JESUS-Matthew 3:14

[Elder-Shawn Denise Briscoe]

Baptized by John in the Jordan River

Was there a need that JESUS be baptized?

The answer to that is NO. However, JESUS is such a wonderful example setter for mankind. I believe that the outward showing of being water baptized is four fold.

1.      The Blood. That washes and cleanses man from all sin.

2.      The water. That separates after death (sin) from the blood. Water is a symbol (I think) of the Holy Spirit that separates us from our carnal nature by purifying us sealing us to HIMSELF.

3.      The burial.  Buried things are to be forgotten and no longer permitted to be looked at.

4.      The ascension. We take on all of who JESUS is and are risen to the heavenlies with transformed thoughts; recreated heart; grace; forgiveness; redemption; righteousness and more.

I also take courage from the fact that John did not count himself to be worthy of baptizing his LORD; SAVIOR; Friend and cousin. You see John was well aware of JESUS not because they are cousins but because John was baptized by JESUS while John was still in his mother’s womb. I never saw a recording in the scriptures that Elizabeth and Mary took their sons to play dates or family gatherings. So it may be possible that John and JESUS never met in the flesh but they definitely met in the spirit. It is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit to witness of JESUS. Because of John’s divine revelation of JESUS it was pre-school for him to recognize HIM at first sighting. John knew JESUS intimately and vice versa. Also I would like to believe that the reason John did not want to baptize JESUS is because he did not want to discredit what he had been saying about JESUS. John knew that this was his Majesty and that HIS person did not require this type of outward ordnance. He did not want others to think that JESUS was a sinner and needed to baptized by himself. Especially since he recognized that he needed to be baptized by JESUS. But I thought that he had already been baptized by JESUS? Yes, he was; but being baptized with the Holy Spirit does not mean that we still don’t need JESUS daily. We stand in need of daily Grace; we are not perfect and as long as we remain in our flesh and living on earth we never will be. However, this does not excuse us from trying for perfection. We are righteous not of ourselves but because of JESUS. Each day we wake up is a new; never been seen or lived before day and we need a fresh supply of grace from our LORD. We need to be able to trust in JESUS to get us through another day without sin and if we do sin we know that HE has forgiven us. JESUS is the LORD of heaven, earth and beneath the earth. JESUS is the Holy One of GOD. JESUS is LORD of all. JESUS is GOD all sufficient.

I myself have been baptized twice; once when I was an infant. No choice of my own and a sinner. The second time is when I realized what baptism was about and I understood. Now I may have done things a wee bit backwards but that’s okay. I got it done; I was saved by grace; a few years later I was baptized in the Holy Spirit and a few years after that I was water baptized. I made an open demonstration that I too was washed in the Blood of JESUS; that the Holy Spirit has purified and sealed me to HIMSELF; that the old sinful me was buried and I arose clothed in righteousness because of JESUS.

****note: Do not judge me harshly if I did not get my thought of point #2 expressed well. Thank you