Baptism and Death – Romans 6:1-9

 Baptism is something that Baptists have studied, preached and fought for throughout the centuries. When I say “fought for” I mean exactly that – they have fought and died for the truth about baptism. And that was almost from the very beginning of the Christian era. Before the death of the Apostle John, severe persecution broke out against the Christians. It came from every angle – Jewish, secular and Roman. It lasted down to about 300 AD, and because of it many professing “Christians” recanted of their faith. To “recant” is to make a formal disavowal of a previously held position or doctrine. For example, to “recant” means that these people denied that they were Christians or that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God. When peace was finally restored, primarily through Constantine, some of those people who had recanted tried to rejoin their old churches. But the most faithful of those churches wouldn’t have them back unless they were rebaptized, Those who suffered through the persecutions, could not be sure that these returnees had not been unsaved at the time of their rejection of Christ. If they were now true believers then they must be baptized after their recent repentance and faith. Anabaptism began as early as the first and second centuries.

Also, since the time of John, churches began straying from various Biblical doctrines. And when members from those churches wanted to join the more orthodox churches, they were required to repent of their heresies and to acknowledge the truth, plus they had to be baptized – even though they had been baptized in their former liberal churches. In other words the more orthodox churches didn’t recognize the right of the liberals to baptize. Only God’s true churches, only the doctrinally pure churches had God’s authority to administer baptism.

In 370 AD there became far more common the practice of immersing babies. It was “baptism” in the sense that those babies were immersed, but it was not scriptural baptism, because those babies had never shown evidence of repentance and faith in Christ. And thus many, many churches refused to recognize this as baptism, earning the wrath of many people because they demanded true baptism and even the rebaptism of the adults from those churches. In 416 AD, in many parts of Europe, it actually became illegal to rebaptize, and many people died fighting over the doctrine of pure baptism. The Anabaptists were considered rebels, and they were called “heretics” because they opposed the established church of Rome and all her false doctrines. But they were fighting and dying for what they believed was the Truth of God. And if it came down to that again today, it would be our responsibility to die for the same cause – Truth.

In this area, we can summarize what those people fought for with one statement: “Scriptural baptism consists of the proper person, baptized in the proper way. He must be baptized for the proper reason and by the proper authority.” All true Baptists need to memorize these four things: Scriptural baptism involves the right candidate, the right mode, the right reason and the right authority. If any of these four ingredients are missing – then that church’s baptism isn’t scriptural. It should be rejected, and anyone coming from that church should be rebaptized. But of course, since it wasn’t really true baptism in the first place, it wouldn’t actually be “re-baptism.” The proper candidate is a person who is born again of Spirit of God. The proper mode is baptism by immersion in water. The proper purpose is to testify and to display that person’s union with Christ in his death. And the only scriptural administrator is a church which has descended from the one which the Lord Jesus established in the New Testament. And the best way to test that descendance is doctrinal purity. Christ authorized only one church – and thus one kind of church – to administer His ordinances. Any church which is not like the one He started doesn’t have authority to baptize converts.

All these things are fighting words for anyone who is interested in the subject of baptism. Many of our Baptist forefathers died defending the principles that I’ve briefly outlined. And through the centuries our Baptist brethren have written dozens of good books on the subject. We have been alienated and ostracized because of these principles. And many have died – beginning just after the days of the Apostles themselves.

And almost incidentally, Paul points out something here which needs to be highlighted in regard to this subject. Even though he speaks about baptism in Romans 6, baptism is not his primary subject. He says that baptism illustrates something more important. And we’ll get to that in just a moment. But notice that despite the importance which both Baptists and non-baptists place on baptism, it is never the most important thing. There are millions of people in hundreds of religions who make baptism a key ingredient in their plan of salvation from sin. They teach that if a person, even a baby, isn’t baptized in their particular way, then that person is going to be excluded from heaven. In most cases this heresy is taught in order to chain that person to that unique denomination. It is nothing more than an income-generating tool – a “lost leader” in a special sense of the phrase. I suppose that true Baptists can over-emphasize baptism, but its certainly not to the same degree and not with the same purpose.

This morning let’s examine the point within true baptism which is most often neglected. Will we ever forget that baptism is by immersion? The vast majority of Christendom doesn’t believe so, but true Baptists would sooner forget their name than to forget that truth. And will we forget that the waters of baptism are found in a private pool belonging to Christians only? No. There has been too much Baptist blood been shed on that water. The water of baptism has a pale pink tinge to it. The blood of many Baptist Abels call out to us today. And will we forget that only the New Testament Church has been commissioned baptize? I sincerely hope not, because then we might as well close our doors.

What is the most forgotten feature of Baptism? It is probably – the meaning. Baptism is a message about death – or perhaps I should say, it’s a message about several deaths.

Baptism is a symbol – it is only a symbol – and it symbolizes death.Baptism is not a means of earning, or receiving, grace from God. It is not a “sacrament” as some people teach. You will not hear me refer to the “sacrament of Baptism” – except to denounce the terminology. By definition, a sacrament catches God’s eye and draws His grace. But it is impossible for grace to be earned, because then grace is no more grace. Baptism is an “ordinance” – a divinely proscribed ceremony or ritual, but it is not a “sacrament.” Baptism is an ordinance of obedience and symbolism.

