Romans 6:3

Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

'Or are ye ignorant' -'Now this is important--Paul is here stressing what some saints might not have fully grasped'

'Anyone who can argue like that', says Paul, 'shows that he has not begun to understand the gospel. Life in sin cannot coexist with death to sin.'

'All we' -indicating that all who were now Christians had been baptized. If baptism wasn't preached as. necessity (if it was an optional matter), then Paul's argument here doesn't make any sense.

'THERE IS NO ARGUMENT IN THE PASSAGE AT ALL, UNLESS ALL CHRISTIANS WERE BAPTIZED.'

'Who were baptized' -'When, it may be asked, did this all-important death (to sin) take place? The answer is: It is involved in baptism.' (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 632)

Note: Involved in this 'death to sin', repentance must also be remembered.

'From this and other references to baptism in Paul's writings, it is certain that he did not regard baptism as an "optional extra" in the Christian life, and that he would not have contemplated the phenomenon of an "un-baptized believer".'

POINTS TO NOTE:

1. The New Testament commands one set of conditions for salvation, for every one (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Acts 10:48; Acts 15:9)

2. The 'justification by faith' in the book of Romans INCLUDES-repentance Romans 1:4-5; confession of Christ Romans 1:9-10; and baptism-Romans 6:3-5.

3. If the 'faith' that justifies is 'faith-only', then why didn't Paul argue, 'Or do you not know that all of us who at the point that we believed on Jesus, died to sin'?

'Into Christ Jesus'. Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 1:3; 1 Corinthians 12:13. 'It would seem very clear that Paul understood. person to enter into Christ at the point of being trustingly immersed'.

'Were baptized into his death' -Paul now wishes that his hearers take. good look at the significance of baptism.

'His death' -i.e. the death of Christ. And what type of death was it? It was. death caused by the hand of sinners! It was. death intended to atone for sins! It was. ONCE-FOR-ALL DEATH FOR SINS. (Hebrews 7:27; Hebrews 9:25) 'Did teaching like Paul's lead logically to. life of continuance in sin? Not at all. The logic of this would be. hatred of that which slew the Master..if. person enters into union with Christ he endorses all that Christ endorses and repudiates all that Christ rejects.'

In the background is the idea that in baptism one comes into contact with the benefits of the death of Christ, i.e. forgiveness of sins. (Acts 2:38; Matthew 26:28)