What are the results of baptism? What does it accomplish? We will now look at the answer to these questions.

Baptism is the means that God has provided for the repentant believer to publicly identify himself as a Christian. By baptism he declares to the world that he is saved and a child of God.

As we have already seen in the New Testament, sinners answered the call to repentance and faith by submitting to baptism. By baptism the repentant believer identified himself with Gods people.

THE CHURCH IS THE PUBLIC ORGANIZATION OF CHRIST'S FOLLOWERS

The only organization of Christians mentioned in the New Testament is the local church. In the New Testament all repentant believers were expected to be baptized and identified with a church.

BAPTIZED BELIEVERS WERE SPOKEN OF AS BEING "IN THE CHURCH."

Believers were identified with particular local churches and were spoken of as being "in" these churches.

"Now there were IN THE CHURCH THAT WAS AT ANTIOCH certain prophets and teachers . . ." --Acts 13:1.

"In the church that was at Antioch." This is the way that Christians were spoken of in the New Testament. They were identified with individual, local, churches and were spoken of as being "in the church."

"And when they had ordained them elders IN EVERY CHURCH . . ." -Acts 14:23.

Each church had its own organization and its own membership. (I Cor. 12:28.)

A church member could be excluded from membership in the church. (III John 10, Matt. 18:17, 11 Thess. 3:6, Titus 3:10, etc.)

From these Scriptures, it is easy to see that church membership was a recognized position in the New Testament. Individual Christians were identified with local churches.

THE LOCAL CHURCH IS CALLED THE "BODY OF CHRIST"

"And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the CHURCH, "WHICH IS HIS BODY, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." -Eph. 1:22, 23.

". . . the church, which is his body, . . ." Several times in the New Testament the church is spoken of as the body of Christ.

"And he is the head of THE BODY, THE CHURCH." -Col. 1:18.

"Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh FOR HIS BODY'S SAKE, WHICH IS THE CHURCH." -Col. 1:24.

To the local church at Corinth Paul wrote these words.

"Now YE ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST, AND MEMBERS IN PARTICULAR." -I Cor. 12:27.

The local church at Corinth was called the "body of Christ."

To the local church at Ephesus Paul wrote these words. "For we are MEMBERS OF HIS BODY, of his flesh, and of his bones." -Eph. 5:30.

The members of the local church at Ephesus were spoken of as being "members of his body."

To the local church at Colosse Paul wrote these words. "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called IN ONE BODY, and be ye thankful." -Col. 3:15.

Several important things have now been established from these Scriptures.

1. Baptized believers were spoken of as being "in the church" and were identified as members of particular, local churches.

2. The local churches were called "the body of Christ."

3. The church members were spoken of as being "members of his body" and "members in particular" of the "body of Christ.-"

JESUS CHRIST IDENTIFIED HIMSELF WITH THE CHURCH AND CALLED IT HIS BODY

We can see the close relationship of Christ and the churches in the experiences of Paul. Before his conversion, Paul persecuted the church.

"As for Saul, HE MADE HAVOCK OF THE CHURCH..." -Acts 8:3.

I persecuted the church of God" -I Cor. 15:9.

Saul made havoc of the church. He persecuted the church. When Christ met Saul on the road to Damascus He spoke these words:

". . . Saul, Saul, WHY PERSECUTEST THOU ME? ... I AM JESUS WHOM THOU PERSECUTEST."---- Acts 9:4, 5.

Saul had been persecuting the church yet Jesus asked, "why persecutest thou me?" TO PERSECUTE THE CHURCH WAS TO PERSECUTE CHRIST! This reveals how Christ identified Himself with the church.

HOW DOES THE REPENTANT BELIEVER BECOME A MEMBER OF THE BODY OF CHRIST AND BE "IN THE CHURCH"?

The Scriptures give us the answer.

"For by one Spirit are we all BAPTIZED INTO ONE BODY, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." -I Cor. 12:13.

". . . baptized into one body . . ." When the repentant believer is baptized he is "baptized into one body" the local church. He becomes a member of the body of Christ and is placed in the church by baptism.

We need to look at two other verses.

"Know ye not, that so many of us as WERE BAPTIZED INTO JESUS CHRIST were baptized into his death?" -Romans 6:3.

"For as many of you as have been BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST have put on Christ." -Gal 3:27.

"Baptized into Jesus Christ!" "Baptized into Christ." What can these expressions mean?

It has been established that the body of Christ is the local church. The Scriptures teach that we are baptized into the body. This is the meaning in these expressions about being "‘baptized into Christ." It means we were baptized into the church, the body of Christ. Christ and the church are so closely identified that it was proper to speak of baptism as being ""baptized into Christ."

Notice the expression, "as many of you as have been baptized into Christ HAVE PUT ON CHRIST." ""Put on Christ" . . . this is publicly identifying with Christ. For instance, the civilian becomes a soldier when he is sworn in and he publicly is identified as a soldier when he puts on the uniform. A sinner becomes a child of God by repentance and faith and he publicly is identified as such when he "puts on Christ" by baptism.