“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Matthew 3:11
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Jesus himself was baptized by John the Baptist.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.
As soon as Jesus was baptized, 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 alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:13-17
Since Jesus was without sin he was not baptized for repentance, but to show himself to Israel as the Messiah.
Jesus is the ‘baptizer of the Holy Spirit and of fire’ and the Son of God. He submitted to baptism in order to fulfill all righteousness.
Jesus provided an example for us to follow. He did not need baptism himself, but he submitted to it for our benefit. If the sinless Christ was baptized, how much more should we be?
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. Romans 8:29
If we are to conform ourselves to Christ, we must follow in his foot steps in baptism.
Since Jesus was baptized to fulfill all righteousness, he did not regard it as a mere ceremony or ritual. He recognized baptism as having spiritual significance and as part of being truly born again.
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he commanded his disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel, to make disciples and to baptize them.
Jesus expected all believers to be baptized and he promised salvation to those who believed and were baptized.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:16
Baptism is part of the new birth.
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.
He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5
Jesus mentioned one new birth, that includes water and the Spirit.
