We’re studying through the book of Acts together. In the last two sessions I have been discussing the distinctions in baptisms based on the prepositions involved. I showed last time that there is a difference between the baptism of John and the baptism commissioned to the church. The importance in all of this is to be able to understand scriptures that otherwise might lead us to the wrong conclusions. I shared one of those passages last time.
Look at this passage from Romans 6:3 “Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?”
What kind of baptism is this? Does baptism really put us into Christ? If I’ve not been baptized in water, does that mean that I am not in Christ?
Again let’s take a look at the chart I gave you a couple of weeks ago. You will notice that this passage speaks of being baptized “into” Christ. This contrasts with being baptized into the name of Christ. Galatians 3:27 uses similar terminology to say that as many as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. I Corinthians 12:13 tells us that “in” one Spirit we were all baptized “into” one body. I take it to mean that this is the same Spirit baptism that is spoken of in passages like John 1:33. In this baptism the Spirit places us into Christ. I maintain that this is not water baptism at all, but the baptism of the Spirit foretold in the gospels when the writers say that John baptized “in” water, but Jesus would baptize “in” the spirit. I Corinthians 12:13 tells us what that is.
So back to the original passage of Romans 6:3. I believe what Scripture is teaching us is that when the Holy Spirit put us into Christ at our salvation we were made one with Him and were therefore also baptized into His death. Water baptism is, of course, a perfect picture of this, but it doesn’t do it. We are made one with Christ when we are saved.
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