Why did John the babtist started baptising?

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JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
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#21
There are many scriptures that amount to gross understatements when truly understood. John knew who the Savior was but I believe this was asked for the sake of those who come to see him and be baptized.
 

luigi

Junior Member
Dec 6, 2015
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#22
I don't recall reading before in the old testament about anyone being babtised. How or why did John started baptising? The scripture did not say he received a command or revelation from God to do so.

Since salvation is apart of being born again under the new covenant, why was it being done before the death of Jesus Christ?
My view on the matter is that water Baptism is a sign that the individual partaking in it truly wishes to repent of their carnal sins in order to be accepted and closer to God.
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
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#23
Observant Jewish women must immerse themselves in water 3 days after childbirth or their period. It is part of their ritual purification.
Mary did this after giving birth to Jesus.
Jewish men also do this after relations with their wives.
every synagogue MUST have a mikveh (or bath) built, even before the foundation stones of the building are laid. Rules state the water must be living water (i.e flowing from a spring)

There are numerous references to bathing and being clean in Leviticus. It is not new thing for the Hebrews. They always washed to be clean, it was both practical AND symbolic.
 

GiveThanks

God Will Make A Way
Dec 6, 2020
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#24
is Jesus revealing the mystery of the kingdom to John?
does God reveal the mysteries of the kingdom to unbelievers?
Ok so it seems then that when John was going about saying the kingdom of God is at hand, he really didnt undersatand it was a mystery not yet revealed. He thought Jesus would come and rule as King and everything would be set right. Poor John. Such a disappointment for him.

In Matthew 24: 34 it says, Verily I say unto you, "This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." So did the disciples thought Jesus would return in their life time?
 

GiveThanks

God Will Make A Way
Dec 6, 2020
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#25
There are numerous references to bathing and being clean in Leviticus. It is not new thing for the Hebrews. They always washed to be clean, it was both practical AND symbolic.
Ok it must be in one of those verses that i skipped over. Ive tried to read through Leviticus and failed. Its just quite tedius for me, so I must learn from those who were gifted with the ability to read through every page in the bible. I must confess, im not very smart.
 

GiveThanks

God Will Make A Way
Dec 6, 2020
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#26
Jesus left his desciples with the instruction that they should go out into the world and baptise, and there are the examples in the scripture that see them carrying out this instruction.

Of course you will have cases where someone believes on the Lord Jesus in the hospital who is about to die or whatver else it might be why they cant get baptised even though they believe, and those persons will receive mercy from God, just like the sinner on the cross. But aside from that, everyone who repents should get baptised as a sign of their conversion.
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
36,530
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#27
Ok it must be in one of those verses that i skipped over. Ive tried to read through Leviticus and failed. Its just quite tedius for me, so I must learn from those who were gifted with the ability to read through every page in the bible. I must confess, im not very smart.
intelligence is very, very hard to define. humility is admirable and wise and something everyone should pursue, something that's easier for some than others.

when you try to read Leviticus or Deuteronomy or any of the OT, i think what you should do is approach it knowing that all of it is speaking of Christ, testifying of who He is and what He does. look for Him on every single page; He's there; and i think finding Him in the scripture is the only way that we really understand what we're reading :)
 

GiveThanks

God Will Make A Way
Dec 6, 2020
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#28
I dont think there should be any debate on water baptism.
 

throughfaith

Well-known member
Aug 4, 2020
10,467
1,593
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#29
Jesus left his desciples with the instruction that they should go out into the world and baptise, and there are the examples in the scripture that see them carrying out this instruction.

Of course you will have cases where someone believes on the Lord Jesus in the hospital who is about to die or whatver else it might be why they cant get baptised even though they believe, and those persons will receive mercy from God, just like the sinner on the cross. But aside from that, everyone who repents should get baptised as a sign of their conversion.
A high percentage of believers do not get baptised right away . Sometimes many months later ,even a year or so . Many die in this situation . But it makes no difference they are saved . Would you agree ?
 

