Once we are “in Christ,” once we have been “grafted” into Jesus Christ through baptism, then it impacts our lives from now on. Once we are baptized into Christ, grafted into Him, then we live our lives as immersed believers, in Jesus Christ. Look at this paragraph…
Dying with Christ means living with Him (vs 8). His thoughts become our thoughts. His attitude becomes our attitude. His teaching becomes our teaching. His words become our words. His love becomes our love – you get the picture. Once we are grafted into Him, His life becomes our life.
Christ rose to die no more (vs 9). Christ was not the first individual to rise from the dead. But as far as we know, all these others eventually died a second time. They, on their own, still did not have the power to conquer death. But Christ did. The implication for us is this: if we have died to sin through baptism and union with Christ, our sinful body has been crucified, then we will no longer feel the effects of that sin. Being grafted into Christ, death no longer has master over us! The implication is that through baptism, we are now ready for eternal life.
Christ is our example – verse 10. Our baptism is only powerful if it is done in the way and for the reason that Jesus tells us. When we understand what Jesus says about baptism, it is liberating and powerful. Death is once and for all. Jesus died to sin “once for all.” We can also “die to sin” once for all, when we are grafted into Christ in baptism and the old sinful man is crucified. Sin no longer is master over us. Then, as Christ “lives to God,” so we too, live a new life “to God.” Christ is our example.
Finally, “newness” is a lifestyle (vs 11). “Are we to continue in sin that grace may increase? God forbid!” (vs 1) Consider yourselves dead to sin because you have crucified the sinful body in baptism. “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid!” (vs 2) Consider yourselves alive to God in Christ Jesus because through baptism, you have been united together with Him!
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Don’t you want to start over? To start from the beginning? The very reason why baptism is pictured as a new birth in John 3 is because baptism is the “starting over” point. That is when we begin a new life.
For those who are already in Christ Jesus, you might feel like you need a new start. The great thing about the grace of God is that once you are in Christ Jesus, you already have access to the blood shed for you. You just need to “crucify” your body again – repent – and start living the new life again.
Baptism (immersion) puts you into the death of Christ, where you start a new life, united with Christ, crucifying the old man, and freed from sin.
–Paul Hlland
