Paula Fether Lifelong student of the scriptures

All we know is what Jesus said: It just has to be, because it's what God wants. It was then that all 3 Persons of the Trinity were clearly present at once: the voice from heaven, the Spirit as a dove, and of course Jesus.

Baptism was meant to be a public declaration of dedication to something new, usually religious or political. For Jesus, it marked the beginning of his public ministry as well.

June 23 2023 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Brother Paul Paul's message in Eph 2 was to believers:

Why was Jesus baptised?

This is a good question, and an important one to ask. We should all at some stage ask this question, because as we know, Jesus was sinless and baptism is a cleansing ritual, which includes forgiveness and the washing away of past sins.

The first thing we should remember is baptism was carried over from the Jews, and as we know, Jesus was a Jew. Baptism in Judaism was a water cleansing ritual that brought the recipient closer to God.

John the Baptist was calling the Jews to repentance for forgiveness of their sins, and he didn’t mix his words, calling them (the Pharisees and Sadducees) a, ‘brood of vipers’.

We also note from the readings in Matthew 3, none of the Jews questioned baptism, they already knew it was for forgiveness of sins; the only thing they questioned was what was the difference between John’s baptism and the baptism Jesus’ disciples did.

But John was also doing something very special, he was preparing the way to Jesus, Matthew 3:1-3, Isaiah 40:30. He was the forerunner and what he did was in fulfillment of prophesy.

The second think we note is that, Jesus came to John and asked him to baptise him. Why is this? Jesus came to His own first. John 1:11. But why did Jesus want to be baptised in water, by John? He was already sinless, sin free, He was already clean, He was the Righteous of God?

We are told the reason why. In Matthew 3:15, Jesus says, ‘“Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to FULFILL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS”. He did so to fulfill ALL Righteousness. And the moment Jesus ‘rises’ from the water, God intervenes; "A voice came from heaven, saying, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’" God was ‘well pleased’. Matthew 3:16-17.

Jesus didn’t have to be baptised, He did so to fulfill ALL righteousness. He did so as an example to all, He did so because it was the Father’s will. He did so because God so loves the world he wants us all to be forgiven, cleansed, and brought closer to Jesus, who is The Way, The Truth and The Life. 

No one can come to the Father, except through Jesus; no one can be forgiven, except through Jesus; no one can receive the promise of eternal life, except through Jesus.

We are to do as Jesus did, we are to do as Jesus does, we are to be grafted into the vine, with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We are to sin no more and practice righteousness, 1 John 3:7.

In His Love,

Brother Paul

June 30 2023 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report