If it was good enough for Jesus...

Have you ever heard someone say that if an immersion baptism was good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me? We read that Jesus came "up out of the water" after his baptism. The Greek in Matthew 3:16 means Jesus literally came "up away from" the water. It is perhaps purposefully not clear whether he was immersed or merely stood ankle deep. Some early church mosaics and paintings show Jesus standing ankle deep in the Jordan River and John the Baptist using a shell to pour water over him. In this case Jesus would have also come up out of the water when he left. Historical evidence outside the Bible suggest that Jesus probably was immersed, but the Bible record is perhaps purposefully vague. Is the method of baptism not as important as the fact of baptism?

Dippers & washers

Who is right about baptism, the dippers or the washers? Baptize literally means to dip, but in the Bible it is not always used literally. It is also used to mean wash (Mark 7:4; Luke 11:38; Acts 22:16). So both are correct. But doesn’t history tell us that dipping was the original mode? History is not infallible. So, Protestant faith is based on sola scriptura, the Bible alone, and the Bible is deliberately vague as to which mode is preferable. When Jesus came up out of the water after his baptism, it could have been ankle deep (Matthew 3:16). Israel was baptized into Moses by walking dry shod through the Red Sea (1 Corinthians 10:1-4). So, less literal modes of baptism like washing are also legitimate. Dippers and washers are equally baptized into Jesus Christ.

Right or righteous

A choice between two good things is often the most difficult of all. It’s a dilemma to make a decision between doing the right thing versus fulfilling all righteousness. Both choices may be good and right, but which one is God’s will? As Jesus approached John to be baptized (Matthew 3:13-17), the right thing in John’s mind was that he should be baptized by Jesus. Logically, the lesser ought to be baptized by the superior. However, that was not Jesus’ purpose. His purpose at that time was humility not high position. He was born in a stable, served in an itinerant ministry without a building and died on the cross. What was God’s reaction to Jesus’ choice of taking the lesser position? He was well-pleased. How about us? Do we always demand our rights or willingly fulfill all righteousness?

Baptism requirements

A baptism of repentance alone is not the baptism of Christ or his church (Acts 19:1-6). What about a so-called believers’ baptism where belief is a prerequisite? The Ethiopian eunuch was told he could be baptized if he believed (Acts 8:36-38). Being baptized and receiving the Holy Spirit are not always the same event (Acts 8:14-17). God gives the Holy Spirit at a time of his choosing. An infant baptism and later confirmation of faith with laying on of hands to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit are appropriate. What about catechism? Pre-baptism classes are very helpful, but not biblically mandated. Acts 2:41 shows 3,000 baptized after hearing and accepting only one sermon. In churches where Christ’s commands in the Gospels are taught weekly (Matthew 28:20) then every sermon is a catechism anyway.

What is baptism

Repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins and receiving of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38-39) included children. Baptism is to wash away sins (Acts 22:16). God can choose to give the Holy Spirit before physical baptism (Acts 10:45-48). It is the washing of regeneration (Titus 3:5), a spiritual rebirth. Jesus declared baptism necessary (John 3:5). It is a baptism into Jesus and his death and a new life (Romans 6:3-5). It is also like circumcision (Colossians 2:11-13), performed on children. Three whole households were baptized (Acts 16:15; 16:33; 1 Corinthians 1:16). At least one must have contained children. A baptism is a physical washing (the mode is unimportant), a spiritual washing (cleansing from sin) and must include Jesus' prescribed invocation of Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).

The principal sacrament

Baptism can be viewed as a sacrament, a physical act with divine grace, physical ceremonies for the church. The principal sacrament is baptism. Jesus was baptized (Luke 3:13-17) though the mode is unclear, perhaps purposefully. Baptism pictured a new beginning in Moses for Israel (1 Corinthians 10:2), a new beginning through Noah’s flood (1 Peter 3:20-21), Jesus’ suffering (Luke 12:50) or washing away our sins (Mark 7:4; Titus 3:5). Invoking the name of the Trinity is mandated (Matthew 28:19) but the mode or age are not. Baptism of the Holy Spirit was pictured by fire landing on people’s heads (Acts 1:5; 2:3) and so either placing water on the head or immersion are appropriate. The regeneration of baptism or rebirth differs it from all other ceremonies that could be called sacraments.

