Romans 6: 3-11: "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Colossians 2:12: "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead."

We have plainly and clearly shown:

John the Baptist baptized in water (hence, the name "Baptist", or Baptizer!).

Jesus was baptized by John.

Jesus baptized others (His disciples did).

Jesus commanded the apostles to go into all the world, and baptize the believers.

The apostles and disciples did just that, using water.

In Romans chapter 6, Paul writes regarding the baptism, comparing it to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Again, not only is there no mistake that he here speaks of water, but he uses key verbs that vividly express baptism.

He says we are buried with Him by baptism into death. Jesus was buried in a tomb. He was completely surrounded by rock and dirt. The tomb was sealed. Baptism is a burial in water, a total immersion. One would not want a loved one to be stretched out upon the ground, and a cupful of dirt poured or sprinkled upon them; there is no way that we would accept this as a burial. Therefore, the sprinkling or pouring of a cupful of water does not constitute burial in water, or baptism.

Then Paul states that we have been planted together in the likeness of his death. Again, the verb planted denotes a surrounding, as when a body is entombed or buried. As Jesus was completely buried, we are buried and planted in the waters of baptism.

Jesus also spoke of death as a planting, in:

John:12:24: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."

As Jesus was not left surrounded by the rock and dirt of the tomb, neither are we left surrounded by water when we are baptized. As He was resurrected, so are we! Paul says we have crucified (killed off) the old man of sin; we have destroyed the old body of sin; we bury him in the water; and we rise out of the water to live unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord! This is the rebirth that Jesus described to Nicodemus! We are born again! Praise God! Just as the newborn comes into this world surrounded by water from the womb, so we enter into new life in Christ Jesus as we emerge from the waters of baptism.

That baptism is in water was well known to the apostles.

I Corinthians 10:1-2: "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; Paul, in referring to the children of Israel’s escape from Egyptian bondage, notes that they were surrounded by the cloud (a form of water), as well as by the sea, when the waters parted."

Ephesians 5:25-27: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

I Peter 3: 18-21: "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:"

Hebrews 10: 16-22: "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water."

The water is for purification. Read again what is written in:

John 3:22-26: "After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. For John was not yet cast into prison. Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. "

In the discussions between John’s disciples, and other Jews, about purifying, the conversation was about John and Jesus baptizing believers. It is clear from the scriptures we have read, that baptism is about purification. It is about the crucifying of the sinful creature of flesh, and a resurrection to a godly and spiritual life.

As we read above, Peter wrote that it is not about the washing of dirt from the body, but the answer of a clean conscience toward God. We are resurrected to walk in the newness of life, a new creature in Christ Jesus.

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A New Creature

II Corinthians 5:14-17: "For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

Galatians 6: 14-15: "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature."

Romans 6:4: "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

I Peter 2: 2-3: "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious."

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The Spirit, The Water And The Blood

Born again of water and of the Spirit; resurrected to walk in newness of life; new creatures; newborn babes. The mystery of baptism in the water becomes plainer the more we study!

A newborn infant comes into this world by water and blood from the mother’s womb. A spiritually newborn infant comes into the kingdom of heaven through water and blood.

I John 5: 4-8: "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one."

John 19:34: "But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water."

During the baptism (burial, planting, immersion) in water we are also washed by the blood of Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb of God!

John 1:29: "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."

John 1:36: "And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!"

I Peter 1:18-21: "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God."

Revelation 7:13-14: "And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."

Revelation 12: 10-11: "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."

Hebrews 9:14: "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

Hebrews 13:12: "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate."

Romans 5: 8-11: "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement."

Revelation 1:5: "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,"

That we are washed in the blood of Jesus, that holy and pure Lamb of God, at the time of baptism is obvious.

Romans 6: 1-13: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yurselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God."

Colossians 2:11-13: "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;"

If we die to the practice of sin, then we are pure. We become pure by the blood of Jesus. So, the blood of Jesus washes away our past sins at the time of baptism. This is how we are born again, of water and the Spirit; by water and blood. Peter tells us in I Peter chapter 1 that our souls are purified when we obey the truth.

I Peter 1: 18-23: "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."

Remember what Ananias told Paul (Saul of Tarsus), in:

Acts 22:16: "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."

Sins are washed away, and we are washed and made pure by the blood of Jesus, when we receive the baptism (burial) in the water.

Titus 3: 5-7: :Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

Regeneration means rebirth, to begin anew. From our study, we have seen that through baptism we are born again, renewed. This washing of regeneration comes from water baptism, at which time the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all past sins! This, all by the grace and mercy of God Almighty!