teach that water baptism is found in this verse is this: "...we have been united together in the likeness of His death..."

(12) This phrase is taken by them to mean burial, or immersion in water. I marvel that anyone really thinks that is true--for Christ's death happened NOT in the tomb, when He was buried, but His death took place ON THE CROSS! Water Baptism bears no resemblance whatsoever to His death, but instead to His burial! The likeness of His death is that our old man has been crucified with Him, and that sin therefore has no dominion over us--which is the subject of this entire chapter! The likeness of His death is that our old self has died, and a new self has been born.

(13) This, of course, accords with what Paul also says in Galatians—Gal 2:20

(14) The following verses also refer to Spirit Baptism. Col 2:9-13. (I defy anyone to demonstrate how to baptize in water "without hands...")
(15) A major misquoted and misused verse is also Gal 3:27 –is this talking about water baptism? No, as the immediate context reveals…..Gal 3:26 "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

c. Galatians 3 contrasts the work of the Spirit with human works.
(1) The Works of The Spirit
(a) 3:1—True Doctrine
(b) 3:2—Hearing of faith, receive Spirit
(c) 3:3—In Spirit
(d) 3:5—Spirit = hearing of faith
(e) 3:6—Righteous by faith
(f) 3:7—Children of Faith
(g) 3:8—Gospel preached to Abraham—no baptism here!
(h) 3:9—faith’s blessing
(i) 3:11—faith = justification
(j) 3:12—faith is NOT works
(k) 3:14—Blessing = promise of Spirit
(l) 3:22—Promise by faith = them that believe
(m) 3:24—just by faith
(n) 3:25—After faith, no schoolmaster
(o) 3:26—Children of God by faith
(p) 3:27—baptism = Spirit Baptism

(2) Human Works
(a) 3:1—bewitched
(b) 3:2—works
(c) 3:3—In flesh
(d) 3:5—Works
(e) 3:10—works = curse
(f) 3:11—Law = no justification
(g) 3:12—works are not faith
(h) 3:13—Law = curse
(i) 3:21—Law not against promises
(j) 3:23—before faith, there was Law, works
(k) 3:24—Law, school master, preparatory

(3) Why, after all the positive things being about faith, and all the negative things being about works, would Paul suddenly put a human work (water baptism) in as the determining factor in our salvation? That interpretation is ridiculous.

2. Baptism Unto Death—Rom 6:3

a. Reminder: subject of this passage: living for Christ. Subject of 6:3-11: union with Christ.
b. Know ye not…..They should have known the relationship between salvation and lifestyle. “Don’t you know,” says Paul, that as many of you as were immersed into Christ, as were placed into Christ, were also placed into His death?
c. This is not about experience, but about fact. Rom 5:12-21
(1) We died in Adam, we sinned in Adam, we were not literally present in the garden, but Adam was our Federal Head, our representative, and we died with him there.
(a) Died to righteousness
(b) Died spiritually
(c) Died to God
(d) Became children of Adam, children of wrath, came under the reign and rule of sin.
(2) But as we died in Adam, if we are Christ’s we died with Him, not physically present there, but our Federal Head, our representative, was there.
(i) Died to sin (penalty and reign)
(ii) Became one with Him
(3) When did we die with Him? When did this become effective in our life?
(i) When we were baptized into Christ
(ii) When we believed and were justified
(4) Christ’s death became effective for us the moment that we trusted in Him for salvation: at that instant, we were identified with Him, at that instant, we were baptized into His Body.

3. The Responsibility of the Believer—Rom 6:4

a. Therefore: why are we placed into Christ?
(1) Picture: Christ’s resurrection.
(2) Antitype: walk in new life.
b. Christ raised by the Glory of God—Eph 1:19-22
c. We have been raised as well to heavenly places. (Eph 2:4-6, 1:7-11)
d. Therefore our walk should reflect this fact. Not “should” as we use it, but a definite thing.

4. The Promise of Glorification—6:5

a. If—if we are really saved
b. Shall—not maybe, but definitely—In God’s mind, it is true already—Eph 1:3-5
c. Sharing in His life, His Glory
(1) John 17:24
(2) 2 Cor 3:16-18