Why Was Jesus Baptizing Those People?

As we began our look at John 3:22-36 last Sunday ("Whoever Believes"), we found in John 3:22, that Jesus, actually His followers (John 4:2), were "baptizing". This raises a question:  What sort of baptism were they practicing? It was certainly not Christian baptism. Baptism the way we understand it today, is a symbol of the life, death and resurrection of Christ, among other things.  In John 3:22, Christ had not been crucified nor buried nor resurrected. 

So, what were Jesus and His followers doing in the Judean countryside?

From the rest of the passage, we can assume they were

baptizing in the manner of John the Baptist, a baptism of repentance (John 3:26). Jesus was certainly underscoring the need for sinners to repent, supporting John's call to repent because the "kingdom of God was near." It's important to understand, though, that none of these baptisms saved those folks. If they had, there would have been no need for Christ to die on the cross. Salvation involves more than, "I'm sorry I did bad things." 

Repentance alone is not enough to save. If it was, we could be saved by our own efforts to repent. John could have ended His gospel with Chapter 3. In order for our salvation to occur, we must be regenerated by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). That regeneration manifests itself in true, contrite repentance and a longing to please the Father (Rom 8:8, Heb 11:6), the evidence of a changed heart. 

In John 3:22, repentance was there, but not regeneration. We see Jesus emphasizing the need for repentance. But the plan of salvation was not yet complete. The Spirit had not yet been poured out. Eventually,as the New Testament unfolds, we see that salvation and regeneration is a work of all three members of the Trinity, each one assuming His role. 

Our salvation is based on the work of the Holy Spirit, poured out through Jesus Christ (Titus 3:5-6). That salvation manifests itself in heartfelt repentance. We need all of the essential elements at work for this to happen! God the Father who creates the plan of redemption, Christ the Son who implements that plan, the Holy Spirit who draws men into the plan, bringing change, transformation (regeneration). The repentance we're talking about is a natural out-flowing of that change and is the necessary element of our participation in that process.

Why is this important?

Jesus' sacrifice is what bought our salvation. His lordship in our lives is the evidence of that salvation. Our repentance is

far more than grief over ungodly behavior. It is the very evidence of a transformed heart that longs to please God and hungers and thirsts for His righteousness. It is the evidence that Jesus has become, not just Savior, but Lord of our life. Repentance without the lordship of Christ is as incomplete and inadequate for salvation as the Gospel of John is incomplete and inadequate without chapters 4 through 21.