Does Romans 6 Refer to Water Baptism?
Many people interpret Paul’s argument in Romans 6:3-10 as referring to water baptism. However Paul is simply using the physical analogy of water baptism to teach the spiritual reality of the believer’s union with Christ. Some have said, “If Paul weren’t speaking about literal water baptism in this passage, he would have simply said, `All who believe in Christ believe in His death and resurrection and are therefore united with Him. Why does he use the word baptized?” The reason Paul used the symbol of water baptism is it is the outward identification of an inward reality–faith in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Paul was not advocating salvation by water baptism; that would have contradicted everything he has just said about salvation by grace and not works in Romans 3-5, which has no mention of water baptism. Water baptism was a public symbol of faith in God. Very often in Scripture when you read the word baptism, you can substitute the word faith. The apostle Peter said baptis
