Thoughts from The Bible

Thoughts from the Bible

Tuesday, 04 October 2022 11:32

Because we were baptized
The Scriptures plainly teach that in baptism the penitent believer receives remission of sins (Acts 2:38-47). In baptism the penitent believer finds a new life in Christ (Rom. 6:3-6; Gal. 3: 26-27; 2 Cor 5:17). Therefore, we can know with assurance that baptism is essential unto salvation. It stands between a death in sin and a new life in Christ.

It’s noteworthy that baptism also has an essential relationship to the behavior of Christians. The inspired writers of the New Testament epistles taught Christians to be faithful to duty because they were baptized (because they were now in Christ). Notice some things that we, as Christians, should be and do because we have been baptized.

A new relationship with Christ begins at baptism (Rom. 6:6-11). Every Christian should walk in newness of life (verse 4) because they have been baptized (because they are now in Christ). Notice why this is so. In Romans 6:3 Paul affirms that we are baptized into Christ’s death. Then, in verse 4, he continues this truth by sharing conclusions we must draw: “THEREFORE we are buried with him by baptism into death THAT like as Christ was raised up from the dead… EVEN SO we also should walk in the newness of life.” The pivotal words are “Therefore, that, and even so.” He continues the thought of verse 3 with “Therefore,” (Since or Because we were baptized into his death) “that” (a similarity with Christ is to be drawn from our being baptized,) “like as Christ was raised up from the dead…” – “even so”(a result should be evident) we also should walk in newness of life.”

“Newness of life” (verse 4) means something. Because we were baptized into the death of Jesus, we should walk in a new kind of life. Christians should be “servants of righteousness.” In Romans 6, verse 17, we see that Paul understood and was so thankful for the change that took place when they obeyed the “form of doctrine that was delivered” to them. He now proclaimed, “…ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.” Verse 18, “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” That’s the new relationship: we are now servants of a different life choice, of righteousness instead of death in sin. Now read verses 5-7. Our old man is dead, we are freed from sin, and we should no longer serve sin!!!

Furthermore, there should be unity in Christ because we have been baptized. Immediately after Paul declared to the Galatian Christians, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ,” (Gal. 3:27), in the very next verse he said, “for ye are all one in Christ.” Again, we see the thought because you were baptized: No Jew, Greek, bond, free, male, or female concerning access to admission or of status of being saved. Roles differ as per Scripture, but not superiority over another. Logic: When a penitent believer is baptized, he is added to the church, which is Christ’s body (Acts 2:47; Col. 1:18). There are many members in this body, yet there is but one body (Rom. 12:4-5; Eph. 4:4). Hence there should be unity in the body.

Because we have been baptized and have been raised to walk in newness of life, let there be unity among us. Whenever a congregation allows strife and dissension to enter it, those in it have forgotten that they have been baptized and thus added to a united body.

The author can be reached for comments at 256-574-2489.

-Terry Broome