The waters of baptism are often associated with Jesus’ cleansing blood. His blood indeed cleanses us from all unrighteousness. However, from the first pages of Scripture we’re also taught to associate the water with the Holy Spirit’s movement.
The Spirit hovered over the waters and so commenced the making of the world. Noah sent out a dove to see whether the floodwaters had receded; it returned with the olive branch assuring Noah that God had remade the world. The wind split the Red Sea for Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. Joshua led Israel through the Jordan, and Elisha passed through that same Jordan, both then accomplished great feats of Spirit-empowered conquest. Lastly, the Spirit descended as a dove upon Jesus at His baptism, heaven opened, and the Father declared His pleasure in Christ, the New Man. So then, our baptism not only represents the cleansing blood of Christ, but also the Spirit’s power to remake us, and the Father’s pleasure in us by Christ.
So welcome our brother to Jesus Christ…
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