Baptized = Incorporated

I believe that the word "baptism" (Greek Baptizó - βαπτίζω) means, in many places in the new testament, "incorporation" and the verb baptized means incorporated. 

The word "incorporation" means "making something part of a whole"; And denotes "consolidating two or more things," and "union in (or into) one body." In this sense we may also substitute the words "placed into" or "placed within" for the word baptism (noun or verb). 

With this in mind let us read some verses and substitute those words (synonyms) for baptize and baptism.

"Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?" (Rom. 6: 3)

Here we would read "incorporated into Christ Jesus" and "were incorporated into his death." This act of incorporation makes Christ and believers a corporate unit, or corporation. We could also read "placed into Christ." 

"For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit." (I Cor. 12: 13)

The church is the body of Christ (a social body, as a family corporation). It is a spiritual corporation representing its members. Water baptism is a picture of being placed within, or incorporated into, Christ and his mystical body. 

Literally and physically, our bodies are incorporated or placed into water, not Christ. So, water baptism is not the thing that places the heart, mind, soul, and spirit within Christ. This is effected by faith and faith comes before water baptism. 

There are lots of other verses we could refer to. However, let the reader keep these thoughts in mind as he or she reads the new testament and comes across such verses on baptism. It will often help to illuminate those verses. The substituting of "incorporated into" or "placed within" for baptism will also apply to other baptisms in the new testament, such as the baptism of Christ into sufferings and death, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and the baptism of fire, etc. 

Recall also how both the Lord's Supper and water baptism symbolize incorporation. In the Lord's Supper Christ is pictured as bread being incorporated into the person eating it. In water baptism the believer is pictured as being placed within the Lord and washed in the blood of the Lamb.