Tuesday, January 28, 2025

The Sign of Baptism (John 1:24-28)

Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, ‘Why then are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?’ John answered them, ‘I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.’ These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.” (John 1:24-28)

In John 1:24-28, we witness John the Baptist’s interaction with religious leaders questioning his authority to baptize. John’s response provides profound insight into the meaning of baptism and its connection to Christ. As the forerunner to the Messiah, John’s baptism symbolized repentance—a public acknowledgment of sin and the need for cleansing in preparation for the coming Savior.

John’s baptism was not an end in itself but a sign pointing forward to the greater work of Christ. While he baptized with water, he emphasized that the One coming after him would baptize with the Holy Spirit (John 1:33). This contrast underscores the limits of outward rituals compared to the inward transformation Christ brings. Baptism, as John performed it, was a call to repentance—a physical act symbolizing a spiritual reality. It prepared hearts for the ultimate cleansing that only Jesus could accomplish through His life, death, and resurrection.

John’s humility is striking. He declares himself unworthy to untie the sandal strap of the One who was already among them—Jesus Christ. This humility reminds us that baptism itself is not about the one performing it or even the act itself. Rather, it is about exalting Christ and acknowledging our total dependence on His grace.

For Christians today, baptism remains a vital ordinance. It is not the ultimate means of salvation - God is the ultimate means - but baptism is an outward declaration of the inward work of Christ. Baptism is an act of obedience that symbolizes a believer’s identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6:3-4). It is a testimony to the transforming power of the gospel and a public proclamation that we belong to Him.

Let us approach baptism with the reverence it deserves, recognizing it as a sign pointing us to the sufficiency of Christ, who cleanses us from sin and grants us new life in Him. May our lives reflect the repentance and faith that baptism signifies, always exalting the One who is worthy of all glory.