1. A cleansing, a washing away -- remission -- forgiveness of sins.

Ananias, when he was sent to Paul in Damascus, said to him: "...arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins..." (Acts 22:16).

Peter said to the multitude in Jerusalem (Acts 2:38): "...Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins ..."

Paul, writing to the Corinthians and reminding them of their position in Christ, said (1 Cor. 6:11): "... but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus ..."

And to the Ephesians he refers directly to the medium of this cleansing when he says: "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word" (Eph. 5:26).

2. A burial and rebirth -- a death to the old Adam -- a resurrection to newness of life.

Paul illustrates this aspect most clearly in writing to the Romans, where he explains that their baptism was a death to the service of the flesh which can only reward with corruption, and a rebirth to an entirely new way of life with limitless prospects. He says (Rom. 6:3-4), as he urges them to put away sin and live in consistency with the symbolism of the ordinance they had undergone: "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 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."

And he continues throughout the whole chapter in the same strain, emphasizing the vast change in the purpose and principles of life that must necessarily accompany a sincere baptism.

"...we have been planted together in the likeness of his death ..." he says (verse 5), in further reference to this aspect of the symbolism of baptism.

And to the Colossians:

[Ye are] "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him ..." (2:12).

John records that Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, was greatly moved by the teachings of Jesus, to the extent that he came secretly to him at night, that he might learn more about him. And Jesus, in the conversation that ensued, explained to this enquiring Pharisee the necessity of rebirth before a man could be an acceptable subject for God's Kingdom: "Ye MUST be born again ... Ye must be born of water and of Spirit ..." (John 3:3,5).

3. A union with Christ, a partaking of his righteousness and the effects of his sacrifice, a naturalization into the citizenship of the commonwealth of Israel and an heirship of the promises made to the Fathers.

It is in writing to the Galatians that Paul brings this out most forcibly. He is there reasoning upon the vast superiority of the new Covenant in Christ over the old one through Moses, to which the Galatians seemed to be drifting back. He is explaining that the Mosaic law was but an interim arrangement until Christ should come to bring into force the original Abrahamic covenant and promises, which, says Paul, were on the basis of faith, and not fleshly descent or the works of the Law. "For," says he: "ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free ... for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And IF ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Gal. 3:26-29).

And to the Corinthians, he speaks along the same line concerning our unity with Christ by baptism: "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free ..." (1 Cor. 12:12-13).

4. A release from the bondage and slavery of Sin; a transfer of masters from the service of Sin unto death to the service of Righteousness unto life.

These different phases of the symbolism and purpose of baptism are all, of course, interrelated. They are all parts of a whole, rather than independent features. So, continuing his argument that by baptism we are buried with Christ into death (Rom. 6:3-4), to which reference has been made already, Paul says (verse 7): " ... he that is dead is freed from sin." "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin ... " (verse 11). " ..but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you." (verse 17).

Still obviously referring to baptism, for he continues (verse 18): "Being then made free from sin (by a typical death), ye became the servants of righteousness."

And further (chapter 7, verse 6): " ... now are we delivered from the law, having died (in baptism) to that wherein we were held."

In chapter 5 he has explained how condemnation came upon the human race by the transgression of Adam, from whom all spring. (Verse 18): " ... by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation ..."

This he calls (in chapter 8) "the law of sin and death" saying (8:1-2): "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus ... For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."

Here again the importance of baptism is evident for as we have seen it is by this act that we become "in Christ" and so gain this release.