Not only does the context of Romans 6:3-4
nullify the affirmations of baptismal regenerationists, but a study of the
Biblical uses of eis + Christon (“into . . . Christ,” Romans 6:3) and en + Christo
(“in Christ”) demonstrate the fallacious nature of the baptismal
regenerationist assertion that one only becomes en or “in” Christ at the time of baptism. There are nineteen verses where the
word “Christ” is the object of the preposition eis in the New Testament.[i] Examination of these verses
demonstrates that the fact that the word “baptize” follows the preposition eis twice proves nothing about how one gets en or “in” Christ. If baptism eis
Christ proves one literally enters into Christ at the moment of the ordinance,
then one also believes eis Christ
to get in Him (Acts 20:21, Galatians 2:16, Colossians 2:5)—believing eis Christ is found more often than baptism eis Christ is.
In fact, one is said to believe “into” (pisteuo + eis)
the Lord Jesus Christ in 45 verses.[ii] If baptism eis proves one is “in Christ” only after the ordinance,
why does one not actually speak eis
or “into” Christ (Ephesians 5:32), or even sin eis or into Christ (1 Corinthians 8:12)? Why is it that baptism eis proves that one is not “in (en) Christ” until baptized, and baptism is the means
through which one becomes “in Christ,” but belief eis Christ does not prove that one is “in Christ” at the
moment of faith? Why not affirm
that one is eis or “into” Christ
whenever he speaks, or that one must actually sin eis or “into” Christ? Baptismal regenerationists who argue that baptism eis Christ proves one is unforgiven until he receives
the ordinance are either ignorant of or deliberately misrepresent the
preposition eis as found in New
Testament Greek. Romans 6:3 simply
asserts that one is baptized “with reference to” Christ when it employs the
preposition eis.
Furthermore, the New Testament does not
associate the state of being “in (en)
Christ” with baptism. Eighty-five
verses in the New Testament contain the phrase “in (en) Christ,” but not one connects baptism with it.[iii]
This is a devastating fact for one who would assert that one is en Christ through baptism. It is further compounded by the fact that the forty-six
verses that speak of being “in the Lord” (en Kurio),[iv] the fifty-two verses that use “in Him”
(en auto) with reference to Christ,[v]
the twenty-three verses where the phrase “in Me” (en emoi) references being “in Christ,”[vi]
the references where “in Thee” is used of being “in Christ,”[vii]
the twelve references to being “in God” (en Theo),[viii]
the references to being in the Father or en Patri,[ix]
to being in the Son or en Huio,[x]
and to being en the Spirit (en
Pneumati)[xi]
never state or even hint that one enters into the state of being in Christ, or
God, etc. through baptism. If one
was en Christ through baptism, one would
expect to find a great number of verses that connect the two; but never once, in the two hundred and
seventy-nine verses which deal with the appropriate phrases in Scripture, does
such an assertion appear.
While Scripture never affirms that one is “in
Christ” (en Christo) at the moment of
baptism, it does make affirmations about the “in Christ” state that are
incompatible with the doctrine of baptismal regeneration. Nothing can remove one “in Christ” from
that state; he is eternally secure
therein (Romans 8:37-39).[xii] All who are “in the Spirit” are saved
(Rom 8:9), but people were so before water baptism (Acts 10:44-48). Only en the Spirit can one name Jesus as Lord (1 Corinthians 12:3), but this
must be done before baptism is Biblically possible; indeed, the Spirit leads one to submit to baptism (1
Corinthians 12:13), for one has Him before immersion (Acts 10:44-48). Men are “in Christ by the gospel”
(Ephesians 3:6), and it is “the gospel . . . by which also ye are saved” (1
Corinthians 15:1-2). God’s
“purpose and grace, which was given [the elect] in (en) Christ Jesus before the world began” is “manifest
by . . . our Saviour Jesus Christ . . . through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:9-10,
note v. 12), but the gospel is defined with no mention of baptism (1
Corinthians 15:1-4) and is contrasted with baptism (1:17). These references alone would refute the
notion that one is en Christ by
means of baptism.
Christ’s high priestly prayer in John 17
demonstrates that one is “in Christ” by faith, not by baptism. The Savior asks His Father that “them .
