Sean, baptism does a lot of things, but it doesn't change the inner nature of a man.
Is that right....Col 2:11 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:
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.
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he
quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Romans 6:6 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.
7 For he that is dead is
freed from sin.
Are you FREE from sin?....Baptism free's us from sin. That is an operation of God that has crucified the OLD MAN(old nature).
That can only be done via the effect of the operation of the Spirit of Christ. Only the Spirit can transform a person from the inside out. In water baptism we are baptized into Christ's death, buried with him in baptism, and we are to arise to walk in newness of life, however the change in the nature of a man is only accomplished through the Spirit. Yes, the Spirit can and will work through the process of baptism if there is faith in the heart of the person being baptized, however it's not the act of baptism itself that causes this change, but its the operation of the Spirit.
Is that what the passages say that I posted above?
With that said, baptism is an ordinance of God, commanded by God, and essential for every repentant believer. Scripture tell us that it is a washing from sin (
Acts 22:16), it is a burial place for the old man (
Romans 6), through it we are baptized into Christ (
Galatians 3:27), we take on his name (
Acts 8:16), and as the Red Sea cut off Israel from Egypt, we are cut off from out past life of sin as we go through the waters of baptism in Jesus name.
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