Expert: Scott Talbot - 1/5/2011

Question
Hi Scott,
You had recently graciously answered a recent question for me about being born again, to which I have left you feedback. But I am trying to understand something here...
Those who say that in water baptism we 'die' to sin ---- that can't be correct...or am I reading the Scriptures wrong?
Romans 6
Believers Are Dead to Sin, Alive to God
1(A)What shall we say then? Are we to (B)continue in sin so that grace may increase?
2(C)May it never be! How shall we who (D)died to sin still live in it?
3Or do you not know that all of us who have been (E)baptized into (F)Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
4Therefore we have been (G)buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was (H)raised from the dead through the (I)glory of the Father, so we too might walk in (J)newness of life.
5For (K)if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,

So from verse 2 we have already died to sin; that's why we are showing it through water baptism....our death to sin is symbolized by our death with Christ on the cross and then being made alive because he lives forevermore by His resurrection. So why are churches teaching that we die to sin in water baptism ---- this negates salvation! We don't die to sin in water baptism: the apostle Paul reminds us that we've died to sin already and that our baptism represents Christ who has already died for us and that being resurrected (lifted up out of water) represents our walk of faith...
Am I analyzing this correctly..please help. Isn't water baptism a symbol of what has already occured in the believer's life at new birth...isn't it taken by those who already have accepted Christ as their Saviour from sin?
To say that we die to sin through water baptism is teaching that we are being saved through it....please help. What's the true explanation?
Thanks again. Nicole

Answer
Hi Nicole,

You are correct. Baptism does not play a role in accomplishing our salvation. (See Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5.)

Baptism is an outward act that illustrates an inward reality that has already taken place. When one is born again, this reality takes place on the inside. But Jesus instructed us not to keep this to ourselves, but to share this wonderful reality with the world. That is why He tells us to be baptized following our salvation--as a testimony to the world of our new life in Christ.

Scott