If burial with Christ is not by water, how does God bring it about?

Les teaches that this burial is not by water but by God's own determination. In the context, believers are said to be baptized into Jesus Christ, not into a denomination or church; being placed in Christ means first being identified with His death. Les explains that when Christ died, God saw every one of us on the cross in the person of Christ—He died in our place. God saw us crucified, which is what Galatians 2 means by 'I have been crucified with Christ.' Just as surely as God saw us on the cross, He saw us in the tomb, so we are buried with Him. Not by water, but because God determined that since Christ paid the sin debt for all, and for those who believe and appropriate it, He says, 'You're dead; you're crucified; I saw you in Christ; I saw you buried with Him in His death, in His tomb.' Les also says we have been resurrected with Him to a new life, totally different people by the power of His resurrection. It is a God thing: God in His omnipotence, power, omniscience, and ability to work in the invisible realm has placed us in all these places, seeing us crucified with Christ.