RE: "Through our baptismal union with Christ, we also take on our Lord’s self-sacrificial and self-giving posture (Phil. 2:3–11; Eph. 5:1–2).”

So does baptism result in someone instantaneously gaining “our Lord’s self-sacrificial and self-giving posture”? Might it not take some time for someone who is baptized to grow to resemble Christ as a willing, suffering servant? And isn’t that resemblance a matter of degree as we learn and mature?

According to Jesus’ own words, baptism is an entryway into discipleship (Matt. 28:19-20). And faithful disciples will be devoted to learning, aspiring to be like their teacher (Matt. 10:25) in knowledge, character and comportment.

Furthermore, disciples can learn from each other. Indeed, isn’t influencing each other for good one of the very purposes that we gather in congregations (Heb. 10:24)? Both of the Bible verses referenced in the quote above from the article encourage us to do things conscientiously to fulfill God’s loving purposes for us. Phil. 2:3-11 (ESV) begins, “Have this mind among yourselves…” while Eph. 5:1-2 says, “Therefore be imitators of God…. And walk in love….”

Certainly we who believe and are baptized stand before God fully justified according to the righteousness of Christ imputed to us by grace through faith. Yet the virtues of Christ are things that we can learn about, encourage one another in, and practice. And one of the joys of being a Christian is that we can continuously accumulate reasons to affirm, by direct personal experience, that “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (John 13:17 ESV).