What does it mean to be baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:27)?

Response

In Galatians 3:23–4:7, the apostle Paul discusses the concept of being a child of God: “So in Christ Jesus, you are all children of God through faith. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is no distinction between Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are descendants of Abraham and heirs according to the promise (verses 26–29). When we embrace Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we are “baptized into Christ” through faith in Him.

What are the consequences of being baptized into Christ?

We are clothed with Christ.

Paul elaborates, “All of you who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” In the original language, the phrase “put on Christ” means to be “endowed with the quality of being wrapped in a covering” of Christ. “And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes,” states Galatians 3:27 in the New Living Translation. The same expression is found in Romans 13:14: “Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”

When we are baptized into Christ, we are enveloped in Jesus Christ like a robe. Our dirty, old, sin-infested rags are discarded (Isaiah 64:6), and we assume the new righteous nature of Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:24). Water baptism symbolizes this internal transformation through the outward act of baptism.

Immersed into Christ by the Holy Spirit (see Acts 10:44-48).

This concept of changing garments held an additional meaning for the Galatians. In ancient Roman culture, when a young individual attained the legal status of adult citizenship, they would cease wearing their childhood clothing and start wearing a toga, the traditional attire of an adult. This change of clothing symbolized a transition into the responsibilities of adulthood. As individuals baptized into Christ, we attain complete, mature sonship status before God (see Romans 8:17).

We are unified in Christ.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit unites us with Christ and associates us with Him. As children of God, we become part of God’s family, all being “one in Christ Jesus.” Paul reaffirms this truth in 1 Corinthians 12:12–14: “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:12-13;NLT).

As individuals baptized into Christ, we are God’s sons and daughters and also siblings to one another. God’s family comprises individuals from every nation, culture, skin tone, and language (Matthew 28:19;cf: Revelation 5:9). In Christ, there is no distinction of status (“Jew nor Gentile”), rank (“slave nor free”), or gender (“nor is there male and female”). We all stand on equal ground with God in terms of salvation. It is not something we can earn or merit (Romans 3:10,23;Ephesians 2:9;2 Timothy 1:9-10;Titus 3:5).

10; Titus 3:5). We all receive it as a gift from God through Jesus (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8). The equality of our union transforms into fellowship—a communion of brothers and sisters that can only exist in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:18-19; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

We are dead to sin, alive in Christ.

Being baptized into Christ means identifying with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection. We died with Him and, through Him, received a new life in which we are set free from sin. Paul asks the Romans, “How can we who died to sin still live in it? Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in a new way of life” (Romans 6:2-4; HCSB).

As born-again Christians, we are set apart with Christ in righteousness and justification: “Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin” (Romans 6:6-7; NLT).