Virtually any survey of Bible teaching concerning the importance of baptism includes an investigation of Romans 6:3-4, which shows how baptism links the believer with Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. This passage demonstrates how baptism imitates and is, in fact, a pattern of our Lord's sacrifice.

But, while these two verses certainly demonstrate these points, the main point of Romans 6 is not to demonstrate the necessity or function of baptism, but to highlight its implications. This first becomes evident in verse 4, where the Apostle Paul averred that since Christ was raised to new life, "even so we also should walk in newness of life." Baptism implies that our "old life" has been buried with Christ and that the future ought to be a new way of living, a new life style.

Paul said in verse 5 that if we have been united in the likeness of Christ's death, we also should be united in the likeness of his resurrection. Again, the implication is a "new life." This is what Jesus was teaching Nicodemus, as recorded in John 3, when he insisted that becoming part of God's kingdom requires "being born again." Many use the phrase "born again" without fully appreciating that this second chance at life demands a different way of living. This is what Paul declared in verse 6, when he said, "knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin."

Baptism, in part, represents a death. According to Colossians 2:12, baptism is a "burial." You bury what is dead. And Paul declared in Romans 6:7 that "he who has died has been freed from sin." This freeing from sin is both a freeing from the consequences of past sins and from the practice of sin. Paul continued in verse 8 by saying, "if we died with Christ... we shall also live with him." Many new converts (and some who are older) fail to recognize that baptism not only "washes away our sins" (Acts 22:16), but it implies that we are committed to live according to Jesus' pattern, teaching, and demands.

Paul emphasized this when he said, "Likewise, you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God, as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God." (Romans 6:11-12) Sin is not to "reign," that is, rule or have control over the way we live, after we are baptized. We are to use our body members to do good, to live righteously. Baptism implies this change, not merely the removal of accountability for past sins.

Some have misunderstood the concept and purpose of "grace." Paul declared, "For sin shall not have dominion (rule) over you, for you are not under law but under grace." (v. 14) In other words, you don't have to face eternal condemnation because you have in the past, or may occasionally in the future, commit a sin in ignorance or weakness. Forgiveness is available. Before Christ's death, sin did control one's eternal destiny. That is no longer true.

If forgiveness is available, does that mean we don't have to be concerned about whether we sin? Some in Paul's day, and many of today's Calvinists (teachers of the "once saved, always saved" doctrine), seem to be unconcerned about sinful living. But Paul again declared our baptism implies differently. Paul asked, rhetorically, "What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?"

His answer: "Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?"

In other words, baptism links us with Christ's sacrifice, and that sacrifice offers us a new life. The sort of life that will be depends on the choices we make. You can be a servant or slave of sin and return to the "old life," or you can become a servant or slave of Christ and live a "new life." Which course does baptism imply we should take?

Paul quickly declared, "But God be thanked that though you were the slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became the slaves of righteousness." (Romans 6:17-18) When Paul spoke of "obeying from the heart," he was alluding to that which must precede effective baptism into Christ--repentance. Not only is repentance the expression of sorrow for past sins, it is also a turning toward God--a willingness to submit to or serve God and His will.

The apostle concluded Romans 6 by demonstrating the benefit of living a "new life" after baptism. He asked that we think about the "fruit" of both the old and the new life. What did a life of sin bring us? What will life in Christ produce? Of the old life, Paul said, "for the end of those things is death." Of the new life, he said, "you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life."

In the last verse of Romans 6, he repeated this emphasis on the final outcome of the two ways of living. He said, "for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." So, it becomes clear that Romans 6 is not simply about the necessity and form of baptism, but about what it implies regarding our lives after baptism.

Brother Randy helps us understand that Romans 6 is much more than an effective text that shows the need for baptism. Many of those who oppose baptism also teach "eternal security." Romans 6 shows that these teachings are false. God doesn't just want us to repent of our past sins, acknowledging that we have sinned against Him, but to avow that we are leaving that way of life. We must acknowledge that our sins caused our separation from God. Why does sin not continue to separate one from God following his obedience to the gospel of Christ?

"Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear." (Isaiah 59:1,2)

Sin is the thing that causes man's separation from God. Does it matter when the sin is committed? Why would God require us to leave sin's path to enter a relationship with Him and then say it doesn't matter if we return to it after our obedience? We know, of course, that God wants us to abhor that way of life and to never again allow it to dominate our lives.

Sadly, many have failed to understand the Romans 6 teaching on both counts. Why? Probably for the same reasons-they seek an easier way of gaining eternal life. Many creed books tell us that "eternal security" is a comforting doctrine. There's only one problem-it's not scriptural.

Honesty compels us to admit that a life of sin never benefited man before he came to Christ. How could it be beneficial following his initial obedience to Christ? Wouldn't using the minds God gave us allow us to see the foolishness of such teaching?

Men can miss the truth if they don't want to see it. Reread and study Romans 6. Maybe we can help those who "wrest the scriptures to their own destruction" see the truth. (KMG)