Bible Reading: Matthew 3
Matthew 3:13-15 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
John the Baptist did not want to baptize Jesus. He did not see himself as worthy to baptize the Lamb of God. So why did Jesus come to John to be baptized? This helps us to understand about baptism. Some think that baptism is necessary for salvation in order to wash your sins away. However, Jesus did not have any sins to wash away and he did not need to be saved. Jesus did not need to be forgiven and he did not need to be justified before God.
Jesus told John that he should baptize him to fulfill all righteousness. Jesus’ baptism was the official mark of his public ministry. In essence this began his three year journey to the cross. It was at his baptism that the Father openly and publicly declared his love and pleasure in his Son, Jesus Christ.
From this we learn that baptism is a part of our following Jesus. Since he was baptized, we follow him and are baptized too. It was a public act of obedience to the Father and ours should be as well. Since it fulfills all righteousness, baptism is a part of our sanctification. It is a part of our growth in grace and obedience to the Father. It is a public show of our devotion to Jesus and our desire to be associated directly with him. Baptism shows the believer’s desire to unite with Jesus in his death, burial and resurrection.
Unfortunately there is much confusion over baptism. It is a wonderful and important time in a believer’s life and should have a prominent place in our churches. I pray that you and yours have been baptized as believers.
In Christ,
Rody