. . which shall believe on me . . . may be one in (en) us . . . I in (en) them . . . that the world may know that thou hast
sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” (John 17:20-23). Since all Christ’s prayers are
answered, all who believe on Him are in the Father and the Son. Christ is also in all of them (v. 23,
note also 2 Corinthians 13:5, “in the faith . . . Jesus Christ is in you,”
Galatians 2:20, “Christ liveth in me . . . I live by the faith of the Son of
God”). The Lord’s intercessory
prayer never mentions baptism, but it indicates, as do other passages of
Scripture, that one is in Christ by faith, and that the Son likewise indwells
all believers.
The book of 1 John devastates the idea that one
is “in Christ” only upon baptism.
It affirms that we can know that we are in Him if we are keeping His
Word, not if we are baptized (1 John 2:5-6, 3:24); spiritual union with Christ, and its transforming power, is
altogether different from the ordinance of baptism. All who are in Him have the anointing of the Holy Spirit,
and they can know they are saved because of it (1 John 4:13), but the Spirit is
received before baptism. God the Spirit also guarantees that all truly in
Christ “shall abide” in Him (1 John 2:25-27), so if one was “in Christ” through
church membership, then church discipline or excommunication would be
impossible. Those in Christ cannot
live in sin (1 John 3:5-6, 9), but church members can do so. God dwells in all who confess Jesus (1
John 4:15), but this is a prerequisite to baptism. Similarly, all who love God, which they begin to do when
they first know and believe the love God has for them, are in Him (1 John
4:16). If baptismal regeneration
is true, one must baptize someone who does not have the Spirit and so is not
led by Him into its waters, who does not confess Jesus as Lord, who does not
obey God’s Word, who lives in sin, and who does not love God, but hates Him. When he baptizes this Spirit-resisting,
non-confessing, disobedient, sinful, God-hater, he cannot subsequently be
removed from the church rolls, for one “in Christ” remains there forever. Either all this is true, or baptismal
regeneration is false, and one is “in Christ” before baptism. Furthermore, John writes “unto you that
believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal
life,” and this life “is in (en) his
Son.” (1 John 5:13, 11). His
audience is “in (en) him that is
true, even in (en) his Son Jesus
Christ. This is the true God, and
eternal life” (1 John 5:20). If
his audience is believers, and his audience is en Christ and has eternal life as a consequence of it,
believing, not baptism, gets one in or en Christ.
Indeed, the Bible indicates that one is “in
Christ” or en Christo by faith. In Galatians, Paul associated being en
Christo and faith, declaring that “a man is
not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ,” so
“even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith
of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall
no flesh be justified . . . we seek to be justified by (en) Christ” (Galatians 2:16-17). In Galatians 2:20, Paul asserts that
“Christ liveth in (en) me . . .
by the faith of the Son of God” (cf. 2:21, 3:2). Galatians 3:14 is similar: “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles
through (en) Jesus Christ; that
we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:26 reads, “For ye are all
the children of God by faith in (en)
Christ Jesus.” Galatians 5:5-6
state, “we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For
in (en) Jesus Christ neither
circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by
love.” Galatians repeatedly
associates the en Christ state
with faith.
The book of Ephesians also indicates that one
is in or en Christ by faith. Ephesians 1:1 refers to the “faithful [pistos; translated “believing” in John 20:27; Acts 10:45;
16:1; 2 Corinthians 6:15; 1 Timothy 4:10; 5:16; 6:2] in (en) Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 1:12-15 declares we “trusted in (en) Christ . . . [upon hearing] the word of truth, the
gospel of . . . salvation,” and that when one “believe[s], [he is] sealed with
that holy Spirit of promise . . . the earnest of your inheritance,” for “faith
[is] in (en) the Lord Jesus” and
God demonstrates “the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe”
(v. 19). All the spiritual
blessings “in Christ” of Ephesians 1:3-14 are given to those who believe or
trust in Him (v. 12-19). Ephesians
2:6-10 clearly links being in Christ with faith, stating that God “hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in (en)
Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of
his grace in his kindness toward
us through (en) Christ Jesus. For
by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the
gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his
workmanship, created in (en)
Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should
walk in them.” Ephesians 3:11-12
states that we are “in (en)
Christ Jesus our Lord: in (en)
whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.”
Ephesians 1-3 repeatedly link the state of being in or en Christ and faith, but baptism is not mentioned
anywhere in these chapters.
