ROMANS 6: 3, 4, C. H. Cayce, Dear Elder Cayce: I am very glad to know we are to receive THE PRIMITIVE BAPTIST weekly. I would be glad to have your views on Romans vi. 3, 4. Is this water baptism? Can anyone be baptized into Christ’s death by water baptism? Come to see us sometime. Please remember us. With best wishes, I remain, your friend, J. E. Tate. Rutherford, Tenn.
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 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.”
In the first verse the apostle asks a question, “Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” Then he answers the question, “God forbid.” Then he asks, “How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” This question answers itself. It is simply a stronger way of saying that those who are dead to sin cannot live any longer therein. Then he argues and proves this from what they know by experience, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?”
To baptize is to plunge, dip, immerse, bury. To be plunged into Christ, or immersed into Christ, is not to be immersed or plunged into the water.
To be baptized into Christ is to be baptized into the benefits of His death—or into His death and the benefits of the same. This is not done by the preacher, or in the water. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”—1 Cor. xii. 13. This is a very plain, clear, and positive statement that the baptism into Christ, or into that body, is by one Spirit. The Spirit is the administrator. It is the work of the Spirit. It is not the work of the preacher.
In the next verse, verse 4, the apostle says, “Therefore;” this being true; because of this; because this is true—now, “therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death.” Verse 3 says baptized into Christ, and verse 4 says “we are buried with Him by baptism.” To be baptized with Christ and to be baptized into Him are two difi’erent things—they cannot possibly be the [pg 141] same thing. But we are buried with Him by baptism, therefore, for the reason, that we have been baptized into Him.
It is absurd to say that one must be baptized with Christ in order to get into Him. If one is baptized with Christ he must of necessity be in possession of Christ before the baptism. He must be in Christ before the baptism in order to be baptized with Him. Those who have been put into Christ and into the benefits of His death should be buried with Him by baptism into death. Such a person has been killed to the love of sin, has been killed to sin, is dead to sin, and for this reason should be 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.” The person thus baptized, or thus buried with Christ by baptism, is raised to walk in newness of life. There is a new joy and delight and pleasure which he cannot attain to in any other way Friend Tate should take up his cross and be buried with his blessed Saviour in baptism and rise to walk in newness of life. May the Lord bless these thoughts to your good. The Primitive Baptist, August 29,1929.