Jesus Was Baptized

Why was Jesus baptized in water?  What does the scene of Jesus' baptism mean to us as believers?

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Luke 3:21-22 ESV

John the Baptist came to prepare the way for Jesus' ministry. He came with a baptism of repentance, meaning that he was calling people to repent of their sins in preparation for the coming of the Messiah, who he later identified as Jesus.  But Jesus never sinned (1 John 3:5) and did not need to repent.  So why was he baptized?

Matthew adds some detail in his account of Jesus' baptism.  He tells us that John first turned Jesus down - he was unworthy to baptize the Messiah!  But Jesus told him "it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15).  So we see that Jesus was working righteousness; doing good.  He is the One who fulfilled the Law; who walked in perfect righteousness and always did what pleased the Father (John 8:29).  This is very important, because it is his perfect righteousness that is given to us through faith so that we may be acceptable in the sight of God! (2 Corinthians 5:21)

So we see that Jesus was baptized in order to fulfill God's requirement of man.  Jesus is not only God, but is also man. He lived as the perfect man, meeting all of God's requirements to the uttermost.  Jesus was also identifying with us (sinners) by being baptized.  He is the God-Man; the one Mediator between God and men.  Here in the waters of baptism he was fulfilling God's righteous requirement and identifying with sinful man in his mission to reconcile the two!

But at this scene of Christ's baptism we see some wonderful things.  As Jesus prays, the heavens are opened and the Holy Spirit of God comes down upon Jesus, anointing him for his ministry, which now begins. And a voice came from heaven as the Father boldly declared that this Jesus was his Son, and that he found great pleasure in him.  So in this one verse we see the 3 Persons of the Godhead united in their common plan to redeem a people to God from sinful man.  The Father is speaking his approval, the Spirit is coming from the Father to empower the Son, and the Son is submitting humbly to his role in this redemption plan.  3 distinct Persons; One amazing God of love!

In the Father's spoken approval of his beloved Son Jesus, we see an important teaching of the Bible: God the Father eternally loves God the Son.  In case any doubt would arise when people would later witness Jesus dying on the cross (hanging on a tree as cursed by God), the Father wants to make it clear that he is pleased with his Son.  He also repeats this spoken message of his approval of Jesus when Jesus is transfigured on the mount (Matthew 17:2).  And finally, he forever spoke of his approval of Jesus by raising him from the grave, vindicating Christ and showing that he did not die because he was a sinner!  For a moment on the cross the Father turned his back on Christ, because Christ took our sin in his own body and became a curse for us.  The sky grew dark as God judged his Son in our place.  But it was our sin that displeased God.  And when Christ had made full payment for the sins of his people, the Father eagerly displayed his approval of the Son by raising him on the third day and then exalting him to his right hand!  The Father loves the Son!  ("Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world" John 17:5)

Here is where much encouragement can flood our soul!  In light of how much the Father loves his Son and is pleased with him, how great is his love for us that he would give up his beloved Son to the cross for us!

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?  Romans 8:31-32 ESV

God gave his beloved Son to redeem us from our sins and reconcile us to himself forever!  He wants us!  He loves us greatly!  It is right for us to understand the depths of our depravity and sin before God, and to admit and confess this in repentance.  But we must not stay there; we must move on to faith, looking away from ourselves and our sinfulness to the glorious provision God has made for us - to the wonderful solution to our problem and the Savior for our sins!  God provided his own righteousness for us that we may be clothed in Christ's goodness!  "...the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe" (Romans 3:22b).

Because Christ has taken our sins away, having dealt with them at the cross, and because we have been given the very righteousness of God in Christ, through faith in Jesus, we can now stand accepted before Almighty God and hear him say of us as he said to his Son, "with you I am well pleased."  Hallelujah!

I Have No Sin In God's Sight!

In orthodox Christianity you can't get any more basic and foundational than the doctrine of justification by faith.  It's Christianity 101, right?  The simple stuff!  But how glorious, how encouraging, how necessary it is to meditate daily on the truth of justification!  This is the medicine for the believer who is plagued with guilt, condemnation and fear because of sin.

