Identification Truths

Baptism is a tremendous thing. This is a means to show to the world that we are identifying with Jesus Christ. This baptism has no real significance before God but is important before men.

There is a baptism that is greater than this baptism however since Paul stated:

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void. 1 Corinthians 1:17

Ephesians 4:4-5 mentions this baptism:

There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

This is not speaking of water baptism but of Spirit baptism. The moment a person places their faith in Jesus Christ (specifically that he died for their sins and rose again), they receive the Holy Spirit – no extra steps or actions are needed:

In Him, you also, after LISTENING to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also BELIEVED, you were SEALED in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, Ephesians 1:13

Those who have been born again, born of the Spirit, have been baptized by the Holy Spirit. This is God’s doing. This baptism happens by identification which is really what baptism (βαπτιζο) means. So in other words, God sees us identified or united with Christ.

Let’s look at identification from a different perspective to see how God considers baptism.

Jesus came to the world and identified with sinners. He came for the specific purpose of dealing with the sin issue so it was necessary for him to identify himself with sin (yet He was sinless).

How did He identify with sin?

Isaiah 53:6 says:

All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him.

Later in v.12b:

…Because He poured out Himself to death,
And was numbered with the transgressors;
Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,
And interceded for the transgressors.

Have you ever considered why Jesus was baptized by John? Only sinners needed to be baptized, yet Jesus identified himself with sin.

That is how salvation is possible for us to receive today. Jesus Christ identified with our sin, took it to the cross and paid the maximum requirement of the law (death). Even though Jesus never sinned, because He identified with sin and sinners, God saw him carrying the sins of the world. So, because God is just and He must always be just He had to act in righteousness and separate himself from the son at the cross (my God my God why have you forsaken me?). God’s wrath was appeased (propitiated) at the cross!

Romans 3:25 says:

whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;

So salvation is ours by identification with Jesus Christ. The moment God identifies us (baptizes us) in the Spirit, God sees us no longer as sinners but in the righteousness of Christ.

Look how that happened:

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Cor 5:21

So believer, let me ask you, are you living in the reality of your identity in Christ? God sees you clothed in the righteousness of Christ (by identification), but do you see yourself this way? The Gospel to the believer is that we died with Christ (in our identification with Him). We who died to sin no longer need to live in it!

If you have personally not trusted that Christ died for your sins and rose again, God does not identify you with Christ but with Adam (sinner) and therefore you can expect the wrath of God (because He is just). Does God see you identified in Adam? Salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone, what is keeping you? Don’t wait a moment longer. Receive the gift of salvation by believing in Christ and be found identified with Christ.