Repent of what

John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-12) and Jesus (Matthew 4:17) called for repentance. How can we repent if we do not first understand our sins? How have we placed pride and materialism before God? How have we worshiped man-made images? How have we taken God’s name in vain? How have we worked demanding our employees work without rest? How have we dishonored our parents and previous generations? How have we killed the innocent by killing our babies and withholding help from the needy? How many people’s marriages have we ruined by stealing their sexual innocence and marital happiness? How much have we stolen in unjust wages and putting in a full day’s labor? How much have we lied to sell overpriced and inferior products? How have we enticed others to covet and go into debt just to sell things?

Worship craze

“Come, just as you are to worship” goes a popular song. Yet, songs are not always written by well-versed theologians and sometimes weaken the message of the Gospel? Jesus did not go about preaching worship to new people, but some other rather more pointed things. Worship also means appreciating God's worth-ship in every area of life and not just singing songs. Worship is what mature Christians are learning to do. It is important not to ignore the way that Jesus or John the Baptist preached. John the baptist prepared for the ministry of Jesus by calling for repentance (Matthew 3:1-12). Likewise Jesus did not preach worship to the public but “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 4:17). Worship certainly begins with repentance. However, perhaps we could learn from how Jesus preached publicly calling for repentance.

Preacher in poor country clothes

In Matthew 3:1-12 the writer introduces us to John the baptizer, a wilderness preacher dressed in the clothing of poor country folks, challenging the establishment with a new approach to sin. In the Hebrew scriptures, a sin offering was to be made at the temple. John’s approach was most likely seen by the religious leaders as being in direct rebellion to that. However, as a herald of the new covenant which was to be made in the Messiah’s blood, John emphasized an oft overlooked ingredient, repentance, a change of heart. After confession of sin, John did not encourage the repentant to make a sin offering as in Leviticus 5, but to be baptized in water. John’s baptism of repentance paved the way for a new high priest who would also baptize people but in a far more powerful way.

Something is wrong

When John called for repentance in Matthew 3:1-12 his proclamation signalled that something was wrong. Is such a message relevant for today? Is there something wrong with our modern world? Repentance is a change of heart about our life’s direction. Is our world in need of a change of direction? John’s message is an announcement of hope for a new beginning and a new world. The change of heart that John called for was to be accompanied by fruits. Thinking about the need for change is only a beginning. Something must also be done to create change. Only the most deluded of us would imagine that there is no need for change. The unasked question is: What must change? The answer is: our hearts. The root cause of all our planet’s ills is spiritual and so is the solution.

The baptism-of-fire riddle

Bishops wear a mitre hat picturing tongues of fire resting on each of the faithful (Acts 2). Yet many churches which speak of this as the baptism of fire predicted by John in Matthew 3:1-12 do not recognize a water baptism that only places water on the head. What a contradiction! How then is the coming of the Holy Spirit also a baptism of fire? The Baptist argument is that only immersion is a proper baptism. However, if we accept that the children of Israel were baptized into Moses in a non-literal sense because they walked through dry shod, then the door is open for other modes of baptism. Baptism with fire also has a double meaning. The unrepentant who choose hell over heaven will also be thrown into a lake of fire, a mode even Baptists might approve.

The announcer

In national assemblies of this world there is often a herald who announces important dignitaries. He is usually dressed in elaborate clothing. In Matthew 3:1-12 we are introduced to the most important newscaster to have ever lived. His job was to be herald of the most important announcement of all history. One could have thought that this announcement would be made in the leading assemblies of the most important cities of the time. Instead it was made in the wilderness at the edge of Roman imperial control. This last of the Old Testament prophets was dressed in the simple clothing of poor farming folk reminiscent of the prophet Elijah. He preached in a place of historic significance to Israel. Israel crossed the Jordan to become God’s people in this wilderness. It was a fitting place to announce a revival.

God is now taking control

In Matthew 3:1-12 we read of John the baptizer’s announcement about the impending ministry of Jesus Christ. Yet, unlike former prophets, his announcement of repentance had a greater sense of urgency in that the “kingdom of heaven is near.” We moderns tend just to refer to “the kingdom” yet that is not how the apostles spoke. Whereas we tend to omit God or heaven from the phrase, the original language emphasized God or heaven. It was an announcement of the sovereignty of heaven or the kingship of God. In military terms, God was establishing a beachhead from which he would eventually take over. God’s kingdom is God’s rule. He rules in the lives of those who accept him. The words “the kingdom of heaven has come near” is the modern equivalent of saying that God is now taking control.¹

1 The Gospel of Matthew, The New International Commentary of the New Testament, R. T. France, 2007, Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing Co, p. 102

How often repent

Sometimes we may think, “Repent? Sure, I did that before I was converted.” So, is repentance then just a one time thing? In Matthew 3:1-12 when John the Baptist began preparing the way for the ministry of Jesus, he did not use the word in a one time sense. The word repent is an ongoing command. After all, Christians will make many mistakes during life’s journey. If we think we’ve arrived, we can become arrogant and self-righteous. Conversion is merely the beginning of a process of change. Our journey usually begins with small changes. If we never come to the point of realizing how immature those initial ideas were, we may have stopped repenting. The idea that we do not have perfect knowledge and the humility to learn new perspectives are indicative of ongoing repentance.

