The New Life

Holy Baptism,
baptized into Christ did put on Christ." This alone
is the right life of a baptized disciple : he has put on
Christ.^ As one is plunged into water and passes
under it, so is the believing confessor baptized into
the death of Christ, in order then to live and walk
clothed with the new life of Christ.
And there are other passages where again there is
connected with baptism the promise of the Spirit,
not only as the Spirit of regeneration, but as the gift
bestowed from heaven upon believers for indwelling
and sealing, for progressive renewal. " He saved us
through the washing of regeneration and renewing
of the Holy Ghost, which He poured out upon us
richly," Renewal is here the activity of the Spirit,
whereby the new life that is planted in the new birth
penetrates our whole being, so that all our thinking
and doing is sanctified by Him.'
And all this rich blessing which lies in baptism is
received by faith. " He that believeth, and is baptized,
shall be saved." Baptism was not only a confession
on man's part of the faith that he who would
be a disciple already had, but equally on God's part
a seal for the confirmation of faith, a covenant token
in which the whole treasury of grace lay open, to be
enjoyed throughout life. As often as a baptized believer
sees a baptism administered, or reflects upon
it, it is to be to him an encouragement to press by an
over-growing faith into the full life of salvation that
the Three-One desires to work in him. The Holy
1 Rom. vi. 3, 4 ; Gal. Hi. 27 ; Col. ii. 12.
•Rom. xii. 2 ;
Eph. iv. 23 ;
Tit. ii. 5, 6.
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