The comparison between Christ and us

In Romans 6:2-3, the Apostle Paul writes about the effects of God’s work in our lives. Put simply, what happened to Christ is not only the basis of the gospel, but also a pattern for our lives.

“We who died to sin, how should we still live in it? Or do you not realize that all of us who are baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?”
Rom 6:2-3

Don’t you recognize…? Paul addresses the Romans on the reality of the new life. By faith we were “baptized into Christ Jesus.” What was true for Him is also true for us. For we were also “baptized into his death.” If this is so true, that we are conformed to Christ, that this not only shapes but essentially constitutes our new life, then it has an effect.

Here, at the beginning of the 6th chapter of Romans, Paul begins to speak about the effects of the gospel. The spiritual reality is in the foreground. Those who are only looking for a practical guide for everyday life will not find what they are looking for in this chapter. This is not about “do this” or “don’t do that”, but it is about “think this” and “forget that”.

Baptism

The reference to baptism need not be a reference to water baptism. No water is mentioned, nor is any act of baptism described. Baptism is not always in water. For example, Jesus spoke of His crucifixion as baptism:

“Yet with a baptism I have yet to be baptized, and how I press until it is accomplished!”
Lk 12,50

The baptism Paul refers to here is the baptism “in Christ Jesus”. So it is not a baptism “in the name” of Christ Jesus, as it is often mentioned in a baptismal formula, but we are baptized directly “in Christ Jesus”. What does that mean?

Baptism is always an expression of a connection with something else. The Greek baptismo (to baptize) is a ritual washing. It is about the meaning of which the action is only a reflection. This goes so far that the word is completely without water, as we have just seen in the example of the crucifixion, which was described by Jesus as “baptism”. Thus, in another example, the people of Israel were also “baptized in Moses in the cloud and in the sea” without getting wet:

“For I will not leave you in ignorance, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and were all baptized in Moses in the cloud and in the sea “
1Cor 10:1-2

The people were here linked to Moses, and in connection with him they were baptized in the cloud and in the sea at the Exodus from Egypt. It is the common experience described by the word “baptism”. This is what united the Israelites. The Exodus happened dry-footed through the sea and the cloud was a visible sign of God’s presence. No one got wet here. Moses is here an image of Christ, who leads out of the slavery of sin, as Paul also elaborates in the same chapter.

Novelty of life

Let us read how this baptism can now be understood. Paul goes on to write:

• “With Him we were now buried through baptism into death
• so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.”
  Rom 6:3-4

Together with Him – this is the key to understanding. What happened to Him is to determine our reality. Figuratively, we were buried in death through baptism (in Christ Jesus) so that just as Christ was raised by the glory of the Father, we may now walk (likewise, comparatively) in newness of life. Literally, we do not die. It is about how we understand His death and how we may now live out a resurrection life. Are we aware, Paul asks, of what is now to be ours today?

Death and resurrection are different, just as death and life are different. Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, a glory that is now to be ours also, that we may walk in newness of life.

Now read the following section against this background:

“Because if we With Him to Gleichgestaltung “planted together” with His death we will be the same with regard to the resurrection: Realizing this, that our old humanity together with Him was crucified so that the body of sin might be rendered inoperative and we might no longer be enslaved to sin; for he who dies to it is justified from sin.

But when we
together with Christ
we believe that we also died together with Him.
ogether with Him
will live, knowing that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more. Death is no longer master over Him; for what He died, that He died to sin once for all, but what He lives, that He lives for God. So you too! Reckon that you yourselves are dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord!

Consequently, sin shall not reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires. Also, do not provide your members as instruments of unrighteousness for sin, but provide yourselves for God, as living from the dead, and your members for God as instruments of righteousness. For then sin will no longer have dominion over you; for you are not under law, but under grace.”
Rom 6:5-14

So you too! – This is in three words the summary of what Paul says here about Christ and our lives. What happened to Him not only has effect before God so that we can have free access to God, but also has significance for our everyday life.

Count on it! Make yourselves ready for God! Paul now mentions these imperatives several times. It speaks to our attitude and orientation. If we take Christ seriously, this shapes “newness of life” in our daily lives.

Radically different

Some people emphasize that we need to “do” a lot before anything else, such as following “the rules” or “the law,” “to believe,” or “to become more and more holy.” This is certainly pious behavior, but no more than that. Paul writes in Colossians that such endeavor is only for man, and is merely “for the satisfaction of the[eigenen] flesh”(Col 2:23).

Here, in Romans, it is much more radical. We cannot contribute anything to come closer to God. We cannot draw near to God by our own efforts. However, it is given to us as a gift. A message cannot be more radical. Grace is always transverse to one’s own performance. And vice versa: Whoever insists on pious performance rejects grace by definition.

The implementation is also radical. Because: We were baptized into Christ Jesus. We are connected to Him. What happened to Him should now shine on us as well. He died, but was raised from the dead. We died here in this world with Him, and may now walk in newness of life. For example, we do not fight against sin, because that would be pious work again, but have died to sin because we have died with Christ to the world.

Of course, this is all about imagery. Paul uses this imagery to help us understand how God works in this world and how we may stand and walk in His grace. Living radically differently – Paul explains how in this chapter of Romans.

The union with Christ was not through water, but spiritually. It is baptism into Christ, namely by faith into all that He died and was raised for. This is the reality that Paul is referring to. Perhaps someone would like to object that here reference is made back to water baptism. That may be, but it is not mentioned. Even if that were the case, the ritual action is not significant here. This is not about those who were baptized “in water” as if it applied only to those “baptized in water,” but it is about all who were baptized “in Christ Jesus.”

There is much that could be said about baptism, but that distracts from the real issue here in Romans. Paul is not concerned with water baptism, but speaks of a “baptism into Christ Jesus” and baptism into his death. They tell about it, which is also true for us. But we should not get stuck in it, but “resurrect with it”, and walk in newness of life – radically.