Romans 6
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 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.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 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. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 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.
Here it speaks about being baptised into Christ Jesus, baptised into His death and being raised with Him so that we can walk in newness of life. There are different baptisms and this baptism is not the baptism of John with water which was the baptism of the confession of sin. The disciples asked to sit on His right and left side, and Jesus asked if they would be able to partake of the baptism He was about to undergo. They said yes but that baptism wasn’t the baptism in water. It was His suffering and death on the cross.
There are many things that we do not see when we look at the cross. Elisha’s servant, when the enemy army surrounded them, was very afraid. Then Elisha prayed that his eyes should be opened and the servant saw the vast army of God and chariots of fire. If you could really see regarding the cross and the baptism of the Lord Jesus, it would be precious to you. If we are immersed in Christ, then what happens to Him, happens to us. Then we are with Him in His death and also with Him in His resurrection. He took all the Christians to Himself when He died and when He arose, we all rose with Him. Peter was crucified upside down because he didn’t feel worthy to die as his Lord did and it is said that he encouraged his wife during this terrible death and others say he preached to the crowd and some were converted at that time. Andrew hung for two days on the cross before he died. The Lord Jesus died within six hours of a broken heart because of all our guilt and sin.
We are baptised into Christ and are united with Him. Water baptism is an outward sign of what is within. It doesn’t save us for we are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus. Neither are we saved by the good deeds that we do. If we reject such a great salvation, we deserve hell.
What kind of life should we live? In Romans 6 v 12, it says don’t allow sin to reign in your body. We hurt the Lord Jesus if we continue to sin. Our bodies must not be a part of unrighteousness. Don’t fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Gal 5:16,17); but rather see Jesus and yourself hanging with Him, giving no room to sin.