Romans 6:3: Do You Not Know That All Of Us Who Have Been Baptized Into Christ Jesus Were Baptized Into His Death?

Romans 6:3
[3] Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? (ESV)

Christians throughout the years have debated the doctrine of God's grace. While we cannot argue that we are saved by the grace of God and not by works, there is concern by some that grace leads to excessive sinning. Paul's critics felt the same way. He has just declared in the previous verses that we should in no way continue sinning so that grace may more abound.

In this verse he is giving us a greater understanding of why the doctrine of grace does not lead to excessive sinning. Paul gives us some very important information regarding the nature of our salvation. He tells us that we have been baptized into his death. Now, at first glance we think he is talking about water baptism. Not so fast.

While Paul will certainly speak of water baptism, that is not what he is talking about here in this verse. He is using the word baptism in the context of immersion in something. Let's reread this verse that way:  "Do you not know that all of us who have been immersed into Christ Jesus were immersed into his death."

Consider that your old life of sin has been put to death in Christ Jesus. If your old life were still living then we could make the argument that giving the old man the gift of grace would just give him the freedom to sin more. That is not what has happened. The old life is put to death in Christ Jesus. We receive a new nature that lives to please Christ.

We do still struggle in our selves to walk in the newness of life. But we have been immersed into Christ's death. The Christian is a new creation. Walk in the newness of life as you have put the old life to death in Christ.