If anyone could have baptized themselves, it would have been Jesus

3 min read

“Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John.” -Matthew 3:13

Have you ever seen someone baptize themselves? As in, they go into the water and say something like, “I baptize myself in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit“?

Crazy idea, right?

It’s crazy because baptism isn’t something you can do for yourself. Someone else has to do it to you and for you. All you can do is receive it.

You allow them to plunge you into the water and then raise you back up. Your part is to let your body go limp. They do the rest.

Jesus and John the Baptist

The public part of Jesus’ ministry began with his being introduced and baptized by John the Baptist. Understandably, John was uncomfortable with the assignment. He said,

“I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?” (Matthew 3:14)

But Jesus insisted, and John baptized him.

Even Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God would surrender himself to another while being thrust into the waters of the Jordan.

Why? In a word, faith.

Jesus was modeling faith. He was showing his confidence in John the Baptist, but more importantly he was showing confidence in the Father and his perfect plan.

It is unnatural and pretty scary to go limp and let someone else take over, but Jesus demonstrated in his baptism that this is the essence of faith.

A Fitting Picture

This is why baptism is such a great picture of salvation through Jesus. Not only does it depict our union with him; baptism also shows how the help we so desperately need comes from outside of us.

All we can do is receive it. The redemption of our souls was never meant to be a DIY project. From start to finish, it is about faith. We are completely trusting another to resolve the problem of all problems and put things right again:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith, just as it is written, “The righteous by faith will live.” -Romans 1:16-17, NET

Still Going Limp

It’s easy to forget it. It’s easy to slip back into a mode of trying to baptize ourselves, thinking the whole thing depends on us.

If you struggle with this, take a moment to go back to your baptism. Maybe it was in the church baptistery? In the river? Or maybe someone’s backyard pool? Remember how you just went limp and let it happen. It turned out okay, didn’t it?

In faith, pretend as if you are going limp in the hands of God today. Let him take over. Let him do for you what only he can do.

It’s a new day with God. Run with it.