Other books of the Bible also associate faith
and the “in (en) Christ” position. Colossians 1:4 refers to “faith in (en) Christ Jesus,” 1 Timothy 1:14, 3:13 to “faith . . .
in (en) Christ Jesus,” and “faith
which is in (en) Christ Jesus,” 2
Timothy 3:15 to “faith which is in (en) Christ Jesus,” 1 Corinthians 4:17 to those who are faithful/believing
“in (en) the Lord,” Philippians
2:19, 24 to “trust in (en) the
Lord Jesus . . . trust in (en)
the Lord,” Colossians 2:5 to “faith in (en) Christ,” 2 Thessalonians 3:4 to “hav[ing] confidence [or trust][xiii] in (en) the Lord,” 1 Timothy 6:17 to “trust . . . in (en) the living God.” We are “found in (en) him, not having [our] own righteousness, which is of the law, but
that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by
faith” (Philippians 3:9). Dozens
of passages indicate that one is “in (en) Christ” by faith, many others that do not make the connection
explicit nevertheless are incompatible with baptismal regeneration, and not one
of the two hundred and seventy-nine relevant texts connect being “in Christ”
and baptism.[xiv]
Romans 6:3-4 provides no support whatever for
baptismal regeneration. Neither
the passage in its context, nor the phrase “into (eis) Christ,” nor the phrase “in (en) Christ,” give any evidence whatever for baptismal
regeneration. Faith gets one in
Christ, and the Lord Jesus indwells all believers, not the baptized only. Those who argue for baptismal
regeneration using passages such as Romans 6 “do err, not knowing the
scriptures, nor the power of God” (Matthew 22:29). Furthermore, since Romans 6, interpreted naturally as a
reference to baptism in water, does not support baptismal regeneration, there
is no reason whatever for affirming that the passage is about the baptism of
the Holy Ghost.
Note that this complete study, with all it parts and with additional material not reproduced on this blog in this series, is available by clicking here.
TDR
TDR
[i] The
nineteen references are: Acts 19:4 (“believe on (eis) him . . . on (eis) Christ Jesus,” Acts 20:21 “repentance toward (eis) God, and faith toward (eis) our Lord Jesus Christ,” Acts 24:24, “the faith in (eis)
Christ,” Romans 6:3, “baptized into (eis)
Christ,” Romans 16:5 “firstfruits of
Achaia unto (eis) Christ,” 1
Corinthians 1:9, “called unto (eis) the
fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ,” 1 Corinthians 8:12, “ye sin (eis) against Christ,” 2 Corinthians 1:21, “he which
stablisheth us with you in (eis) Christ,”
2 Corinthians 11:3, “the simplicity that is in (eis) Christ,” Galatians 2:16, “even we have believed in (eis)
Jesus Christ,” Galatians 3:17, “the
covenant, that was confirmed before of God in (eis) Christ,” Galatians 3:24, “the law was our schoolmaster
to bring us unto (eis) Christ,” Galatians 3:27, “baptized into (eis) Christ,” Ephesians 5:32, “I speak concerning (eis) Christ and (eis) the church,” Philippians 1:10, “ye may be sincere and without offence
till (eis) the day of Christ”
Colossians 2:5, “steadfastness of your faith in (eis) Christ,” Philemon 6, “every good thing which is in you
in (eis) Christ Jesus,” 1 Peter
1:11, “it testified beforehand the sufferings of (eis) Christ,” 2 Peter 1:8, “neither be barren nor
unfruitful in (eis) the knowledge
of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
[ii]
Matthew 18:6; Mark 9:42; John 1:12; 2:11, 23; 3:15-16, 18, 36; 4:39; 6:29, 35,
40, 47; 7:5, 31, 38-39, 48; 8:30; 9:35-36; 10:42; 11:25-26, 45, 48; 12:11,
36-37, 42, 44, 46; 14:1, 12; 16:9; 17:20; Acts 10:43; 19:4; Romans 10:10; 1
Timothy 1:16; James 2:19; 1 Peter 1:21; 1 John 5:10, 13.
