1. By what figure is the putting away of sin described?
By H.
1. By what figure is the putting away of sin described?
“We who DIED to sin, how shall we longer live therein?” “Reckon ye also yourselves to be DEAD unto sin.” Rom. 6: 2, 11. 2. As after death comes burial, what follows death to sin? “Are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him through baptism unto death.” Rom. 6: 3, 4. 3. As Jesus was raised from the dead, what assurance have we? “If we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, we should also in the likeness of His resurrection.” Rom. 6: 5. 4. What naturally follows? “Like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE.” Verse 4. “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did PUT ON CHRIST.” Gal. 3: 27. 5. What is a prerequisite of baptism? 6. How many must be baptized? “Be baptized EVERY ONE OF YOU in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins.” Acts 2: 38. 7. How necessary is baptism? “AS MANY of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ. And if ye are Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise.” Gal. 3: 27–29. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned.” Mark 16:16. Note.—From these scriptures we see that baptism is the public declaration that we have put away sin and have espoused the cause of Christ. As with the marriage ceremony, baptism shows to the world the stand we have taken. By it we proclaim that the old man of sin is dead and buried and the new man in Christ Jesus now walks among men “in newness of life.” 8. As baptism is a figure of death, burial, and resurrection, what method must be followed to be truly significant? Immersion, without question. The word “baptize” comes from the Greek baptizo, which is from bapto, to whelm; that is, cover wholly with a fluid, dip. (Strong’s Concordance.) No other form of the ceremony meets the conditions even as a figure. 9. What examples have we for immersion? All the detailed descriptions of baptism in the New Testament are of immersion, as the following scriptures show: “John was baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there.” John 3: 23. “Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway from the water.” Matt. 3:16. “They both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip.” Acts 8: 38, 39. 10. What place has baptism in the Gospel commission? “Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matt. 28:19. H.