GiveThanks

God Will Make A Way
Dec 6, 2020
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#30
intelligence is very, very hard to define. humility is admirable and wise and something everyone should pursue, something that's easier for some than others.

when you try to read Leviticus or Deuteronomy or any of the OT, i think what you should do is approach it knowing that all of it is speaking of Christ, testifying of who He is and what He does. look for Him on every single page; He's there; and i think finding Him in the scripture is the only way that we really understand what we're reading :)
Reading Leviticus is not the same for me as when I get absorbed in reading about Moses leading the children of Israel in the wilderness or the story of Joseph etc etc.
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
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#31
Reading Leviticus is not the same for me as when I get absorbed in reading about Moses leading the children of Israel in the wilderness or the story of Joseph etc etc.
o yeah i'm not saying it's easy or anything --- Leviticus is like the Calculus 3 of the Bible. and i'm not saying i understand it either; but i think the key is figuring out how it's symbolically speaking about the Messiah, because i really believe all of the Bible is doing that.
 

GiveThanks

God Will Make A Way
Dec 6, 2020
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#32
A high percentage of believers do not get baptised right away . Sometimes many months later ,even a year or so . Many die in this situation . But it makes no difference they are saved . Would you agree ?
What you said about not getting baptised right away is true. Even i was baptised many years later.

I can remember when I was in my early twenties, i believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, but due to social anxiety and fear of crowds, I did not attend church. Infact I believed since I was a child. But I can remember as a little girl in church being asked to stand up and say my name to the other kids. I just wanted to die.

It was around age 30 when I finally got baptised. But I only got the courage to do so because the church I attend does not have lots of people there.
 

GiveThanks

God Will Make A Way
Dec 6, 2020
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#33
A high percentage of believers do not get baptised right away . Sometimes many months later ,even a year or so . Many die in this situation . But it makes no difference they are saved . Would you agree ?
But i still dont think this means people should not get baptised. Its a simple command from God, and we should obey.
 

throughfaith

Well-known member
Aug 4, 2020
10,467
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#34
But i still dont think this means people should not get baptised. Its a simple command from God, and we should obey.
Yes its just that some teach it as " the first step of obedience " and that sins are " scrubbed away under the water "
.A simple Google of the likes of David Pawson you would quickly understand this position .Which I believe comes from a faulty understanding of Acts 2 38.
 

GiveThanks

God Will Make A Way
Dec 6, 2020
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#35
Yes its just that some teach it as " the first step of obedience " and that sins are " scrubbed away under the water "
.A simple Google of the likes of David Pawson you would quickly understand this position .Which I believe comes from a faulty understanding of Acts 2 38.
Its not the first step. First step is you believe. Then you get baptise after.
 

GiveThanks

God Will Make A Way
Dec 6, 2020
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#36
Yes its just that some teach it as " the first step of obedience " and that sins are " scrubbed away under the water "
.A simple Google of the likes of David Pawson you would quickly understand this position .Which I believe comes from a faulty understanding of Acts 2 38.
A symbolic washing away of sins does take place, and it is a sort of enactment of Jesus death, burial and ressurection.

Its just something to explain to the believer, that they are a new person and should put aside their bad behaviour belonging to their former unsaved self.

Perhaps it seems silly, but Gods foolishness is wiser than man's wisdom.
 

Blik

Senior Member
Dec 6, 2016
7,312
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#37
My view on the matter is that water Baptism is a sign that the individual partaking in it truly wishes to repent of their carnal sins in order to be accepted and closer to God.
Right. But it is more than that, just as the marriage vows are more than being serious about being married. The Lord acts in a spiritual way, we are changed by these rites.
 
Jan 12, 2019
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#38
But i still dont think this means people should not get baptised. Its a simple command from God, and we should obey.
So what do you think will happen if we ignore that command and don’t get baptized?
 

GiveThanks

God Will Make A Way
Dec 6, 2020
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#39
So what do you think will happen if we ignore that command and don’t get baptized?
I think Jesus will say depart from me I never knew you. He knows the heart of man. The ones who are willing but struggling to obey vs those who are blatantly doing as they please.