Baptism: United With Christ

INTRODUCTION: We acknowledge the strongholds that have gripped this generation: addictions, mental illness, anxiety, demonic oppression, depression, toxicity in our environment, fractured relationships, and lives merely surviving rather than thriving. These and many alike are physical and emotional manifestations of a much greater spiritual issue called “SIN.”

Let’s start at the beginning. Scripture tells us about the perfection of God’s creation and how it was marred by sin through human disobedience. Romans 3:23 simplifies the universal problem: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." This scripture isn’t just pointing out that we all make mistakes; rather, it is highlighting a fundamental brokenness in our relationship with God. And that is why God had to send His only begotten son … (John 3:16).

The consequences of sin are dire. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death…” This doesn’t only refer to physical death but also eternal separation from God. Without salvation, we face a dead-end, unable to bridge the gap on our own. Imagine trying to live without access to the sun; just as the earth would become cold and lifeless, our souls, too, grow cold and lifeless when cut off from the source of true life, which is God. However, 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"

Example of Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist … and the Final Commission in Matthew 28:19.

In Romans 6:3-4, the Apostle Paul delves deep into the transformative reality of baptism and its significance for the believer's journey. This passage bridges the theological and the experiential, providing profound insights into how our identification with Christ in His death and resurrection fundamentally alters our existence. Paul calls believers to comprehend the fullness of what it means to be united with Christ—indicating that baptism symbolizes not only a ritual washing but a spiritual rebirth. Through baptism, believers are invited into the death of Jesus, putting to rest their former selves ruled by sin. This act is not the end but the gateway to a resurrection life, mirroring Christ’s victory over the grave. As such, believers are raised to a new kind of existence, characterized by freedom from sin's bondage and the empowerment to walk in newness of life. Romans 6:3-4 is a powerful reminder that the Christian faith encompasses death to the old self and the birth of a new creation, living in the vibrant hope and reality of the resurrection.

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BAPTISM?

1. BAPTIZED INTO HIS DEATH

Paul begins with a question: “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?”

What happens in baptism is more than a symbolic act; it is a profound spiritual reality. Baptism signifies our union with Christ. It is as though we are stepping into His story—we are identified with Him, sharing in His death.

But why must we be baptized into His death? Because SIN requires DEATH. Romans 6:23 declares, “For the wages of sin is death.” Sin separates us from God, demands justice, and exacts a penalty. Jesus took this penalty upon Himself on the cross, bearing our sin and dying in our place.

In baptism, we acknowledge that we cannot save ourselves. We accept that our old, sinful lives must die. This death is NOT simply an improvement or a renovation of our former selves—it is the END of that old life. Baptism represents the decisive break from a life ruled by sin.

2. BURIED WITH CHRIST

Paul goes further, saying, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death.”

Burial is the confirmation of death. When someone is buried, the world acknowledges that the person’s life as they knew it has ended. Similarly, when we are buried with Christ, it is an acknowledgment that our old selves—the selfish, sinful selves—are gone.

Think about the symbolism here: burial is a final act. No one buries something they are planning to return to.

When we are united with Christ in His death and burial, we are saying, “My old ways are done. I will not return to them.”

This truth should challenge us. Have we truly buried the old life? Or are we keeping it alive in secret, holding on to habits, desires, or attitudes from before? Burial with Christ invites us to leave the past behind, trusting Him to lead us into something new.

3. RAISED TO NEWNESS OF LIFE

Paul doesn’t leave us in the grave. He proclaims the victorious truth: “Just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

Jesus didn’t stay dead. The grave couldn’t hold Him. On the third day, He rose, defeating sin, death, and the power of darkness forever. And here’s the wondrous truth: because of our union with Christ, HIS resurrection becomes OUR resurrection.