As the end of Summer approached, England was experiencing a drought. The need for the skies to open and give rain was seen across the land in its dry fields and cracked earth.
How wonderful when the skies opened and the rain came yesterday, even the sound of water falling was refreshing.
This article is about a longed-for opening of heaven, in the event of Jesus’ baptism.
We will consider, 1) ‘Why was Jesus baptised?’, 2) ‘Why are Christians baptised?‘ and 3)‘Why should I get baptised?‘
1) Why was Jesus baptised?
Matthew 3v16, NIV1
As soon as Jesus was baptised, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love, with him I am well pleased.”
The Bible tells the story of how heaven, the earth and all creation came into existence2 Humans are described as unique in God’s creation because of their relationship with Him. Humans have freewill to trust, love and follow or to reject God in their lives.
The first humans began life with an unspoilt relationship with God, each other, and the land they lived in.
Next in the story there is ‘The Fall‘, here the first man and woman reject God’s will for them and disobey Him.3 Following this, the man and woman fear God’s presence, begin to blame each other and creation begins to decay4.
The Bible across its 66 books tells the big story of how God did not give up on humanity but sought to restore His relationship with them. The Old Testament charts the story of a people who were called to follow God and to live as an attractive example of what a life of faith would look like5, (the people of Israel).
Although there were many commendable and inspiring examples of people who trusted God in the Old Testament, the Lord longed that His people would always be inclined to follow Him6.
Since ‘The Fall’ most people still rejected God even when there were good leaders sent by God to help them, (like Moses, the Judges, and prophets).
So, after sending many people who shared God message (prophets) God finally came to call people back to Himself in person.
This happened when God the Father sent God the Son (Jesus) to earth to lead people into a new life of trusting and following God7. This can be read in the Gospels of the New Testament, (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). God the Father remained in heaven overseeing all things and sent His Spirit (the Holy Spirit) to awaken people to His purpose for them in Jesus.
When God the Son, (Jesus) came to earth to show us how to love the way God wants us to. Jesus also came to offer his life to pay the penalty for the human sin that was a barrier between God and people. Jesus dealt with two problems that prevented people being able to follow God.
- Jesus took the punishment for human sin, upon himself, so that those who trusted in Him might be forgiven their sins before God8.
- Jesus said on the cross to God the Father ‘into your hands I commit my Spirit’9. God the Father later gave this gift of the Spirit of Jesus to Christians. The gift of the Holy Spirit (The Spirit of Jesus) is given to Christians to enable them to follow God.
God the Son’s (Jesus’) baptism was therefore a symbolic act of agreement with God the Father’s will. Jesus going into the water was symbolic of Jesus agreeing to suffer the penalty of human sin, (which is death), so that whose who believed in him might be forgiven their sin.
Jesus rising from the water of baptism symbolised that he would be the first to lead his followers into a life that will go beyond death, the life of God’s kingdom.
Notice the first event to happen after Jesus came out of the water was that ‘heaven opened’ and God’s Spirit came and dwelt in Jesus, to help Him follow God the Father’s will.
Jesus got baptised to show he was willing to complete God the Father’s mission for Him to save all those who would trust and ask Him for forgiveness and eternal life.
2) Why do Jesus followers, (Christians) get baptised?
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him, shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3v1610
Jesus’ followers get baptised to obey God’s plan for their lives:
- That they should not perish after this life, by having to pay the penalty for their own sins, which would keep them separate from God’s kingdom which is to come11. Instead they show by their baptism that they wish to receive God’s gift of eternal life, made possible because of Jesus’ sacrifice on their behalf.
- Going into the water in baptism represents the Christian dying to their old life, (following their own way). Going into the water also represents the washing away of sins that happens when a person becomes a Christian. (See the prayer at the end of the article Confidence Gained as an example prayer for becoming a Christian).
- Rising from the water, represents rising to a new life. The Christian welcomes God the Father’s gift of the Holy Spirit in their lives in this new life. The Holy Spirit reassures them of God’s love for them and of their standing before God as His children12. Prayers are often said for the newly baptised person to receive more of the Holy Spirit in their hearts , to help them follow God’s will for their lives.
The Holy Spirit also empowers Christians to serve others with the various gifts the Spirit gives13.
The rising from the water also represents a pledge of good conscience towards God for the future.
The quantity of eternal life is in the name itself. The eternal life God gives is the resurrection life to come when the dead shall be raised, and God judges all people and will gather His followers into His heavenly kingdom.
3) Why should I get baptised?
Jesus commanded his disciples to baptise and teach those who would also become His followers in the future14. In all traditions of the church Christian baptism is a part of the way that Christians begin their life of faith15.
Baptism is an obedient and symbolic act where we declare publicly who we are following in our lives. We declare that we are choosing God’s way and that we trust Him for eternal life because we accept Jesus’ life was given to save us from our sins.
So, symbolically Christian baptism represents
- Dying to (giving up) our old way of life and repentance and the washing away of our sins, (represented by going down into the water).
- Rising to a new life where ‘heaven is open’ above us and now trust God’s way for us. We also welcome the Holy Spirit into our hearts to grant us peace and reassurance about our eternal life16 and to guide us. (This is represented by coming up out of the water).
Where we stand
On something as important as our life and its eternal future, its good to know where we stand and baptism helps us be sure of our life’s direction and future hope.
Footnotes:
See Copyright page for Bible reference information used from NIV UK version
- Matthew 3v16 – ↩︎
- Genesis 1, ↩︎
- Genesis 3, ↩︎
- Romans 8v19-21 ↩︎
- Deuteronomy 4v6, ↩︎
- Deuteronomy 5v29 ↩︎
- John 3:16, ↩︎
- John 3v16 ↩︎
- Luke 23v46 ↩︎
- John 3v16 ↩︎
- John 3v16 ↩︎
- Romans 8v16 ↩︎
- 1 Corinthians 12 ↩︎
- Matthew 28 v16-20 ↩︎
- *For those who have been baptised as children, reaffirming one’s beliefs through confirmation or adult baptism would be the next step to take. ↩︎
- Romans 8v16 ↩︎
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