Baptism Keeps Good Company - Part 2 The studious reader of the New Testament books will be impressed with the number of things with which the act of water baptism is associated. The recognition of these qualities helps one appreciate the value and importance of baptism as pertaining to the redemption of men’s souls. In our previous lesson, we endeavored to illustrate that water baptism is associated with faith and repentance; with the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost; and with remission of sins. These are very important associations, and they have great meaning to our spiritual existence. But there are other extremely important considerations with which baptism is associated. As we have mentioned before, when people ridicule and reject the value of baptism, they need to consider that they are also doing this to the company which baptism keeps. What other company does water baptism keep? It Is Found In Company With: Christ and His death. “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:26-27). We put on Christ by having faith to be baptized into Him. In this age, no one is in Christ other than those who have been baptized into Him. Paul had this to say to the saints at Rome, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 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. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:” (Romans 6:3-5). Paul reminded them that in being baptized into Christ they were baptized into his death. In baptism, they became associated with Christ and His death. In His death, His blood was shed. “But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs; But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.” (John 19:33-34). Being baptized into His death, one receives the benefits of His death. Furthermore, when we are buried with Him in baptism, we are raised with Him to walk in newness of life. So many talk of salvation by the blood of Christ, but they fail to see that contact with the blood of Christ is in His death, which is reached through baptism. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” (Ephesians 1:7). Christ’s body is His church, which is entered by the guidance of the one Spirit’s word. “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” (Colossians 1:18). When one obeys the truth he obeys the true baptism, which as preceded by faith, repentance and confession, constitutes him a member of the Lord’s body or church, “the fulness of him that filleth all in all”. The fulness of Christ refers to the saved in Christ, and these are those who have entered His one body by obeying the one baptism. “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6).
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