Romans 6:3-5
"3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
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.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:"
Water is not mentioned. How was Christ raised from the dead? By the Spirit
Romans 8:11
"11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
What I am saying is I died to my sin nature by the Spirit of God and was born again by his Spirit. And after I failed about a million times, I saw that I must keep the old man, the sin nature, dead by crucifying it, him. He was my old life BUT he still exists IF I don't keep him dead by walking in the Spirit.
II Cor 5:17-21
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
I Cor. 12:13
"13 For BY ONE SPIRIT ARE WE ALL BAPTIZED INTO ONE BODY, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit."
That one body is the body of Christ, his church.
Col. 2:11,12
"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."
Key words, 'through the faith'.
Eph. 2:11-16
"11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:"
It doesn't say by the cross and water baptism! IT SAYS THE CROSS and that is WHY the preaching of the cross is the power of God.
Phil. 3:3
Once again
ONE more on this for now.
Let's look more at what Paul had to say about baptism.
"3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."
Paul is talking about circumcision of the heart here NOT the flesh EVEN THOUGH he was circumcised that way too.
Col. 2:11
"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:" (Remember II Cor 5:17)
Cf. Deut. 30:6
"6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live."
I was made a new creature when I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ, which A gift from God. When someoen accepts that gift he is made a new creature at that moment in time. You don't work for a gift, you don't deserve a gift. A gift is something freely given BUT when you accept the gift of God you are changed within, this gift does that to ALL who receive it, him.
Rom 2:28.29
28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Just as the fleshly circumcision was a type of the real circumcision of the heart, even so water baptism is a type of the real baptism (Spirit baptism). John the Baptist was last of the Old Testament prophets and he used types as every other prophet did before him to show a reality.
1 Cor. 1:17
"17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect."
Paul wasn't sent to baptize but to preach the gospel.
And by reading the preceding verses, you will see that he was talking about water baptism. So if water baptism is a salvation issue then Paul DID NOT know it. He was thankful that he didn't water baptize many people at all.
Let's read it.
I told you many times I like context. So lets read a few verses before v. 17
I Cor 1:14-17
14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
When you make water baptism a salvation issue then the cross of Christ becomes of none effect. NOW the very NEXT verse.
I Cor 1:18 on my t-shirt.
18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
God became a man to free us from sin.
Ck. I Cor 1:4.
"4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;"
Grace is God's unmerited favor for you in Jesus Christ he was thankful for.
Hearing of faith or through faith,
Acts 10:43-48
42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
The Jewish believers in the Lord Jesus Christ saw the same thing happen to the Gentiles that happened to the Jewish believers. Their hearts were touched by the truth of the Gospel, since God saw their hearts, their desires, their wants HE ANSWERED their hearts cry for salvation.
When the word goes forth, the word/Word sets the captives free AND THEN these people were water baptized AFTER they were born again, born from above, so to speak.