Romans 6, Galatians 3, and Colossians 2:
Baptized into Jesus Christ (Part 10 of 12)

Part 10 of 12 · Salvation in Jesus Christ: The New Testament Witness to Grace, Faith, and the Blood

Three passages speak of our union with Jesus Christ in baptism. The first is Romans 6:3.

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” (Romans 6:3, KJV)

Galatians 3:27 says, “as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Colossians 2:12 says we were “Buried with him in baptism.”

These verses matter, and their context tells us what they mean.

Romans 6 comes right after three chapters on justification. Part 5 of this series walked through them: we are “justified by faith” (Romans 5:1) and “justified by his blood” (Romans 5:9). Paul does not reverse all of that in chapter 6. Romans 6 teaches the believer’s union with Jesus Christ, and it calls us to “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).

Galatians 3:27 has a verse right before it that many skip: “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26). Earlier in the chapter, Paul asked the Galatians whether they received the Spirit “by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith” (Galatians 3:2). The whole chapter makes plain that it was “by the hearing of faith.”

Colossians 2:12 itself names how we are raised with Jesus Christ: “wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” Read that phrase slowly. Our rising with Jesus Christ comes through faith in the power of God, who raised Jesus Christ from the dead.

The saving power belongs to God, and faith in Jesus Christ receives it. The union with Jesus Christ is real, and baptism pictures that union for everyone to see. The sign should never replace the saving reality it represents.

Search these Scriptures for yourself: Romans 3:28; Romans 5:1, 9; Romans 6:3–11; Galatians 3:2–5; Galatians 3:6–9; Galatians 3:26–27; Colossians 2:12–14; Ephesians 2:4–6; Romans 6:4.

Next in this series: Part 11, 1 Peter 3:21: The Answer of a Good Conscience.

Go Deeper

• Children of Abraham: Sons of God by Faith

Old Testament foundation: Abraham Believed God: Righteous Before the Sign (Part 6 of 7)

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“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

2 Corinthians 5:18-21 (KJV)