Colossians 2.11-13 delves into the significance of baptism. Paul paints a vivid picture of its power, likening it to the spiritual circumcision of the heart and the burial and resurrection with Christ.
You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, when you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses.
What can we learn from this passage?
In baptism, a person is spiritually circumcised, putting off the body of flesh and being made alive with Christ. This spiritual rebirth occurs through faith in the working of God, who raises believers from the dead. Paul's language echoes his teachings in Romans 6:3-6, where he expounds on the symbolism of baptism1. Just as Christ died and was raised to new life, believers undergo a symbolic death and resurrection through baptism. By going down into the water, believers identify with Christ's death, and by rising out of the water, they participate in His resurrection. Thus, baptism becomes a tangible expression of faith in God's saving work.
So, what exactly does God do in baptism?
God acquires and accepts believers as His own, marking them with the seal of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
God grants salvation, forgiveness of sins, and the gift of the Holy Spirit to baptized people.
God washes away sins, puts to death the old self, and raises believers to new life in Christ.
God adds believers to the body of Christ, uniting them with Him.
God justifies, sanctifies, and cleanses believers through the washing of baptism.
God regenerates and renews believers by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Verse 12 of Colossians 2 is particularly significant as it clarifies the timing of God's saving power. Paul asserts that regeneration occurs in baptism, not before or after. As a person emerges from baptism, they are raised with Christ, signifying their new life in Him. This connection between faith and baptism underscores that baptism is where God's saving grace is applied, solidifying our identity as His redeemed children.
Baptism is not merely a symbolic ritual or a demonstration of faith, but a divine act of salvation ordained by God Himself. Baptism is an expression of God's transformative work in the lives of believers, marking their entry into the body of Christ and sealing their identity as His redeemed children.
In baptism, believers are spiritually reborn, united with Christ, and marked as His own.
On November 4, 2025, Jeff Asher shared this post on Facebook and challenged me about what I mean by baptism as a symbol. I’m not interested in debating for the sake of argument, but I do want to be clear about what I believe and teach.
When I say baptism is symbolic, I do not mean it is merely symbolic or without saving significance. The New Testament clearly connects baptism with salvation, forgiveness, and new life in Christ (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Romans 6:3–4; 1 Peter 3:21).
Baptism is symbolic in meaning but powerful in effect. It is symbolic because no one literally dies or physically rises from the dead when baptized. Yet it is also the God-ordained moment in which we participate in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection by faith. Paul wrote that we are “buried with Him by baptism into death” and “raised to walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).
In baptism, our faith meets God’s grace. God is the one doing the saving, not man. Baptism is not a human work to earn salvation but an act of obedient trust in God’s promise (Colossians 2:12; Titus 3:5).
As for the gift of the Holy Spirit and the seal of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, these are blessings granted to those who obey the gospel and are born of water and Spirit (John 3:5; Acts 2:38; Ephesians 1:13-14).
So, to put it plainly:
Baptism is symbolic in what it pictures: our death, burial, and resurrection with Christ.
Baptism is essential in what it accomplishes: our forgiveness, union with Christ, and reception of the Spirit.
I believe the Scriptures are clear on this, and I hope we can focus on explaining God’s truth rather than engaging in personal disputes.
Since Jeff Asher mentioned this post in a recent FB article, I have added a footnote for clarification. This will be my only response to his post.
Yes it is... and I'm not sure how much, generally speaking, we've emphasized that, and the way we emphasize things is so important.