Gtcotr/fs011622
Matthew 3
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the
Jordan to be baptized by him.
14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying,
"I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?"
15 But Jesus answered and said to him,
"Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all
righteousness." Then he allowed Him.
16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up
immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He
saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Water Baptism is an outward sign of an inward conviction that when followed by faith releases great power and witness.
Baptism is immersion, as though a pearl were dropped into a barrel of oil and finding its place fully engulfed in and completely surrounded by that oil, the pearl is said to be baptized in oil. There are several baptisms spoken of in the Word of God including baptism in water. Jesus went down into and came up from the water – a picture of immersion.
From the second day of creation to the flood in Noah’s day; from the crossing of the Red Sea to the crossing of the Jordan; from the Rock which brought forth water in the wilderness to Naman the Leper who was cleansed by dipping seven times in the Jordan River; from John the Baptist to Phillip the Evangelist to Paul the Apostle, the Ethiopian Eunuch and Cornelius the Centurion … all were baptized in water by the will of God.
Baptism opens the heavens to the believer in new and wonderful ways. It did for the earth, Noah, Israel, Naman and Jesus and it will for you.
Water Baptism is a covenant act of identification. Jesus was not water baptized so He could become the Son of God but rather He was water baptized because He was the Son of God and desired to publically identify Himself with Jehovah, the God of Israel. It was at this point of water baptism that God chose to identify Christ to His followers and to the whole world by the confirmation of the Spirit and the Word.
Water Baptism does not save or secure by the washing away of the filth of the flesh, but rather water baptism cleanses our conscious towards God. Water Baptism is not a legal act but rather a spiritual act.
Water Baptism recognizes the death of the old and symbolizes its burial and resurrection. It is in water baptism that a new day dawns for the believer. Jesus was at the Jordan, the crossover for God’s people.
Just as it did for the
Children of Israel at the Red Sea, Water Baptism quiets the haunting enemies of
our past. What is freedom and deliverance for the Believer becomes a watery
grave to the pursuing armies of Pharaoh. We are no more the Children of God
afterwards than before.
… “for” the remission
of sins …
·
for
– Greek – eis = because of (indicates an action in the past)
· same as: Jesse James “Wanted ‘for’ Robbery” – not wanted to rob but wanted because he did rob – an action of the past.
Important Points:
1.
Water Baptism is Immersion.
2.
Water Baptism is an act of obedience which follows salvation.
3.
Water Baptism is Identification with Christ.
4.
Water Baptism cleanses our conscious toward God.
5.
Water Baptism is the burial of our old man and the resurrection of
the new.
6.
Water Baptism quiets the haunting enemies of our past.
Support Scriptures:
·
1
Corinthians 10:1-2
·
Mark
1:9-11
·
Luke
3:21
·
Acts
8:36-39
·
1
Peter 3:22
· 2 Kings 5:14
