{"id":27136,"date":"2011-04-06T20:12:00","date_gmt":"2011-04-07T01:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=27136"},"modified":"2020-11-09T20:20:25","modified_gmt":"2020-11-10T02:20:25","slug":"do-we-die-to-sin-at-the-point-of-repentance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/do-we-die-to-sin-at-the-point-of-repentance\/","title":{"rendered":"Do we die to sin at the point of repentance?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

Question:<\/h2>\n

After viewing your web site, my brother and I saw the graphic on\u00a0the gospel re-enacted<\/a>.\u00a0 I appreciate the way it is laid out.\u00a0 I am attaching a similar graphic that is being taught in this area and in many other areas also.<\/p>\n

In this graphic, it is taught that in baptism we repent of sin and die to sin.\u00a0 Your graphic shows the re-enactment much better.\u00a0 Please compare the one I am sending you to the one on your site.\u00a0 I have been in conflict with several brethren here about this without success.\u00a0 According to Scripture, we are to obey “that form of doctrine,” not “a form” of that doctrine which is “death, burial, and resurrection.”\u00a0 Jesus died on the cross, not in the grave just as we are to die to sin in repentance then be buried in baptism.<\/p>\n

Are these your thoughts?\u00a0 I appreciate what I have viewed on your site and will continue looking at it as I have the opportunity.<\/p>\n\t

Answer:<\/h2>\n

“Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin<\/em>” (Romans 6:3-7).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

One is freed from sin when he has died. It is baptism that we are buried with him into death. You cited\u00a0no<\/em> passages that say that at the point of repentance a person has died to sin. One cannot be saved from sin without repentance, but God does not teach that it is at the point of repentance that we died to sin. The key problem is that you\u00a0added<\/em>\u00a0repentance to Romans 6:3-7 and it isn’t in this passage.<\/p>\n

If repentance removed sins, then why must one repent\u00a0and<\/strong>\u00a0be baptized to gain forgiveness of sin? “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit<\/em>” (Acts 2:38).<\/p>\n

If repentance removed sins, then why was Saul (later Paul) told to wash away his sins in baptism? “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord<\/em>” (Acts 22:16).<\/p>\n

Of course, there is the verse that solidly connects baptism and salvation. “There is also an antitype which now saves us — baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ<\/em>” (I Peter 3:21). What is one saved from? The only answer is “sin.” It is baptism that is the final step for salvation from sin. Repentance is an essential step, but it is not the final step.<\/p>\n

What you miss is that the act of\u00a0baptism<\/em>\u00a0illustrates three points about Christ:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Entering the water represents Christ’s death<\/li>\n
  • Being under the water represents Christ’s burial<\/li>\n
  • Coming up out of the water represents Christ’s resurrection<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Paul, in Romans 6:3-7 says that baptism also illustrates three points about the Christian:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Entering the water represents dying to our old life of sin<\/li>\n
    • Being under the water represents leaving our old man of sin behind<\/li>\n
    • Coming up out of the water represents a raising up to a new life and the hope of resurrection to eternal life in the end.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      The only baptism is being discussed in Romans 6:3-7 and it is baptism that represents all three points. I agree that there is a problem with the graphic in that it implies that baptism is repentance. I know the creator of it doesn’t believe that and it wasn’t his intention. But it appears you took it a different way that also is not correct.T<\/p>\n\t

      Question:<\/h2>\n

      First, I never intended anything but to let you know I appreciated the graphic on your site.<\/p>\n

      Second, I don’t know how you came to the conclusion that I was trying to add repentance to Romans 6:3-7.\u00a0 To read my email, you should have seen I oppose that idea.\u00a0\u00a0Look at it again and you will find that I stated repentance and then baptism.<\/p>\n

      Acts 2:38 teaches repentance then baptism.\u00a0 Repentance signifying our turning away from or dying to sin.\u00a0 It is in repentance that we decide to quit sinning.\u00a0 Without this step, baptism cannot happen no matter how wet one may get.<\/p>\n

      \n
        \n
      • Entering the water represents Christ’s death<\/li>\n
      • Being under the water represents Christ’s burial<\/li>\n
      • Coming up out of the water represents Christ’s resurrection<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n

        On these three points, I agree with the second and third but not the first.\u00a0 Entering the water represents Christ’s death only in the sense that He was already dead and ready to be buried.\u00a0 He died on the cross, not in the tomb.\u00a0 We do not bury living people.\u00a0 Therefore we do not baptize people who are still living in sin, only those dead to sin can be baptized into Christ for the remission of sin.\u00a0 It is in baptism where we, being dead to sin, are baptized into His death, our death into His death then raised to walk the new life.<\/p>\n

