Baptized into Christ
The Bible teaches that the new believer is baptized into Christ. Paul wrote, “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” (Romans 6:3). Immersion in waters of baptism signifies the believer’s death to sin as was Christ’s death when He lay in the tomb. This means the end of the old way of life and the beginning of the new. Also, it means living a life of godliness and purity. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Daily Relationship with God
The union of the believer with Christ means having a daily connection with Him. This is a living relationship that leads to a transformed life that resembles that of Christ. The believer will display the characteristics of His Savior in his daily life by God’s grace. “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Baptism signifies the linking of the life of the Christian with the life of Christ that the two become one. “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27 also 1 Corinthians 12:12, 13, 27). But this does not mean that the ceremony of immersion alone actually starts this union. For baptism is merely a public announcement of a spiritual connection with Christ that takes place before that ceremony occur.
Transformed by His Grace
A relationship with Christ means that the new birth is more than a mental change. It is the acceptance of Christ as our Redeemer which leads to a total surrender to His work and a transformation of life. This implies submission of our wills to the Lord. Paul wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). For it is not unusual in the case of common friendship for two individuals to have such unity that they seem to act alike as if they are one. Friendship with Christ is on an even higher level because it is built on His everlasting love.
Eternal Life
As burial in the water is followed by total emergence, so death with Christ to sin, which immersion represents, is to be followed by resurrection with Him to a total new life. The restoration of humanity to the image of God, can take place only through the exercise of God’s creative power.
Therefore, the resurrection of Jesus is the ultimate proof to us that God’s life-giving power can eventually triumph even over death and that through faith this same reviving power is available to restore the image of God in us (Romans 6:4; Ephesians 1:19, 20; Colossians 3:1). This new life does not stop here on earth but continues till it grants us eternal life (John 3:16)
Does getting baptized into Christ cancels the need for being part of God’s church?
The Bible is clear that believers are “called in one body” (Colossians 3:15). And it also teaches that the church is that body for “He (Christ) is the head of the body” (Colossians 1:18). And it teaches that believers enter that body by baptism. Paul wrote, “By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” (1 Corinthians 12:13). And thus, all of God’s converted people should join His faithful church. “The Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).
For more on the true church, check: https://bibleask.org/there-are-many-churches-in-the-world-which-one-is-the-right-church/
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
