Baptized into Christ
1. The practice of the early Church was to baptize people as soon as they had received Christ. (see Acts 2:38-41, Acts 8:36-37, Acts 10:44-48 etc...) Nothing could be more important for our understanding of baptism than the example of the earliest Church. Why was it so important for them to baptize people as soon as they came to Christ? It was because of the way they understood baptism. To them baptism ratified the covenant - just as Abraham had once ratified his covenant with God through circumcision.
2. The beginning of our understanding is in the Old Testament. Speaking of the people of Israel, the Bible says that...
...all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. I Corinthians 10:2
3. Remember that the children of Israel were escaping from the slavery of Egypt. Pharaoh's army chased them into the desert, but could not follow them through the waters of baptism - the red sea.
By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. Hebrews 11:29
Thus the people of Israel escaped from the cruel slavery and bondage of Egypt. Thus they were set free.
4. Is that how the early Church understood the waters of baptism? I think it is!
5. Christians were baptized the same day they were saved. This practice of the early Church is very significant. Baptism was a watershed experience for the new believers. It marked the sudden death of their old life of sin and unbelief, and the beginning of their new life in Christ. By getting baptized they were publicly renouncing and repudiating their former way of living, and telling the whole world that they had come to faith in Jesus Christ. Now they belonged to Him and would go His way - not their own. Thus baptism identified them with Christ. During the years of persecution against the earliest Church there were times when Christians were not killed unless they had identified with Christ by being baptized. Baptism meant a lot to them.
6. Just as the people of Israel were "baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea" so also the new Christians were baptized into Christ. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Galatians 3:27
7. This identification with Christ (and all that He stands for) was important. It gave the baby Christians a new identity. But it did more than just identify the new believers with Christ. It also positioned them in Christ! Through baptism they had been buried with Christ - and also raised with Him - thus escaping the slavery of sin. Sin would no longer have dominion over them. This was much more than symbolic. By faith and by God's grace it was a spiritual reality. Their lives were changed. They were now united with Christ in His death and resurrection. And that was hugely important.
8. Thus the new Christians had an anchor for their faith. They had been baptized into Christ. As Paul wrote to the new believers in Rome...
Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 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. For he who has died has been freed from sin.
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him. Romans 6:3-8
Thus the new Christians escaped from the slavery of sin. Thus they were set free.
9. Now we begin to see why it was so important for the early Church to baptize people as soon as they received Christ! Salvation, Baptism, and the Baptism in the Holy Spirit were meant to be a package deal - to set the people free! That's why Paul wrote...
not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration (baptism) and renewing of the Holy Spirit whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:5-7
10. But we have changed the practice of the early Church. And baptism has lost the significance it once had. We need to get back to the original. Why should we cheat the new believers? They need to be set free, and come to rest in Christ and His finished work as soon as possible.
11. Baptism is one of the means of grace by which Christians are set free from sin... that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. As I said before, this is much more than just symbolic. It is a spiritual reality. Baptism unites us with Christ in His death and resurrection. Paul said so, (Romans 6:4-5), and I think that he had the Spirit of God.
12. Through Salvation, Baptism, and the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, Christ sets up His rule and authority in the life of the believer. Remember that this was all meant to be a package deal. That's why Peter, preaching on the Day of Pentecost, said this...
Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you to and your children Acts 2:38
note: Now it begins to make sense. The apostles felt it was important to baptize the new believers right away so they would know the power of Jesus' death and resurrection, and the power of His Holy Spirit as soon as possible, because... the apostles believed in the continuing work of the Holy Spirit to transform the lives of the new believers day by day.
13. Baptism is a wonderful thing for new Christians. That's why many churches give out baptismal certificates. The new believers can put the certificate on their wall and announce to the whole world, "That's the day I was "officially" united with Christ in His death and resurrection.
14. If you have not been baptized, why not make it official? Not being baptized is very similar to common law marriage. You're married, but uncertain of your status. In a very real way, baptism identifies us with Christ, and makes it official, i.e. the ceremony unites us with Christ in His death and resurrection - and seals the covenant.
15. Baptism is not magic. Christianity is not a formula. It is a relationship. If someone who is not saved gets baptized, it will do him no good at all. He will not find grace, or come into the presence of God - because he has not turned from sin to God by repentance and faith in Jesus, the Christ. Baptism will not set you free from sin either - except by faith in Jesus who died and rose again. Paul finished his teaching on baptism by saying,
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, he lives to God Romans 6:6-10
Likewise you also, (by faith) reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus the Lord. Romans 6:11
P.S. These covenant promises are to you - and to your children. (see Isaiah 54:10-14 and Acts 2:39)