The Jews baptized Gentile converts, but John was baptizing Jews! His baptism was authorized from heaven (Mat_21:23-27); it was not something John devised or borrowed. It was a baptism of repentance, looking forward to the Messiah’s coming (Act_19:1-7). His baptism fulfilled two purposes: it prepared the nation for Christ and it presented Christ to the nation (Joh_1:31).
But John mentioned two other baptisms: a baptism of the Spirit and a baptism of fire (Mat_3:11). The baptism of the Spirit came at Pentecost (Act_1:5, and note that Jesus said nothing about fire). Today, whenever a sinner trusts Christ, he is born again and immediately baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ, the church (1Co_12:12-13). In contrast, the baptism of fire refers to the future judgment, as Matthew explains (Mat_3:12).
Jesus was not baptized because He was a repentant sinner. Even John tried to stop Jesus, but the Lord knew it was His Father’s will. Why was Jesus baptized? First, His baptism gave approval to John’s ministry. Second, He identified Himself with publicans and sinners, the very people He came to save. But mainly, His baptism pictured His future baptism on the cross (Mat_20:22; Luk_12:50) when all the “waves and billows” of God’s judgment would go over Him (Psa_42:7; Jon_2:3).
John was careful to magnify Jesus and not himself (see Joh_3:25-30). John would baptize repentant sinners in water, but “the coming One” would baptize them with the Spirit (Act_1:4-5).
This did not mean that John’s baptism was unauthorized (see Mat_21:23-27), or that water baptism would one day be replaced by Spirit baptism (see Mat_28:19-20).
Rather, John’s message and baptism were preparation so that the people would be ready to meet and trust the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Our Lord’s Apostles were no doubt baptized by John (see Joh_4:1-2 and Act_1:21-26).
John explained that his baptism was in water, but that the Messiah would come and baptize with a spiritual baptism. Again, John made it clear that he was not establishing a new religion or seeking to exalt himself. He was pointing people to the Saviour, the Son of God (Joh_1:34). We shall learn later that it was through baptism that Jesus Christ would be presented to the people of Israel.
Jesus was not teaching that the new birth comes through water baptism. In the New Testament, baptism is connected with death, not birth; and no amount of physical water can effect a spiritual change in a person. The emphasis in Joh_3:14-21 is on believing, because salvation comes through faith (Eph_2:8-9). The evidence of salvation is the witness of the Spirit within (Rom_8:9), and the Spirit enters your life when you believe (Act_10:43-48; Eph_1:13-14).
Water baptism is certainly a part of our obedience to Christ and our witness for Christ (Mat_28:18-20; Act_2:41).
But it must not be made an essential for salvation; otherwise, none of the Old Testament saints was ever saved, nor was the thief on the cross (Luk_23:39-43). In every age, there has been but one way of salvation — faith in God’s promise — though the outward evidence of that faith has changed from age to age.
Warren
Still an ongoing debate, water, or Spirit.
