To be fully HUMAN — A Daily Reflection

 

 

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.  But John tried to deter Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?" 

 

Jesus replied, "Let it be so now, it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness."  Then John consented.

 

Put yourself in John’s shoes.  Here he is, fulfilling his purpose in life, preparing the way for the Lamb of God.  John knew who he was.  John also knew Who Jesus was.  He had recognized Him when they were both still within the womb (Luke 1:39-45 NIV) and he had recognized Him again the first time he saw Jesus (Luke 1:29-34 NIV).  Imagine John’s feeling of confusion when the Son of God stood before him, asking to be baptized.  John knew Jesus was the Son of God.  He knew Jesus was without sin.  John knew his own unworthiness.  He felt like he needed to be baptized by Jesus, not the other way around!

 

So why was Jesus baptized?  He was without sin, so why would He need baptism?  He didn’t.  But He did want to "fulfill all righteousness."  Jesus was going to take away the sins of the world, so first, He had to identify Himself with that sin… like Nehemiah, Ezra, Moses and Daniel had done, He confessed sin on behalf of the nation (the world).  He was demonstrating His support for what John was doing by participating in it.  He was inaugurating His public ministry.  And He was placing Himself on the side of the penitent people, rather than with the self-righteous, sanctimonious, hypocritical Pharisees who stood by and watched.  Jesus, the Son of God, didn’t need baptism.  Rather, He accepted baptism in obedient service to the Father, demonstrating what He would have us all do.

 

It took six long years from the day I was saved until the day I was baptized, because I didn’t really understand what baptism was.  I had been “sprinkled” as a baby, baptized at a revival when I was nine, and baptized twice into a pseudo-Christian cult.  I figured I’d been dunked enough!  So even though a few people tried to convince me to be baptized, I always turned it down.  Then, one Sunday morning, when my pastor was getting ready to baptize a new believer, he gave a short “sermonette” from the baptistery, explaining the significance of baptism as an act of obedience by a believer.  No, baptism wouldn’t save me.  I was already saved.  And baptism wouldn’t “wash away my sins” – they had already been washed away by the blood of Jesus.  But baptism would show the world that I had accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and that as a believer, I wanted to be totally obedient to Him.  I realized that I had never been baptized as a believer – so no matter how many times I’d been sprinkled and dunked, the only baptism that would have any significance had yet to occur.  So, that afternoon, I went to my pastor’s home and told him what I was thinking.  He was overjoyed, and agreed to baptize me that evening!  My baptism inspired him to give another “sermonette” to the congregation, one that inspired (or convicted) five other people to be baptized the following week! 

 

If you are a believer but have not yet followed Jesus in baptism, please consider doing so as soon as possible.  No, baptism will not save you… believing in Jesus and accepting His sacrifice for you on the cross is what saves you.  No, baptism won’t wash away your sins… they can only be washed away by the blood of Jesus.  And no, whether you are baptized or not makes no difference in whether you’ll get to heaven.  The only thing you need to get you through those pearly gates is your faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for your sins.  But baptism IS an act of obedience… an extremely important one… one that says you want to be obedient to the Lord in all ways, including following Him in baptism.  Do you want your walk with Him to be complete?