We are justified before God by faith in Jesus Christ— “Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5: 1
God demonstrated His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through His love and faithfulness toward us. Romans 5: 8
“And having made peace with God through the blood of His cross”—even though we were enemies of God, now He has reconciled us, He has cleared our account with Him, in the body of His flesh through death. Colossians 1: 20-22
We are “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…having forgiven you all trespasses…nailing it to his cross.” Colossians 2: 12-14
We were not actually there two thousand years ago to be nailed to the cross with Jesus. We were not actually there to be laid in the grave with Jesus, then be raised from the dead. But by hearing the Word and believing the report, we are with Him by faith.
Baptism is a demonstration of our faith in and identification with what Jesus did for us over two thousand years ago.
Our faith connects us to the person and work of Jesus. By faith, when He died, we died; when He was buried, we were buried; when He was resurrected, we were resurrected. Our baptism shows and publicly seals our commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Repentance, turning from our sin and our life, and turning to the Lord, calling upon Him in faith, gains remission and forgiveness of sin. We are baptized to demonstrate our trust in and our commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 2: 38; Acts 22: 16; Romans 10: 8-13
Baptism gives us a clear conscience of obedience unto God in our identification with the death and resurrection of Jesus. Our faith is demonstrated. 1 Peter 3: 18-22; James 2: 17
We are saved by the blood of Jesus. We identify with Jesus by baptism. Our identification is in and with the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and in and with the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew 28: 19; Acts 2: 38; Acts 10: 48
