Post by ambassador on Aug 22, 2009 0:26:52 GMT -5
Why Was Jesus Baptized?
[1 July 2009]
Arguments quickly arise among denominations regarding water baptism because no two groups can agree as to how water baptism should be performed. Who should do it: a priest, a pope, or a pastor? Where should it be done: a river, a lake, a bathtub, a baptismal, or a swimming pool? Who needs it: babies or adults, or both? How should it be done: effusion (pouring), aspersion (sprinkling), or immersion (submerging)? Every professing Christian today wants to be water baptized because Jesus was water baptized, and He told His disciples to water baptize. But, does is make sense to “follow in the footsteps of Jesus” in water baptism? Do we need “believer’s baptism” today like so many preachers claim? In order to answer this question, we discard biased denominational literature and use the SCRIPTURES as the Final Authority.
Firstly, whenever people see the word “baptize” or “baptism” in the Bible, they automatically assume it must be water baptism. On the contrary, there are many types of “baptism” in the Scriptures that have absolutely nothing to do with water—Matthew 3:11 KJV has water baptism, the baptism with fire (the judgment of the Tribulation) and the baptism WITH the Holy Spirit (the day of Pentecost in Acts 2). Then there is the baptism BY the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ found in 1 Corinthians 12:13 KJV. As you can see, three of these “baptisms” have absolutely nothing to do with water.
The word “baptize” first appears in the Bible in Matthew 3 when John the Baptist is preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 3:2). If a Jew had placed his faith in Jesus of Nazareth as Israel’s King and Messiah, this water baptism was the “baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” and it was an outward profession of their faith in Jesus as the Messiah (Mark 1:4). The water baptism John the Baptist was preaching was nothing new to Jews. In the Old Testament, Israel’s priests would wash with water before entering into the priesthood; they had to wash prior to dressing in the ephod (priestly garments), and had to wash before entering the Tabernacle and Holy of Holies.
At this point, we have established two critical points: (1) Water baptism can be traced back to Old Testament Law, and (2) water baptism was for the Jewish believers of the Kingdom Gospel. Thus, water baptism is AN OLD TESTAMENT LAW; it is NOT a “New Testament ordinance” like people claim today. Jesus’s earthly ministry and His water baptism are still Old Testament ground, because He had not died yet (Hebrews 9:16-17). The New Testament cannot begin until after Jesus’s death: in fact, this “New Covenant” with Israel will be brought about at His Second Coming, over 2000 years after His water baptism and death.
Now, turn to Mark 1:4 KJV, and read: “John [the Baptist] did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” These Jewish believers of the Kingdom Gospel were sinners, and as I said earlier, the water baptism was an outward sign of their faith. Before those Jews could become that “kingdom of priests” they were promised in Exodus 19:5, they had to wash themselves just like the Levitical priests.
So, why was Jesus water baptized? Our first answer is Matthew 3:15 KJV: “And Jesus answering said unto him [that is, John the Baptist], Suffer [Allow] it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then He suffered [allowed] him.” Jesus Christ needed to fulfill all the righteousness of the Law, the Old Testament. Remember, the priests would not only wash themselves, they would wash the animal sacrifices too (see Exodus 29:4; Exodus 30:20; Leviticus chapter 1; Leviticus 8:6; Leviticus 16:24; 2 Chronicles 4:6).
The small remnant of believers in Israel at the time of Christ’s earthly ministry was called “the little flock” (Luke 12:32): remember, the analogy here is Christ being the Shepherd, and these Jewish believers are sheep, like Psalm 23 said. In order to identify Himself with those Jewish believers, Jesus was water baptized; as Isaiah 53:12 said, Christ would be “numbered with the transgressors.” By being water baptized, Christ manifested Himself as Israel’s Messiah (Luke 3:21-22; John 1:29-33). Anyone who refused the baptism of John was publicly admitting their unbelief; the fourth reason Jesus was baptized was to separate the Jewish believers from the Jewish unbelievers (see Luke 7:29-30).
So, these are the four reasons why Jesus was baptized: (1) to fulfill the Old Testament ceremony of the priesthood washing, (2) to manifest Himself as Israel’s Messiah, (3) to identify Himself with the “little flock,” the remnant of Jewish believers who were being water baptized, and (4) thereby sorting the believers from the unbelievers.
However, when Israel rejected their Messiah and demanded His crucifixion, the promise of the Kingdom would be postponed. In Acts 7, after the Jews stone Stephen (filled with the Holy Spirit), the Lord set Israel aside nationally for their unbelief. As Romans 11:11-13 says, Israel’s prophetic program has been temporarily stopped: God is dealing with the non-Jews (Gentiles) today, via the epistles of the Apostle Paul.
With all that said, we have no reason to be water baptized today for any reason. Israel’s water baptism has nothing to do with us today because we are not Israel: we are the Church, the Body of Christ, who have a NON-aqueous (waterless) baptism. We are under the Gospel of Grace, not the Gospel of the Kingdom. We are in the Dispensation of Grace, not the Dispensation of Law.
We have the ONE baptism of 1 Corinthians 12:13 and Ephesians 4:5—the moment we place our faith in Christ alone as our Savior, the Holy Spirit “baptizes” us into the one Body of Christ. This is why Paul said Christ did not send him to water baptize in 1 Corinthians 1:17. Paul went to the Gentiles, and Gentiles did not need the Jewish water baptism. Contrary to whatever someone says, the Bible tells us that we do not need water baptism for any reason.
