Romans 6:3-5

“Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.  If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.” 

  This is one of those wonderful promises of Scripture.  In this case, it is the promise of new life, of being united with Christ in his resurrection.

According to this passage, how do we gain access to this promise?

Galatians 3:27

“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

Children of God!  Clothed with Christ!

How do we find ourselves in this exalted position?

Colossians 2:12

“In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.”

Circumcision was an indelible mark of the covenant established between God and Abraham.  It identified the Israelites as a people chosen by and committed to God.  Paul says our covenant relationship with God is also marked by a “circumcision”, not the cutting off of the foreskin but the removal of our sinful nature, the death and burial of the old sinful nature and the raising of a new person of faith; not done by men, but done by Christ.

According to Paul, what activity is associated with this circumcision done by Christ?

1 Peter 3:20-21

“…who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also — not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God.  It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,…”

According to these verses, the water of the flood, which separated Noah and his family from the sinfulness of the world and thereby saved them, was a symbol of another water of separation and salvation.

Where is the water of this greater salvation found?

A Final Few Words about the Study