What Saith The Scriptures?

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Matt. 3.16, 17: Lessons from the Baptism of Jesus

And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Matt. 3.16, 17, ESV (65)

So many things could be mined from this text, but we want to focus on two lessons in this article.

GOD IN THREE PERSONS, BLESSED TRINITY

There are some who deny the existence of three beings in the Godhead (cf. Rom. 1.29; Col. 2.9). However, this is one passage among several that clearly shows three distinct beings who are God. 1) Jesus is referred to as the beloved Son of the one who spoke from heaven, who is, of course, God. Jesus is distinct from the one speaking as well as the Spirit that descended on him. Being the Son of God makes him God. 2) The Spirit of God descended on Jesus (cf. Luke 3.22) and was therefore not Jesus (that is Jesus did not descend upon himself). The Spirit was not the one speaking either, for the one speaking was in heaven while the Spirit descended upon Jesus who was on the earth. Therefore the Spirit is a distinct being from Jesus the Son and God the Father. 3) God the Father spoke from heaven. He is God because he spoke from heaven. He is a Father because he spoke of his Son. God the Father is distinct from the one whom he called his Son, Jesus, and from the Spirit who was descending upon Jesus. God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity!

OBEYING ALL OF GODS COMMANDS

John the Baptizer came preaching repentance and baptizing people based on their repentance (cf. Matt. 3.112). Did Jesus need to repent? Certainly not! Then why was he baptized? He said, to fulfill all righteousness (Matt. 3.15). Jesus was perfectly obedient to every law and commandment given by God. God commanded baptism through the prophet John the Baptizer, so Jesus was baptized. John was a prophet under the Old Covenant, but Gods apostles and prophets of the New Covenant have also commanded that we be baptized (Mark 16.16; Acts 2.38; 10.48; 22.16; 1 Pet. 3.21). Unfortunately, many today teach that baptism is unnecessary. Jesus provides the perfect example of obedience and he expects us to obey him. As a matter of fact, he only saves those who obey him (Heb. 5.8, 9)! Have you been baptized? JRG Service Times: Sun. @ 9.00am & 6.00pm | Wed. @ 7.30pm

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