Nothing happens to our physical makeup when we are baptized. Coming out of the water, we rejoice that our sins are forgiven, and will continue to be forgiven if we walk in the Truth. Also, we rejoice that our status before God has changed: we are no longer foreigners, but citizens of the kingdom to come; no longer strangers, but children of God.
Physically, however, we are the same; the aches and pains are still there; any diseases continue. We are as mortal as ever. And the lusts and passions have not gone away; they continue to drag us toward sin. We are still corruptible. Yet that is not the way Paul writes in Romans 6:1-11.
Crucified with Christ
You have died with Christ, he writes, and have been raised with him to share the glorious liberty he now experiences.
So far as sin is concerned, we are dead, and sin has no ability to control dead people. “How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?” (v.2). Throughout this passage, his exhortation is phrased as if the physical changes we desire have actually occurred. “Our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin” (vs. 6,7). The words are clear. We associated ourselves with Christ in baptism (crucified with him) in order to be rid of sinful flesh. As people who have died, sin no longer can dominate us; we are freed from its crushing power.
This language speaks as if a physical change has already occurred.
Alive with Christ
The matter is left beyond doubt as Paul elaborates the counterpoint -being raised with Christ. “We believe we shall also live with him: knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (vs. 8-11).
Paul’s reasoning is evident: Now, in the immortal condition, Christ has nothing more to do with sin or death. Since we are raised with Christ, we should have nothing more to do with sin. As far as sin is concerned, we have died and should now live as Christ lives now, wholly unto God. Taking the exhortation from Christ’s immortal condition may seem out of place. We may feel it would have been better to base it on the example of obedience Christ set during his mortal lifetime. Yet the reasoning is clear.
In developing this great principle of Christianity — that grace gives no license to sin (v.1) — the apostle speaks in terms of a physical change having occurred at baptism.
Figurative language
Obviously, the language is figurative. We weren’t literally crucified; nor did we die; nor were we raised from the dead; nor are we in the physical condition that Christ now enjoys. The literal change in our human nature occurs at the judgment seat. Yet, as Paul explains, baptism represents the time when we change from mortal to immortal, from corruptible to incorruptible.
Why? Bible figures of speech are appropriate to their meaning. Thunder and lightning speak of fear and commotion, not peace and tranquility; sheep and shepherds symbolize obedience and security, not savagery and terror. Why should baptism represent the point in time when a physical change occurs?
Frequently-used idea
The question is made more important when we note how often the figure of speech is used. Following are some examples:
Romans 7:5: “For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.”
Literally, we are still in the flesh and the passions of covetousness and rebellious independence are still there. But, hearkening back to chapter 6, Paul reasons we have died so are freed from these passions and the law (cf. 7:4).
Galatians 5:24-25: “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
The figurative idea is identical to that in Romans 6: The exhortation is not that we should crucify the natural affections and lusts; the point is that they can no longer dominate us because a physical change has already occurred. Our human nature is dead; it has been crucified; we are now spirit creatures. Literally, of course, the flesh is still with us and our nature is still of the earth, earthy. Once more, the question arises: Why is it appropriate to use such powerful language of those who are baptized into Christ?
Ephesians 2:5-6: “Even when we were dead in sins, [God] hath quickened us [made us alive] together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, [with Christ] and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
From a literal point of view, the believer is no more dead or alive than he ever was. Many who are not of Christ and thus “dead in sins,” feel vibrant and full of life while the faithful may be dragged down with the infirmities of their natural constitution.
Yet, the reason for the language is not hard to grasp: If the baptized person walks in the light, his ultimate end is life, while the ultimate end of the disobedient and unbelieving is death. At baptism, by God’s grace, one becomes related to the promised blessing of being with Christ in the immortal state. This provides the basis for the figurative language used by Paul when he says we are alive.
Colossians 2:11-12: “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him…”
Again the apostle speaks as if a physical change occurred at baptism. The Christian does not just cut off the foreskin of one body part, he cuts off the whole natural body. The point is clearer in other versions which read, “in putting oft the body of the flesh” (RV, RSV, etc.). By removing “of the sins,” these translations make it unambiguous that Paul is using the same figurative language noted elsewhere.
In Colossians, however, he amplifies the matter by enumerating three great changes that occur at baptism:
- Our personal transgressions are forgiven (v.13). This is the point we generally emphasize in respect to baptism.
- The law is removed (v.14) which, of course, does not affect us as it did the Jews of the first century.
- Sin in all its mighty forms and death have been conquered (v.15). I Corinthians 15:24-26 helps us understand the vocabulary of “principalities (Greek is archa) and powers (Gk. exousia).” “When he shall have put down all rule (Gk. archa) and all authority (Gk. exousia) and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” “Death” is thus a “principality” and “power” triumphed over through Christ.
Here is the key to why baptism is spoken of as if it actually was the point in time when the believer experiences a physical change. The validly baptized person, if he remains faithful, will, with absolute certainty, be made immortal because he now is included in Christ’s triumph over death.
Death abolished
The idea behind Colossians 2:15 is identical to that expressed in II Timothy 1:10, “[Christ] hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”
Is it true to say that Christ has abolished death when everybody still dies? It is so far as the faithful are concerned, because they do not “die.” Rather, they “fall asleep” in certain hope of being raised from the dead and given immortality. This promise is secure beyond doubt for God has not only made it a matter of promise, he has “confirmed it by an oath: that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us” (Heb. 6:17-18). We become a participant in this everlasting covenant when we are baptized into Christ (Gal. 3:27-29). No wonder, then, baptism is spoken of as the time when we are “quickened (made alive) together with him” (Col. 2:13).
No condemnation in Christ
The three-verse summary in Colossians 2:13-15 encapsulates the points elaborated in Romans. Apart from Christ we stand condemned by our own iniquities (Rom. 1:18-32; 3:9-19); by our nature inherited from Adam (5:12-18) and by the law if it applied to us (7:9-11). But in Christ, we do not fear any of these; “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Rom. 8:1).1
In him, we have forgiveness of sins, freedom from the law and assurance of immortality. These comforts we have “now,” from the time we are validly baptized, unless we willfully reject Christ and turn back to the way of darkness.
Not for personal sins only
As noted in previous articles, the guilt of Adam’s sin is not attributed to the human race. To make certain any such idea is rejected, brethren will sometimes declare that we are baptized “for personal sins only.” While the intent of the speaker may be right, the statement is wrong. We are baptized for personal sins, that is correct, but we are also baptized to be free of the constraints of the law and to be delivered from this mortality.
While it is true that the faithful are not physically changed until the judgment seat of Christ, we have absolute assurance this change will occur if we remain faithful after a valid baptism. The covenant is so certain that it can be counted on as surely as if it were an accomplished fact. And because one becomes related to that promise at baptism scripture frequently speaks, in figurative language, as if the physical change actually occurred when one is baptized.
Do we want the change? Do we want to live forever unto God and to His glory? If that’s true, we’ll live unto God now looking forward to the time when “the day star shall arise in our hearts” and the prospect which began with our baptism will be fully realized.
(We promised this would be the last article in the present series. A proper summary is needed, however, and space requires we leave that until next month, God willing.)
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One