Those who received the teaching of John the Baptist, and repented of their sing; were baptized of him in the river Jordan. These were the people that he as the forerunner, was preparing for the coming King. They confessed their sins and were baptized with the baptism of repentance, and were thus separated in spirit and position from those in the nation who continued in their sins. When Jesus came where John was baptizing, and saw those people confessing their sins, He also desired to be baptized, not because He had any sins to confess, for He had none, but because He desired to place Himself in the company of those who owned they were sinners. Those who confessed their sins were the truly upright ones; and Jesus wanted to be with such. They were the “saints” and “excellent” of the earth, spoken of in Ps. 16, in whom Jesus found His delight. And they are the ones who will have a place in His kingdom, when He reigns. Jesus by being baptized of John, placed Himself in this company, and thus expressed His approval of what they were doing.
Those who confessed their sins were also the ones upon whom God could look with favor, and whom He could pardon and bless, not because they were not sinners, but because they showed uprightness of heart in confessing the truth as to their sinful condition. Christ became the Saviour of such, and would bear their sins on the cross.
When Jesus placed Himself with that repentant company, in order that He might take up their cause and lead them into blessing, even though He must suffer for their sins on the cross, God was well pleased with Him and sealed Him with the Holy Ghost, anointing Him for the work He was to do. As Jesus came up from the water, “the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him: and, lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matt. 3:16, 1716And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Matthew 3:16‑17).
This, my dear young reader was a great sight, —a great multitude of people confessing their sins, and heaven opening to Jesus, and expressing delight ill Him, at the moment He placed Himself in a position where He could take up their cause and meet all their need!
Now let me ask you a question. There were two companies that day at the Jordan, those who confessed their sins, and those who did not. To which company do you belong? We find in Luke 7:3030But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. (Luke 7:30), that the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, not being baptized of John, God, speaking through John, had called on them to repent of their sins, so that they might receive the blessings promised through Christ; but they rejected God’s counsel, and lost the blessings. Will you, dear young reader, do like these Pharisees and lawyers? Or, will you confess your sins to God, and receive the blessing He delights to bestow? Remember, if you are a sinner, you must come to God as a sinner. If you come pretending you are righteous, you come with a lie, and God will not receive you. Come, then, as you are, a sinner, and He will receive you, and pardon you through Christ, His beloved Son, who has died for sinners, and in whom God is well pleased.
A. H. R.
ML 08/12/1900