[1 July 2009]
Arguments quickly arise among denominations regarding water baptism because no two groups can agree as to how water baptism should be performed. Who should do it: a priest, a pope, or a pastor? Where should it be done: a river, a lake, a bathtub, a baptismal, or a swimming pool? Who needs it: babies or adults, or both? How should it be done: effusion (pouring), aspersion (sprinkling), or immersion (submerging)? Every professing Christian today wants to be water baptized because Jesus was water baptized, and He told His disciples to water baptize. But, does is make sense to “follow in the footsteps of Jesus” in water baptism? Do we need “believer’s baptism” today like so many preachers claim? In order to answer this question, we discard biased denominational literature and use the SCRIPTURES as the Final Authority.
Firstly, whenever people see the word “baptize” or “baptism” in the Bible, they automatically assume it must be water baptism. On the contrary, there are many types of “baptism” in the Scriptures that have absolutely nothing to do with water—Matthew 3:11 KJV has water baptism, the baptism with fire (the judgment of the Tribulation) and the baptism WITH the Holy Spirit (the day of Pentecost in Acts 2). Then there is the baptism BY the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ found in 1 Corinthians 12:13 KJV. As you can see, three of these “baptisms” have absolutely nothing to do with water.
The word “baptize” first appears in the Bible in Matthew 3 when John the Baptist is preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 3:2). If a Jew had placed his faith in Jesus of Nazareth as Israel’s King and Messiah, this water baptism was the “baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” and it was an outward profession of their faith in Jesus as the Messiah (Mark 1:4). The water baptism John the Baptist was preaching was nothing new to Jews. In the Old Testament, Israel’s priests would wash with water before entering into the priesthood; they had to wash prior to dressing in the ephod (priestly garments), and had to wash before entering the Tabernacle and Holy of Holies.
At this point, we have established two critical points: (1) Water baptism can be traced back to Old Testament Law, and (2) water baptism was for the Jewish believers of the Kingdom Gospel. Thus, water baptism is AN OLD TESTAMENT LAW; it is NOT a “New Testament ordinance” like people claim today. Jesus’s earthly ministry and His water baptism are still Old Testament ground, because He had not died yet (Hebrews 9:16-17). The New Testament cannot begin until after Jesus’s death: in fact, this “New Covenant” with Israel will be brought about at His Second Coming, over 2000 years after His water baptism and death.
Now, turn to Mark 1:4 KJV, and read: “John [the Baptist] did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” These Jewish believers of the Kingdom Gospel were sinners, and as I said earlier, the water baptism was an outward sign of their faith. Before those Jews could become that “kingdom of priests” they were promised in Exodus 19:5, they had to wash themselves just like the Levitical priests.
So, why was Jesus water baptized? Our first answer is Matthew 3:15 KJV: “And Jesus answering said unto him [that is, John the Baptist], Suffer [Allow] it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then He suffered [allowed] him.” Jesus Christ needed to fulfill all the righteousness of the Law, the Old Testament. Remember, the priests would not only wash themselves, they would wash the animal sacrifices too (see Exodus 29:4; Exodus 30:20; Leviticus chapter 1; Leviticus 8:6; Leviticus 16:24; 2 Chronicles 4:6).
The small remnant of believers in Israel at the time of Christ’s earthly ministry was called “the little flock” (Luke 12:32): remember, the analogy here is Christ being the Shepherd, and these Jewish believers are sheep, like Psalm 23 said. In order to identify Himself with those Jewish believers, Jesus was water baptized; as Isaiah 53:12 said, Christ would be “numbered with the transgressors.” By being water baptized, Christ manifested Himself as Israel’s Messiah (Luke 3:21-22; John 1:29-33). Anyone who refused the baptism of John was publicly admitting their unbelief; the fourth reason Jesus was baptized was to separate the Jewish believers from the Jewish unbelievers (see Luke 7:29-30).
So, these are the four reasons why Jesus was baptized: (1) to fulfill the Old Testament ceremony of the priesthood washing, (2) to manifest Himself as Israel’s Messiah, (3) to identify Himself with the “little flock,” the remnant of Jewish believers who were being water baptized, and (4) thereby sorting the believers from the unbelievers.
However, when Israel rejected their Messiah and demanded His crucifixion, the promise of the Kingdom would be postponed. In Acts 7, after the Jews stone Stephen (filled with the Holy Spirit), the Lord set Israel aside nationally for their unbelief. As Romans 11:11-13 says, Israel’s prophetic program has been temporarily stopped: God is dealing with the non-Jews (Gentiles) today, via the epistles of the Apostle Paul.
With all that said, we have no reason to be water baptized today for any reason. Israel’s water baptism has nothing to do with us today because we are not Israel: we are the Church, the Body of Christ, who have a NON-aqueous (waterless) baptism. We are under the Gospel of Grace, not the Gospel of the Kingdom. We are in the Dispensation of Grace, not the Dispensation of Law.
We have the ONE baptism of 1 Corinthians 12:13 and Ephesians 4:5—the moment we place our faith in Christ alone as our Savior, the Holy Spirit “baptizes” us into the one Body of Christ. This is why Paul said Christ did not send him to water baptize in 1 Corinthians 1:17. Paul went to the Gentiles, and Gentiles did not need the Jewish water baptism. Contrary to whatever someone says, the Bible tells us that we do not need water baptism for any reason.