Monday: “You Are My Beloved Son”
In Luke 2:41-50, we read the famous story of Joseph and Mary losing sight of Jesus in Jerusalem. What’s especially fascinating is Jesus’ response to Mary when she rebukes Him (Luke 2:48). Jesus’ answer is an affirmation of His divine self-consciousness, that He is the Son of God. Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?
(Luke 2:49, NKJV). As the next verse says, Joseph and Mary didn’t grasp the implications of what Jesus had said to them.
Image © Steve Creitz from GoodSalt.com
In all fairness, how could they? After all, even the disciples, after years with Jesus, were still not totally certain of who He was and what He was to do.
For example, after His resurrection, Jesus was talking to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. One of them, in referring to Jesus, had said that Jesus was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people
(Luke 24:19, NKJV). Jesus, of course, was much more than a Prophet. Even then they still didn’t grasp who He was and what He had come to do.
Read Matthew 3:13-17, John 1:29-34, and Luke 3:21-22. What is the significance of Jesus’ baptism?
At His baptism, Heaven attested that Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus sought baptism not because He needed it as part of a postrepentance process but to set an example for others (Matt. 3:14-15). Three important factors stand out concerning the baptism of Jesus: (1) the Baptist’s proclamation, Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
(John 1:29, NKJV); (2) the Holy Spirit’s anointing Him for His mission ahead; (3) the heavenly proclamation that Jesus is the Son of God, in whom the Father is well pleased.
Think about it: the spotless Son of God, the Creator of the cosmos, was baptized by a mere human being, all part of the plan of salvation. How should this amazing condescension on His part help us to be willing to humble ourselves whenever the occasion warrants it?
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Yes humility certainly is part of it. What about the reason Jesus gave for His baptism, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness" (Matt. 3:15 NKJV). Was Jesus saying that baptism is a prerequisite to salvation and therefore the means by which we are saved?
There are four verses in my New King James Bible where the term "Messiah" is used (Dan 9:25-26; Jn 1:41; Jn 4:25) what is the significance of that term with respect to baptism?
No rank or place is too low when it comes to being humble and living a Christ-like life. Here is it that our King of Kings is baptized by a human being - one that was said to eat wild locuts and in our terms today "would be considered crazy".
I think His baptism was not to be looked on as an example, because we all know that He was without sin meaning He did not need baptism, but it should be looked on as, like He said;" to fulfill all righteousness.". I think His baptism was to be imputed on those who did not have the time to be baptized.
True Eric, Jesus had no personal sin to repent of, but please consider with me for a moment. If a waiter at a restaurant spills soup on me I guarantee you the manager is going to come out and apologize all over the place. Why? He did not spill soup on me, but he belongs to an organization that did, so he is repenting on behalf of the organization he represents. In this way Jesus was baptized with the baptism of repentance. Not on His own behalf, but on behalf of the human race He represented. This is why Ellen White writes in Selected Messages Vol. 1 Page 244 "The humanity of the Son of God is everything to us. It is the golden chain that binds our souls to Christ, and through Christ to God." You see, Jesus went into the water on behalf of the human race, to repent on behalf of the human race. Then when Jesus came up out of the water and the Father said, "This is my Son in Whom I am well pleased" Jesus was representing the human race, and so the Father was accepting the entire human race in His Son. We are accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:6
William, I love the quote from Selected Messages. On the other hand, do you have a reference for your statement that Jesus was baptized "to repent on behalf of the human race."?
Yes, we are "accepted in the Beloved", that is if we are "in Christ". Please note how, according to 1 John 2, we may know that we are "in Him". This is consistent with all of Ellen White's applications of the phrase "accepted in the Beloved". For example, from "Lift Him Up" page 109. --- "Christ's prayer on the banks of the Jordan includes everyone who will believe in Him. The promise that you are accepted in the Beloved comes to you. Hold it with the grip of unyielding faith."
Happy Sabbath John! The verse right after the one you referenced is 1 John 1:2 "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world."
"Ours" means the believer. The "whole world" means everyone. Everyone has benefited from the cross, "Never one, saint or sinner, eats his daily food, but he is nourished by the body and the blood of Christ. The cross of Calvary is stamped on every loaf. It is reflected in every water spring. All this Christ has taught in appointing the emblems of His great sacrifice. The light shining from that Communion service in the upper chamber makes sacred the provisions for our daily life." -Desire of Ages Page 660. Christ represented the entire world in everything He did, and this would include His baptism. He is our representative. First Adam was our representative and we all sinned when we all sinned in Adam our representative. Romans 5:12. But we all lived in a perfect life in our representative Jesus which is why we are saved by His life. Romans 5:10. We were crucified with Christ in Galatians 2:20. We sit in heavenly places in Christ in Ephesians 2:6. So in the same vein we were baptized with Christ our representative.
