Only in the Old Testament do we find actions required which only picture something else. Even there, when these actions were done in faith, God dealt with the people in redemptive mercy. In the New Covenant rites become reality in Christ through the Holy Spirit who applies that reality to us. All of the obediences included as initiation into the New Covenant do work a distinct change within us. Repentance is the change of mind and heart toward God about sin and ourselves. Faith is the transfer of reliance from dead works to the living God. Water baptism is the inner cutting away and burial of the old life of sin. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is the impartation of God’s own abiding presence, the basis of all our living in Christ. 

Baptism is a burial. 

Through repentance and faith we have agreed with God that we are dead in trespasses and sins. In baptism, we consent to His burial of all we have been. The “carnal nature” or “old man of sin” is cut from us and left behind at baptism. 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 (Romans 6: 3, 4). 

Baptism is a resurrection. 

Baptism should provide a clean break with sin. We are then free to be raised as brand new people by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are quickened by a whole new life principle: the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him (Romans 6: 5-9). 

Baptism is a stripping away of the carnal nature. 

The carnal nature is at odds with God and always resists Him. This basic inner hostility is the result of Adam’s sin. We call it “original sin” or “enmity against God.” Until this is removed through water baptism, we cannot love and serve God from the heart. In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead (Colossians 2: 11, 12).