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“Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”

᛭ INI ᛭

So it was in those days that “ΙΗϹ came from Galilee to the Jordon to John, to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent Him.” Of course, he did. You would, too. John’s words to Christ are true. “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” Sinners need baptism. Those in need of repentence and the forgiveness of sins need Baptism. Christ is the Holy One of Israel. He’s no sinner. He needs no repentance. He has no use for the forgiveness of sins. And yet, there He is. Sounds like something we need, rather than Him…

But this is exactly the reason why Christ came. He “came to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.” Christ is able to convince John of His own need, Christ’s own need for baptism. He tells John, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” It’s as if Christ must have this happen, and He does. He must, but not for His sake—for yours! Christ comes to be baptized because

CHRIST’S BAPTISM FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS.

And that’s very good news for you.

(I. So it was at the Jordan.)

First, CHRIST’S BAPTISM is the one He received at the Jordan river. “He came to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him.” The baptism Christ received from John was “a baptism of repentance unto the forgiveness of sins. (βάπτισμα μετανοίας εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν, Lk 4)” And that’s why “John tried to prevent Him.”

CHRIST’S BAPTISM, the Baptism He received is sinner’s baptism. He receives this Baptism, as He Himself says, “To fulfill all righteousness,” and He’s fulfilling all righteousness for sinners, all sinners, for you. CHRIST’S BAPTISM at the Jordan FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS, not because He’s not a sinner in need of forgiveness but because He’s being “numbered with the transgressors.” (Is 53) He’s marked as a sinner, that is, He’s there claiming sinners’ sins as His own. As it were, He goes down pure into the dirty water, that when He comes out of the water He comes out dirty with the sins of mankind. In this He is fulfilling His Father’s will, thus His Father cries out, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

John believes Christ’s preaching. Not only because “he allowed [Christ]” to be baptized, but in John 1 were told that after Christ is baptized he says of Christ “Behold, the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.” He starts carrying them, “bearing them in His own body.” (1-Pet 2) After all, “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us.” (2-Cor 5)

This is good news for you. Christ is your sin-bearer at the Jordan. At the Jordan CHRIST’S BAPTISM FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS.

(II. So it was at Calvary.)

Second, CHRIST’S BAPTISM is the one He underwent at Calvary, that is, His death. Christ Himself says, “I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished!” (Lk 12) And He means His death, as Christ answered James and John: “Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to Him, “We are able.” So He said to them, “You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father” (Mt 20)—two thieves on either side.

CHRIST’S BAPTISM, His death, FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS. For that’s WHERE He takes your sins. “He bears them in His own body on the tree.” (1-Pet 2) There ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS IS FULFILLed, for “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, by becoming a curse for us, as it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.’” (Gal 3) He has done this “that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, by His wounds you have been healed,” (1-Pet 2) forgiven. Christs suffering and dying on the cross, His BAPTISM, FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS, as He Himself says right before He dies: “It is finished.”

(III. So it is at the Font.)

Finally, CHRIST’S BAPTISM is the one He instituted after His resurrection from the dead. After saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me,” “Christ our Lord says in the last Chapter of Matthew,” “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, by baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” There is only “one Baptism” (Eph 4). There’s no other true baptism than the one Christ commanded His Church to do in Matthew 28.

CHRIST’S BAPTISM, the one performed at this Font or any other baptismal font, also FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS. It does this because, as inspired St. Peter says, “Baptism now saves you” (1-Pet 3), since it is “for the forgiveness of sins” and gives “the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2) (That same Spirt says the same things through Paul in Titus chapter Three.) Paul also says elsewhere, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Gal 3) “Clothed with Christ,” that is, with His righteousness. For to put on Christ is to put on righteousness, for as Jeremiah prophesies, “This is the name by which He will be called THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (Jer 23) And so you are, by virtue of CHRIST’S BAPTISM, “beloved son” of His heavenly Father.

What Christ earned for you at Calvary in His death, what He earned for you at Easter with His resurrection, is delivered to you. Good Friday and His empty tomb do you no good unless they’re made yours. Baptism delivers them. “St. Paul says in Romans chapter Six: ‘We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.’” (SC IV) “If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.” (Rom 6) Baptism delivers the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection to you. Faith receives them, as “Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Mark, ‘Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.’” (SC IV)

CHRIST’S BAPTISM, the one which you’ve received, FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS. It makes you righteous, that you would be holy, living a holy life in faith toward God and fervent love toward one another. But as your flesh remains after Baptism, so we “try to prevent” the Lord from doing His will in and through us. Parents delay baptism for their children. And all of us baptized in Christ by baptism through faith often forsake the promise of baptism, living how we want rather than living for Him who died and rose for us (2-Cor 5). For this we need a return to baptism, a repentance and forgiveness that restores us. This is, of course, Absolution which renews us unto CHRIST’S BAPTISM that FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS. And this is why Absolution ends with the words of Holy Baptism: “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

(Conclusion)

CHRIST’S BAPTISM FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS.

So it was at the Jordan, when Christ took up the call to be Sin-bearer, “Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world,” your sin, too.

CHRIST’S BAPTISM FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS.

So it was at Calvary, when Christ died with your sins on His back, shedding His blood, “securing eternal redemption” (Heb 9) for you and all.

CHRIST’S BAPTISM FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS.

So it is at the Font, when Christ baptizes you into His death and resurrection, clothing you in His own righteousness, that you would be His own and live under Him, and serve Him now in righteousness, no longer “sinning” because “grace abounds,” (Rom 6) but rather living as whose you are, a son of the Father. This is His gift to you in Baptism and His gift restored to you in the Absolution: “This is My beloved son, in whom I am well pleased,” spoken of Christ at the Jordan, spoken of you, too, at the Font and the Absolution.

᛭ INI ᛭