Spring Warrior Church of Christ

7432 S. Red Padgett Road

Perry, FL 32348
584-5176

WHAT wOULD JESUS dO? No. 15

PERMIT IT TO FULFILL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS by Bill Blue

Today, men have differing views over the necessity of baptism. Some
argue that baptism is necessary for salvation. Others argue that all one
must do to be saved is believe. The apostles’ teaching on baptism is clear.
Peter said baptism saves you (1 Pet. 3:21), and is necessary for the remission
of sins (Acts 2:38). On one occasion Peter even commanded believers to be
baptized (Acts 10:48). Paul said that baptism washes away, and frees us
from, our sins (Acts 22:16; Rom. 6:6-8), allows us to put on Christ (Gal. 3:27),
join His body (1 Cor. 12:13), and share in His death and resurrection by
putting to death our former sinful ways (Rom. 6:3-8). On one occasion Paul
even re-baptized disciples who only knew the baptism of John (Acts 19:5)
even though John’s baptism was also for the remission of sins (Mark 1:4).
The book of Acts describes multiple conversions involving baptism, and none
that do not (Acts 2:38-41; 8:5-13; 8:35-38; 9:1-18 & 22:16; 10:34-48; 16:13-
15; 16:25-34; 18:8). Yet some men still argue against the necessity of
baptism. What would Jesus do?

Jesus consistently preached and commanded the necessity of baptism

throughout His ministry.

Three different Gospels tell us Jesus began His ministry by submitting

to baptism (Matt. 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22). Jesus did not
question the purpose or necessity of baptism. When John protested that his
own righteousness was inferior to Christ’s, Jesus said, “Permit it to be so now,
for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness," and then He was
baptized (Matt. 3:13-15). If one wants to be more like Christ, why wouldn’t
he follow Jesus’ example and submit humbly to baptism as Christ did?

Two of the possible reasons why people fail to follow Jesus’ commands
and examples are that they either believe they are smarter than God, or the
simplistic nature of the gospel itself poses an obstacle to obedience (1 Cor.
1:18-29). Shortly after beginning His ministry, Jesus told Nicodemus, “unless
one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God”
(John 3:2-5). Is it that difficult to understand the necessity of water baptism?
Should we question what the water actually accomplishes? Naaman had
difficulties accepting the simplicity of God’s plan. When Elisha told Naaman
that washing seven times in the Jordan River would cleanse Naaman of his
leprosy, Naaman became indignant and initially refused (2 Kings 5:10-12).
“Are not the … the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel?
Could I not wash in them and be clean” (2 Kings 5:12)? In his arrogance,
Naaman thought he was too smart to believe that washing in a muddy river
would cleanse him of his leprosy. By so thinking, however, Naaman was
actually saying that he was smarter than God. Fortunately, Naaman had a
servant who could see the foolishness in not accepting the simple command.
““My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you
not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be
clean’” (2 Kings 5:13)? Sometimes people like Naaman think too much when
all they have to do is accept what Jesus said, “unless one is born of water
and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). “The
foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger
than men. [1 Cor. 1:25] But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to
put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to
put to shame the things which are mighty” (1 Cor. 1:25, 27).

After His death and resurrection, Jesus said “He who believes and is
baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned”
(Mark 16:16). “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt.
28:19). These are among the very last statements Jesus said to all of the
apostles at once prior to His ascension. Jesus could have used this occasion
to speak to His apostles about anything and He chose to emphasize baptism.
The Holy Spirit could have inspired Matthew and Mark to emphasize
something else at the end of their gospel accounts, but He chose to
emphasize baptism.

Despite all of man’s arguments about the necessity of baptism for

salvation, one fact remains: no one can give a biblical reason not to do it. Do
we truly want to consider what Jesus would do, and then do it, or would we
rather, like Naaman, question the simplistic and easy nature of God’s
command? If we truly wanted to follow Jesus’ example, we would humbly
submit to baptism to fulfill His plan for achieving righteousness.

This article is reprinted online at http://www.bibleweb.com.