Three Stages: Death / Resurrection / Declaration as Son of God
Romans 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God ... by the resurrection from the dead:
Colossians 1:18b ...who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead;
Revelation 1:who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead;
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Baptism=death
Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:
Consider the spiritual picture when Jesus was baptized by John:
Matthew 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
We find:
Baptism =death
coming up from water/baptism =coming up from death or resurrection
Declaration of Son ="This is My beloved Son..."
Same three stages in Christ's baptism as found in Romans 1:3,4, Colossians 1:18, etc.