Jesus, steak or sizzle

John the Baptist had preached that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire, clean house and burn the chaff with fire (Matthew 3:11-12). Then a different side of Jesus shocked John and he was disappointed (Matthew 11:2-15). Was Jesus all sizzle and no steak? Was this just another empty promise? Was Jesus just like so many who promise more than they can deliver? Was Jesus just like so many who stir your emotions with great ideas, but in the end leave you empty? Even the disciples were disappointed that Jesus came to die for the world rather than conquer the world. Perhaps the real steak is not in a king like this world’s, but one who rules in the hearts of men and produces a fire that creates permanent change in us from the inside out.

A more powerful one

Part of John the Baptist’s questioning if Jesus was the one (Matthew 11:2-15) may have been that he had predicted a more powerful one (Matthew 3:11-12). Some Christians may also be disappointed that we celebrate the birth of a baby on Christ’s first advent, rather than only focus on the power of his second advent. Yet God with us, Immanuel, was born among us as a helpless babe. Why? We human beings tend to focus on a different kind of power. We want dramatic miracles like the red sea crossing. We want power that we can see. Yet, like the still, small voice that Elijah experienced, the real power of God is not in things seen. It is in the potency of good news that Jesus brought. Perhaps if we hear that message we may find unimaginable power.

Preaching & teaching

The word "preach" originally meant to “announce” the message of the kingdom of God? John the Baptist preached that the kingdom was near (Matthew 3:1-2). Jesus preached that same message (Matthew 4:17). Jesus instructed his disciples to preach it as well. Today, we associate preaching with what is taught at church, not what is announced to unbelievers. Both preaching and teaching are VERY important to the life of the church. Preaching was originally a public announcement to unbelievers including a message of repentance and turning to God (Matthew 3:2; 4:17). Teaching was supposed to be what happened inside of church time, instructing believers to obey what Jesus had commanded. The most important thing that we need to learn is what Jesus commanded. After all, that's what he instructed his disciples to teach (Matthew 28:19-20).

Lessons from a baptism

The Baptism of
Jesus the Christ

We learn several key things about leadership from the baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:1-12). Real leaders are not so afraid of their positions that they cannot submit to the leadership of others at appropriate times. Jesus was superior to John, yet he submitted to John’s baptism, rather than insist that he baptize John. What humility! Real leaders are also not afraid to submit to rituals of public cleansing even when they have no fault in a matter. Jesus was faultless and did not need to submit himself to a ritual of repentance. He was guilt free. Yet, he willingly did so and is an example of what we should do. Some believe that only the weak apologize, but the truth is that weaklings and cowards refuse to apologize. True leaders willingly apologize even when there is no need to.

Baptized on the head by fire

Bishops wear a miter hat remembering the tongues of fire resting on people’s heads at Pentecost (Acts 2). Some church fathers and John of Damascus described this as the baptism of fire predicted by John the Baptist in Matthew 3:1-12. That is why some churches also recognize a baptism of water on the head. If we accept that the children of Israel were baptized into Moses in a non-literal sense because they walked through dry shod, then the door is open for the word baptism to also have a non-literal meaning. Other baptisms with fire are perhaps an immersion experience. Early Christians suffered great persecution, which we call a trial by fire or baptism of fire. Also the unrepentant who choose hell over heaven will sadly be cast into a lake of fire possibly resulting in their total immersion.

Social gospel & works salvation

As in all things that divide Christians, the words social gospel are unfortunately misunderstood. The phrase is not a quote from scripture. However, the concept of a social responsibility towards others is there. One example is that of the selfish rich man in Luke 16:19-31 who was hard-hearted towards poor Lazarus. Another question that Protestants have is whether this passage requires works for salvation. I believe that Protestants and Catholics actually agree on works. The biggest difference is that Protestants see good works resulting from saving faith. Catholics see saving faith evidenced by good works. It’s like splitting hairs, if you ask me. The bottom line is that a social responsibility towards others is clearly evident among those who believe. John told the Pharisees to show fruit of a changed heart. One such fruit is how we treat others.