The water of regeneration

Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him" (Acts 10:34-38).

When Jesus was baptized, He inaugurated something new and wonderful.  In the water of the Jordan River, our Lord combined several themes from the Old Testament and made them into a rich blessing for all who follow Christ.  So let us examine the roots of baptism, that we might better understand the great thing Christ does for us through water and His Word.

The oldest baptismal event occurred at the time of Noah.  Mankind had abandoned God so completely that in the entire world, only one family of believers still remained.  The Bible says that The LORD was grieved that he had made man…and his heart was filled with pain (Genesis 6:6).  God is love, yet The LORD observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil (1 John 4:8, Genesis 6:5).  Only the members of Noah’s family cared about God and were sorry about their sins.  So the Lord decided to wash the earth clean of evil, and start over with Noah and his kin.  God told Noah to build a large ship, large enough to preserve his family and a breeding pair of every living thing that could not swim.  When the ark was completed God flooded the earth, drowning every air breather except those huddled safely inside the ark.  When the water finally subsided, the survivors repopulated the earth. 

This event foreshadowed baptism.  God used water to drown evil, yet He also used water to give His faithful people a new start at life.  Peter understood this baptismal connection; he wrote, God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also (1 Peter 3:20-21). 

Centuries later, God provided another miracle that had baptismal overtones.  The Israelites were living as slaves in Egypt and were terribly mistreated.  God sent Moses to speak to Egypt’s ruler and win freedom for the captives.  When Pharaoh refused to release the slaves, God struck Egypt with a series of ten plagues, each one worse than the last.  Finally, when Pharaoh’s stubbornness cost him the life of his eldest son, he relented and let the people leave.  But after they were gone, he had a change of heart and sent Egypt’s military to recapture the fleeing slaves.  When the frightened group reached the shore of the Red Sea, it seemed as if they were trapped with no hope of escape.  But God opened a path through the sea, making the water to stand up in walls on either side of a dry path so the Israelites could cross safely.  When Egypt’s finest started across in pursuit, God let the water resume its normal place and all the soldiers drowned. 

This event also foreshadowed baptism.  God used water to drown the forces of the enemy, but He used that same water to free His people from slavery.  Paul saw the baptismal imagery; in 1st Corinthians chapter 10 he wrote, our forefathers were all under the cloud and…they all passed through the sea.  They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 

The Old Testament also mentions two rituals that help us understand baptism.  The first ritual started with Abram.  The name ‘Abram’ means ‘honored father’—a named that must have weighed heavily on the man, since his wife proved to be infertile.  Yet God had promised that the couple would have a child someday, and Abram never lost faith in God’s promise.

Then at age 99, God appeared to Abram and said, "I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers…No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations…I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you…As for you, you must keep my covenant…Every male among you shall be circumcised.  You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you.  For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised…Any uncircumcised male…will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant" (Genesis chapter 17).

Of course, God did bless Abraham with a son as promised.  But what interests us here is the command to circumcise all men, adults and children both.  To become a child of God, blood had to be shed. 

Think about that for a minute.  To become a child of God, blood had to be shed.  This certainly makes us think of Jesus.  Jesus shed His blood for us on the cross, blood that has the power to wash away our sins.  Hebrews chapter nine says, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness...The blood of Christ…cleanse[s] our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God.  In the Revelation of St. John chapter seven we read these words: there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands…These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.  On the cross, the Lamb of God bled so that we might be forgiven; on the cross Jesus died so that we might experience rebirth as children of God. The blood of Jesus…purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:7). In Colossians chapter two, Paul connects the dots for us between baptism and circumcision: When you came to Christ, you were "circumcised," but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.

There is one other Old Testament ritual that we need to look at.  That ritual is ‘anointing.’  Anointing involved using a liquid to mark someone or something as dedicated to God for the Lord’s use.  Jacob set up a stone and anointed it with oil to mark the place where God spoke to Him from a ladder stretching to heaven.  Moses anointed Aaron and his sons to serve God as priests.  And sometimes anointing brought with it the power of God.  When Samuel anointed David as king over God’s people, 1 Samuel 16 tells us from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power. Titus chapter three speaks of the spiritual power that God bestows through baptism: He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

The Great Flood.  The parting of the Red Sea.  Circumcision.  Anointing.  All of these things came together when Jesus was baptized.  Peter writes, God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power.  Using the water of baptism, God the Father anointed His Son, dedicated Him to do God’s holy work of saving us from sin, death and hell.  That’s why Jesus is called Christ—‘Christ’ means “Anointed One.” 

That baptism was the first of many.  During His time on earth, Jesus had His disciples performing baptisms; John chapter four tells us, Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples.  After Jesus rose from the dead, He gave His followers this command before He returned to heaven: go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you (Matthew 28:19-20).  Jesus wants everyone to be baptized and instructed in the faith; therefore baptism is not to be treated lightly.  Luke writes in chapter seven, the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God's purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized. 

Baptism is like the Great Flood; it washes away sin and gives us a new start at life.  Baptism is like the parting of the Red Sea; it drowns the power of evil and sets us free to live for God.  Baptism is like circumcision; it brings people of every age into God’s holy family, forgiven by the shedding of blood. And baptism is like anointing; it fills us with the Spirit of God and dedicates our lives to His service.

But Jesus’ baptism is superior to anything the Old Testament had to offer; it is even superior to the baptism that John offered in the Jordan River.  John himself said it: I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11).

Normally we don’t think of water and fire working together.  After all, fire wants to make water evaporate, and water tries to put fire out.  But in Jesus’ baptism, water and fire work together by God’s command.  Sin is drowned in God’s water; sin is burned away by God’s fire.  Water rinses things clean, like when you wash a load of clothes; fire gets rid of impurities, like when a foundry smelts iron.  Fire and water are essential for things to live and grow; no farmer can raise a crop without rain and sunshine.  In the same way, we need God’s water of life and the fire of His Spirit; without these gifts, the soul cannot live.

Thankfully, the gift of baptism is offered to all, regardless of age, sex, nationality or social status.  Acts chapter two: Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far away. Acts chapter 16: he and all his family were baptized.  Galatians chapter three: all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  God’s word is clear—Christ offers forgiveness and new life through baptism, and He offers this wonderful gift to everyone.

It all started in the Jordan River.  Jesus tied together the blessings of fire and water, circumcision and anointment—and the result was greater than the sum of its parts.  Jesus took ordinary water and combined it with the Spirit of God.  The result is baptism—baptism that now saves you (1 Peter 3:21).  But this baptism is not a one-time event, done and then forgotten.  Baptism is the start of a life-long relationship with Christ the Anointed One.  Through baptism He gives you living water than never runs dry, but wells up in you to eternal life (John chapter four).  Through baptism He fills you with the fire of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in you constantly.  Each day you sin; each day you need to drown the evil within you and be rekindled with a passion for following Jesus.  Baptism is God’s ongoing gift to you—a guarantee of forgiveness when you’ve messed up, and guidance when you hunger to see the light.  May your baptism give you relief, strength, and hope—today and every day.