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Scripture Reading:    Romans 6:3,4

It is truly sad that one of the most precious truths of Scripture is also one of the least understood. The truth we are referring to is the believer's identification with Christ.

In today's text (Romans 6:3,4) we read of our baptism into Christ. Unfortunately, most commentators, and, therefore, most Christians, do not understand the true meaning of "baptism." To these, baptism always means, "water," but the original word actually means "identification." This can be demonstrated from 1 Corinthians 10:2, "And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea." The children of Israel were not made wet in the sea, but they were identified with Moses' leadership through the Red Sea experience.

Likewise, when we trust in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, the Holy Spirit baptizes (identifies) us into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). This is why Romans 6:3 says we "were baptized [identified] into His death." This means Christ's death for our sins is made effective in our life. Next, we are identified with His burial ("buried with him by baptism into death" Romans 6:4a). When Christ's human body, laden with the sins of the world, was put away in that tomb, it's as though we were there, too. Finally, we are identified with His resurrection "that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4b).

How tragic that many Christians miss these blessed truths, and substitute a man-made water ceremony for true, spiritual baptism.