        You stated that I cited no passage about repentance being dead to sin.\u00a0 Could you cite the passage stating that entering the water represents Christ’s death?<\/p>\n

        My goal is to find only the truth in God’s word, nothing less or nothing more.<\/p>\n\t

        Answer:<\/h2>\n

        Your initial note stated, “we are to die to sin in repentance then\u00a0be buried in baptism.” This is not found in the Scriptures. In repentance we turn from sin, “… that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance<\/em>” (Acts 26:20). But there is no passage that states that repentance is dying to sin.<\/p>\n

        I agree that hearing is necessary before one can believe (Romans 10:17). Confession is necessary to approach salvation (Romans 10:10). And repentance, a turning from sin, is necessary before gaining life (Acts 11:18). However, the removal of sin — the death to sin — comes through baptism. “Therefore we have been buried with Him\u00a0through baptism into death<\/strong>\u00a0… for he who has died is freed from sin. Now if we have died with Christ<\/em>” (Romans 6:3-8). This passage was cited in my reply and proves the point.<\/p>\n

        If, as you claim, that a person dies to sin when they repent, then you are saying they have been freed from sin (Romans 6:7) before they were baptized, whether you realize it or not. Yet, as I pointed out, repentance is not under consideration in Romans 6. The discussion is about baptism. In baptism, one enters death with the Lord and in that death, he is freed from sin.<\/p>\n

        This is why you’ve run into objections because you are describing the events as you see them making sense to you but not as they are described in the Bible. People like me want biblical ideas expressed in biblical terms. Otherwise, you’ll accidentally leave a false impression on others. (And you still didn’t back up your point that repentance is dying to sin with your Bible. Assertions are not proof.)<\/p>\n

        “Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen<\/em>” (I Peter 4:11).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Question: After viewing your web site, my brother and I saw the graphic on\u00a0the gospel re-enacted.\u00a0 I appreciate the way it is laid out.\u00a0 I am attaching a similar graphic that is being taught in this area and in many other areas also. In this graphic, it is taught that in baptism we repent of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[52,50,47],"class_list":["post-27136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-baptism","tag-repentance","tag-salvation"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":40938,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-repentance-required-before-baptism\/","url_meta":{"origin":27136,"position":0},"title":"Is repentance required before baptism?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 14, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I do have a question: Acts 2:38 says repentance comes before baptism. So does that mean a baptism is invalid if there was no repenting prior to it? In my case, when I was baptized, I just believed what the preacher was saying about Jesus was true, and knew\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":47684,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/could-you-explain-hebrews-61-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":27136,"position":1},"title":"Could you explain Hebrews 6:1-2?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 17, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I do have a question about Hebrews 6:1-2, \"Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":68776,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/because-of-or-into\/","url_meta":{"origin":27136,"position":2},"title":"\u201cBecause Of\u201d or \u201cInto\u201d?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 9, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton The Argument: \"In addition to Acts 2:38, there are three other verses where the Greek word eis is used in conjunction with the word \"baptize\" or \"baptism.\" The first of these is Matthew 3:11, \"baptize you with water for repentance.\" Clearly the Greek word eis cannot\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":59920,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/taught-wrong-and-baptized-right\/","url_meta":{"origin":27136,"position":3},"title":"Taught Wrong and Baptized Right?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 14, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Adapted from an article by Wayne Jones via\u00a0The Jackson Drive News & Notes, No. 14, April 10, 2005. Under the banners of acceptance and \"unity,\" many in the Lord's church have developed an open-door policy with members of the denominational world. Many, by their own admission, have chosen not to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2176,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-to-become-a-christian\/","url_meta":{"origin":27136,"position":4},"title":"How to Become a Christian","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 1, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"by W. Frank Walton \"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come\" (II Corinthians 5:17). The Bible says salvation from sin is only in Christ (Acts 4:12). The most important commitment you'll ever make is deciding to become\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Study.gif?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":70110,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-progressive-repentance-scriptural\/","url_meta":{"origin":27136,"position":5},"title":"Is Progressive Repentance Scriptural?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 3, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Osamagbe Lesley Egharevba via Unmasking Sophistry, Vol 4. No. 4, October-December 2024 During my preaching work in Ghana in July and August 2024, I heard the term \"Progressive Repentance\" for the first time. 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