Eric and William, for whatever it is worth here is my opinion. I understand William's point of view which is the standard view of the SDA church but I am leaning more toward Eric's without trashing William's, here is the reason why.
Baptism was already established as a ritual within Judaism before Jesus was baptized, John the Baptist only confirms the fact. The rite can be traced back at least to Moses and forms the basis of the ministry at the laver. Now that being said there is no compelling reason to think that Jesus didn't added an additional meaning to the rite in the same way as He did with the Lord's Supper, however, there is nothing specific said about such a thing either way except perhaps through what Paul had to say on the subject. If anything we should take our marching orders from Christ's commission to His disciples to baptize in the name of the Godhead rather than the baptism He went through and the exact procedure is not in debate either except that anything other than immersion loses its meaning of an entire washing.
While I say these things I think baptism has some very real benefits theologically, spiritually, and socially. So I think there are very good reasons why we should baptize and that is beside the divine commission to do so. I therefore have trouble in seeing a deliberate example being set other than we should do as Jesus did but even that has its cultural limits at times.
I don't agree with Raquel and Eric, I think his Baptism was to tell Christians that,We need to seek cleansing, and then righteousness, and all other things will follow, if it's not an example,Why do We follow?
What better example can we ask for,the Son of God,the one who gave up the glory and splendor of heaven to come to this sin filled earth and died for us.Thank you Lord!
Did baptism by immersion exist before John?
Yes, it did.
Proselytes were baptized into the Jewish 'church' for centuries.
Baptism is a public statement of a private decision. We show we share in His death, burial and resurrection.
When we are buried in the water, we say we are dead to sin and bury the 'old man' in the watery 'grave'. When we come up out of the water, we are raised up to newness of life in Christ.
If we believe Pauls statement to Timothy [in his second letter to him] 'all scripture is given for doctrine', IMHO.
What about the Time to be baptized?
Jesus (The beloved Son of God) was baptized when He was 30 years of age. Is that also an example for us?
"And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age,.." Luke 3:23 (KJV)
Baptism is an outward show of an inward conviction and transformation. Jesus has provided instructions in regards to baptism. He said to do this, so there should'nt be a debate about it. Jesus was immursed in water, so let's just simply follow His example.
How many times is aperson needs to be baptised? Please tell if there is alimit.
Mr. Kankhono,
Sir I am writing this reply because I myself have been baptized about 4 to five times already and here is what i have learnt.
Your question "How many times is a person needs to be baptized?"
Baptism on our part should be the result of the conviction of the Holy Spirit that we must repent of our sins, be converted and in humble submission publicly renounce our past in hope of a new beginning through baptism.
I believe that baptism should not only be an order of things to do as christians, it should not be just a form of service to be carried out when one passes the age of 12 but that this should be a thoughtful,considerable, well prepared occasion for one who have felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit. I cannot answer your question regards to how many times a person can be baptized, but we must not force someone to be baptized so we can get their names in our baptismal record or increase the number of our church membership. Jesus said in Matthew 28:19,20 that people should be taught about the kingdom to observe all that Jesus that they must do before and after they are baptized. I have seen many people and even myself one who have walked down into the watery grave in the hype of the moment and latter found out that my foundation was built on shifting sand. Jesus said that the wise man builds his house on the rock because he 'hear and do' the instructions given him (Matthew 7:24,25). We must spend more time with Jesus or following Jesus before we publicly tell the world that we are now entering into a symbolic marriage receiving baptism in the Name of The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. After baptism people are now able to take roles in the church, and if persons are not converted or have not genuinely renounced the world then he or she will not be a good tool in the masters hand to edify Gods church. And for your second question Mr. Kankhono, "Please tell me if their is a limit?" The limit is when we have grieved the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:28,29; Ephesian 4:30). I encourage you my brother and advise you that if you are having a struggle in your heart about God ever accepting you again, please remember that our God has a loving heart and He will never forsake one who out of fear of loosing his or her soul calls out to God for help (Psalms 46:1). Don't let Satan discourage you because of your past but tell him that God has a future prepared for you, not in the lake of fire where Satan is going but a white robe and a crown of glory that Jesus is preparing. God Bless
A question on the monday part, What if Jesus was not baptised??