Is the baptism in Romans 6:4 the same as water baptism into a denomination?
No. Romans 6:4 describes a baptism into Christ’s death, not water baptism into a church or denomination. It is the work of the Almighty, going far beyond water baptism. While denominations baptize people into the church, this baptism buries believers with Christ into death, so that old Adam died and was buried in the mind of Christ.
Les explains that Romans 6:4 goes way beyond what water baptism can do; it is the work of the Almighty Himself. He notes that he does not know of any denomination that teaches water baptism baptizes a person into death; rather, denominations baptize into the church or denomination. But this baptism is into something far different. Christ was really dead three days and three nights in the tomb, proving it was not merely an unconscious state. The same must happen to us in the realm of old Adam: old Adam has to die, and we must be sure he is dead. As he died, we died; as he was buried, we were buried in the mind of Christ, the mind of God. God saw us in the tomb, and that is the baptism spoken of in verse 4. Believers were engulfed in Christ’s three-day tomb experience, so they died and will be resurrected out of it, not stay there any more than Christ did. Les adds that Paul never drops this theme, turning next to Ephesians.
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.
More Questions
Does the baptism in Romans 6:4 mean being baptized into a denomination?
Denominations that baptize with water are baptizing people into a church or denomination, not into death, whereas the baptism in Romans 6:4 is 'into death' and something far different.
What is the baptism into death in Romans 6:4?
The baptism in Romans 6:4 happened in the mind of God: when Christ was buried, believers were buried with Him and God saw them in the tomb.