[iii] The
verses are Romans 3:24; 6:11, 23; 8:1-2, 39-9:1; 12:5; 15:17; 16:3, 7, 9-10; 1
Corinthians 1:2, 4, 30; 3:1; 4:10, 15, 17; 15:18-19, 22, 31; 16:24; 2
Corinthians 2:14, 17; 3:14; 5:17, 19; 12:2, 19; Galatians 1:22; 2:4, 17; 3:14,
26, 28; 5:6; 6:15; Ephesians 1:1, 3, 10, 12, 20; 2:6-7, 10, 13; 3:6, 11, 21;
4:32; Philippians 1:1, 13, 26; 2:1, 5; 3:3, 14; 4:7, 19, 21; Colossians 1:2, 4,
28; 1 Thessalonians 2:14; 4:16; 5:18; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Timothy 1:14; 2:7;
3:13; 2 Timothy 1:1, 9, 13; 2:10; 3:12, 15; Philemon 1:8, 23; 1 Peter 3:16;
5:10,14; 1 John 5:20.
[iv] Romans
14:14; 16:2, 8, 11-13, 22; 1 Corinthians 1:31; 4:17; 7:22, 39; 9:1-2; 11:11;
15:58; 16:19; 2 Corinthians 2:12; 10:17; Galatians 5:10; Ephesians 1:15; 2:21;
4:1, 17; 5:8; 6:1,10, 21; Philippians 1:14; 2:19, 24, 29; 3:1; 4:1-2, 4, 10;
Colossians 3:18; 4:7, 17; 1 Thessalonians 3:8; 4:1; 5:12; 2 Thessalonians 3:4;
Philemon 1:16, 20; Revelation 14:13.
[v]
Matthew 10:32; 13:57; Mark 6:3; Luke 12:8; 23:22; John 1:4; 6:56; 7:18; 10:38;
13:31-32; 15:5; 18:38; 19:4, 6; Acts 17:28; Romans 1:17; 1 Corinthians 1:5;
2:11; 12:9; 2 Corinthians 1:19-20; 5:21; 13:4; Ephesians 1:4, 9, 11; 2:16;
4:21; Philippians 3:9; Colossians 1:16-17, 19; 2:6-7, 9-10, 15; 2 Thessalonians
1:12; 1 John 1:5; 2:5-6, 8, 27-28; 3:5-6, 9, 24; 4:13, 15-16.
[vi]
Matthew 10:32; 11:6; 26:31; Mark 14:27; Luke 7:23; 12:8; 22:37; John 6:56;
10:38; 14:10-11, 20, 30; 15:2, 4-7; 16:33; 17:21, 23; 2 Corinthians 11:10;
Galatians 2:20.
[vii]
Matthew 26:33; Luke 3:22; John 17:21, three references.
[viii] John
3:21; Romans 2:17; 5:11; Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 3:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:1;
2:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Timothy 6:17; 1 John 4:15-16; Jude 1:1.
[ix] John
14:10-11, 20; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 John 2:24; Jude 1:1;
seven references.
[x] John
14:13; Hebrews 1:2; 1 John 2:24; 5:11, 20; five references.
[xi] Matthew
3:11; 12:28; 22:43; Mark 1:8, 23; 5:2; 12:36; Luke 1:17; 2:27; 3:16; 4:1; John
1:33; 4:23-24; Acts 1:5; 11:16; 19:21; Romans 1:9; 2:29; 8:9; 9:1; 14:17;
15:16; 1 Corinthians 6:11, 20; 12:3, 9, 13; 2 Corinthians 6:6; Galatians 6:1;
Ephesians 2:18, 22; 3:5; 5:18; 6:18; Philippians 1:27; Colossians 1:8; 1
Thessalonians 1:5; 1 Timothy 3:16; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:12; Jude 1:20; Revelation
1:10; 4:2; 17:3; 21:10; forty-six references.
[xii]
Compare the “bookends” of being “in Christ” which are found in Romans 8:1 and
8:39; the chapter contrasts those
in Christ with those who are not.
[xiii] Gk. pepoithamen, the perfect active indicative first person of the
verb peitho, translated “trust” in
Matthew 27:43; Mark 10:24; Luke 18:9; 2 Corinthians 1:9; Philippians 2:24;
Hebrews 2:13; 13:18.
[xiv] It should be specifically pointed out as
well that while the New Testament never says one is baptized en Christ, men do believe en Christ;
see Mark 1:15, “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of
God is at hand: repent ye, and believe (pisteuete en) the gospel,” Romans 3:25, “Whom God hath set forth to
be a propitiation through faith in (pisteos
en) his blood, to declare his
righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance
of God,” Galatians 3:26, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in (pisteos
en) Christ Jesus,” Ephesians 1:15,
“Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in (pistin en) the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,” Colossians
1:4, “Since we heard of your faith in (pistin . . . en) Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,” etc.
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