What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 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. 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:
Romans 6:1-8
For us to fully understand and enter the fullness of Christ Redemption, it is of ultimate importance that the truth be revealed deep in our hearts that Christ did not die for us but that we died with Him. Our victory in this side of heaven depends to great extent on the degree of our identification with His death. That is what baptism symbolizes. We cannot enjoy blessings of His resurrection till we carry the cross of His humiliation.