From the book BAPTISM AND THE BIBLE by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam, founder and past president of the Berean Bible Society.THE ORIGIN OF THE 'BURIAL' THEORY'Clearly the teaching of baptism as a burial in water has sprung from the gratuitous assumption that the word "baptismos" always, or most always, refers to water baptism, while in fact it basically refers to complete identification.We quote the two passages from whence this misconception has arisen, so that we may consider them in light of the Scriptures as a whole:"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" (Rom..6:4)"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" (Col. 2:12).It should be noted that both of these verses state that the believers are "buried with Christ, not like Christ. This in itself should convince us that these passages have nothing to do with water. In Gal. 2:20 we read that we have been "crucified with Christ, and it is clear that this was not accomplished by submission to any religious ceremony.Just as the believer has been crucified with Christ' (Gal. 2:20) by simple faith, so also he has been buried-raised-with Christ, "Through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead" (See Col. 2:12 again) This cannot refer to water baptism, for if we must be physically buried to be "buried with Christ," must we not also be physically crucified to be "crucified with Christ"?Further, Ver.3 of the Romans passages stated that we were "baptized into Jesus Christ"-again, not like Christ, but into Christ, to become one with Him. This should bring to mind the truth of 1 Cor. 12:13, where we read that "By one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body." Gal. 3:27 clearly state that this is the thought were our baptism into Christ is concerned.For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."