Wayne Grudem defines justification this way:

An instantaneous legal act of God in which he, (1) thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ's righteousness as belonging to us, and (2) declares us to be righteous in his sight. (Systematic Theology)

The basis of justification is the work of Jesus Christ. Jesus lived in perfect righteousness and died on the cross for sinners, bearing their sin and receiving the wrath and judgment from God in their place because of their sin.  Jesus died, atoning for the sins of his people, and rose from the grave in victory and power.  At conversion, the believer receives justification because of Christ, through faith.  The guilt of sin is forever removed!  And in it's place comes the spotless righteousness of Christ!  Hallelujah!

According to Grudem, their are 3 "imputations" in the Bible.  First, Adam's sin was imputed to us as our own (because he acted as our representative).  Secondly, Our sin was imputed to Christ at the cross, and he paid for it with his death.  Finally, Christ's righteousness is imputed to us who believe (Systematic Theology).

Are you a repentant believer in Christ?  Are you trusting in Jesus for righteousness, rather than your works?  Then God wants you to believe that you have no sin in his sight!  It is not God's will for us to think of ourselves as having sin in his sight.  To do that would amount to questioning God's declaration of us - and to deny the sufficiency of Christ's work at the cross.  Sure, it feels religious to be weighed down with condemnation when we sin, as if we are paying our penance; but what we are actually trying to do is help Jesus bear our sin.  He doesn't need our help and it is insulting to imply that he does!  We must agree with God's approval of Christ's blood as sufficient payment for our sins (the resurrection and exaltation of Christ proves that the Father accepted his sacrifice as enough).  We must also agree with God's legal declaration that we are 'not guilty' of sin and clothed with the righteousness of Jesus.  Think of it...as righteous as the Lord Jesus himself - not because of us, but because of his glorious grace!

We still stumble in sin.  We don't have our glorified bodies yet; we are not yet with the Lord.  But even our sin does not change God's legal declaration!  It affects our experience of relationship with our Father, and therefore we must quickly come to him in repentance for our walk with him to be restored.  But his legal declaration that we are justified stands forever!

Look at God's word:

• There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.  Romans 8:1; 33-34 (ESV)
• I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness...  Isaiah 61:10a (ESV)
• and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith...  Philippians 3:9 (ESV)
• Christ Jesus, who became to us...righteousness...  1 Corinthians 1:30 (ESV)
• For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.  Hebrews 10:14 (ESV)

Believe God's word!  Honor Christ's work at the cross!  Meditate on the gospel daily, and give God the glory for this amazing gift of righteousness, given in love at great cost.  Praise the Lord!

Let me leave you with the words of this hymn.  Prepare to be blessed!

A Debtor To Mercy Alone
(Augustus Toplady)

A debtor to mercy alone; Of covenant mercy I sing
Nor fear, with Thy righteousness on
My person and offering to bring
The terrors of law and of God with me can have nothing to do;
My Savior's obedience and blood hide all my transgressions from view!

The work which his goodness began
The arm of his strength will complete
His promise is yea and amen, and never was forfeited yet.
Things future, nor things that are now
Not all things below nor above
Can make Him His purpose forego
Or sever my soul from His love!

My name from the palms of His hands eternity will not erase
Impressed on His heart it remains in marks of indellible grace
Yes, I to the end shall endure, as sure as the earnest is given
More happy, but not more secure, the glorified spirits in heaven!

(yes, the last line of the hymn is saying that the Christians who are already in heaven are NOT MORE SECURE than I am!!!  They are more happy, for they are with the Lord, but I am just as secure in Him!)

Ok, one more hymn!!

Jesus Thy Blood And Righteousness
Count N. Zinzendorf

Jesus thy blood and righteousness
My beauty are, my glorious dress
'Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed
With joy shall I lift up my head

Bold shall I stand on thy great day
For who aught to my charge shall lay?
Fully absolved through these I am
From sin and fear, from guilt and shame!