Let’s take a look at baptism in the light of Romans 11:6 and compare it with a sacrament. “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” If I were to go to Heaven because I consented to be baptized, couldn’t I boast about my wise choice? I could say, “Because I was baptized I am here today: I am the master of my own fate.” But a sacrament can’t be a means of grace because it is a denial of grace – God’s unmerited favour. Grace that is earned is not grace at all – but rather it’s the payment of some kind of debt.

And yet, if baptism isn’t the means of earning salvation from the Lord, then why is it important? Number one – because the Bible says that it’s important. Number two – because Jesus himself was baptized, so it must be important. Number three – because the Bible commands it, as we find Acts 2:42. “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” And number four – because it is the symbol of greatest message ever shared.

Baptism is, first of all, a symbol of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.This is one of the things which Romans 6:3-5 tells us. “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.”

Every time a new Christian is lowered into the waters of baptism he is finger-pointing. He is pointing to the newly hewn tomb of Joseph, into which the body of our Saviour was placed. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was taken by cruel hands and nailed to the death place. Then, when it appeared that His life was gone – they cast a spear into His side. Jesus died to pay for the sins of His chosen people. “He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities.” Then three days after His death, the body of Christ revived, and out from that tomb He came. There is a song of the resurrection that we often sing – especially in the Spring. “Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Saviour; Up the grave He arose with a mighty victory o’er His foes. That same song could be sung in regard to baptism. “Low in the watery grave we lay, for Jesus our Saviour; but up from the grave we arose, because of Jesus’ victory o’er His foes.”

Every time a person is baptized they are saying, “I have looked toward Christ by faith. I saw his death; I saw his burial, and yet I know that he lives today. He came out of His grave, perfecting and completing my salvation from sin.”

Baptism is a symbolical declaration of Jesus’ death for our salvation.

Baptism is also a symbol of OUR union with Christ in that death, burial and resurrection, verses 5-8. “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. Knowing this, that 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. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.”

When a person is baptized it is a declaration, “I died with Christ through faith.” Remember that the wages of sin is death. Because you are a sinner, you shall die under the just judgment of God. Except that, in the case of God’s elect, Jesus Christ, died as a substitute for the sinner. When He died, as far as the justice of God is concerned, that Christian died. My sins were atoned – covered by the blood of the dying Christ. My wretchedness passed under the blood of the Sacrifice – and stayed there.

Is that the language of the Bible? It sure is. Colossians 3:3 – “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Galatians 2:20 – “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” When a person is baptized, he declares, “I am now in Christ because I died and was resurrected with Him.” II Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

With these deaths – Christ’s for us and ours in Him – there comes one more thing:

Baptism is a symbol of our new relationship to SIN.And this is what Paul was actually teaching here in Romans. Verse 2 – “How can we who are dead to sin, continue to sin?” How much sin is there in the grave? How much murder? How much lust? How much envy? Obviously, a physically dead person can’t sin any longer. And as Christians we are supposed to be dead with Christ – so how is it that we still sin? Verse 3 – our baptism is a symbol – a picture – of that death. “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” Verse 4-5 – We are not only dead with Christ, but we are raised to live a new life. “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.” How much sin does Jesus commit in His new life. How much sin is there in Heaven? Even so, we should walk in newness of life – a spiritual life – a sinless life.

Let’s read on from verse 6 – “Knowing this, that 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. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that 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. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”

The often forgotten facet of Baptist baptism is the fact that it is a testimony. And a part of that testimony is: “I am dead to sin, and with God as my strength, I will glorify him.” Galatians 2:20 once again: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” When a person is baptized, he declares, “I am now in Christ, because I died and was resurrected with Him. And since my old life is dead – I am asking that it be buried under these waters. I promise to endeavor not to let sin regain control my life.”

Does this mean that a properly baptized Baptist will be completely sinless on earth? No, it does not, but it does mean that with God as our helper, that is our aim. Baptism ought to be a dedication, a commitment to Christ and His cause. “I shall not be a shamed of my Saviour. I shall not shame my Saviour. Lord you gave your life for me, and I am giving my life back to you. You shed your blood for me and what is mine I offer in return.” The Christian who is living in open rebellion brings shame on his baptism and upon his Saviour. And this is why those first churches refused re-admit “Christian” sinners without genuine repentance and another burial in water. No Christian should enter baptism without planning on serving Christ for the rest of his life.

And that leaves us with this question: Christian, does your life match the symbol you displayed on the day that you were baptized? If not – then confess that to Christ – “He is faithful and just to forgive you of your sin and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness.”

But there may be someone here today who is trusting his baptism take him to Heaven. What a tragic and eternally fatal mistake. Baptism was no more designed to save people from their sin than was the law. There are also folk here who say that they are saved, but who have never been baptized. And then finally, there may be some who have not been baptized, because they have no genuine relationship to Christ the Saviour. That is the most tragic of conditions and easily corrected: repent of your sin and put your trust in Christ.