Water has always been among other things a method of cleansing. As a person approached the interior of the temple, he would find the brazen laver, or basin of water in which he was to wash in order to began the cleansing process for his or her sins.

We find in the New Testament that the process of water cleansing took on a new exposed meaning as John the Baptist baptized men and women for their sins. In order to have them washed away.

 

The scripture says that they were baptized by John “confessing their sins”.

Though many today say that this is just symbolic, and is not a necessary thing that must be performed in accordance with the plan of salvation, the Bible gives a completely different assertion.

Jesus said to Nicodemus, except a man be born of the water and the Spirit, he cannot even see the kingdom of God. He went on the say the wind bloweth where it listed and you hear the sound thereof but you don’t know where it came from, or where it’s going. So is everyone who is born of the spirit. This statement indicated that being born of the Spirit, and being born of water is two entirely different things. Both are needed to see the kingdom of God. As Jesus approached John the Baptist in the river Jordan, Jesus said that John’s baptism must be done to fulfill all righteousness not that it was a symbol that was optional. You must be born of the water and the Spirit.

John himself was speaking to the Pharisees and Sadducees, religious sects of the day. As they came to the baptism, he asked them who warned them to flee from the wrath to come. This is showing that baptism is in attempt to flee the wrath to come. Jesus asked the question, and gave the following message concerning baptism. Mk:11:30: The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me. Mk:16:16: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Not he that just believeth. If baptism is of God, then we need to pay earnest heed to it.

1Peter 3: 20: Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21: The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us.. This scriptures states that just as the waters that Noah and his family road over was their salvation, it was just a symbol of baptism, which NOW saves us.

Baptism was always for the remission of sins. When John the Baptist preached, when Jesus affirmed it, and when the Apostles started the church of Jesus Christ, it was for the remission of sins. It was to apply the blood sacrifice to each individual seeker. We are baptized into His death, that blood sacrifice. And His death (Jesus Christ’s) was the sacrifice for sin. There is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Jesus said he that believeth, and is baptized shall be saved. It is essential, it is mandatory, and in the name of Jesus Christ, it doth save us.

WE’RE NOT JUST GETTING WET FOR NOTHING!