John's Baptism Devotional

Hebrews 6:1 Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, ² instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

We will take the next three days to learn about baptisms, (1) John's baptism, (2) Believer's baptism; and (3) Baptism with the Holy Spirit.  Each is significant as a foundational teaching in every believers' life.

John's baptism was to prepare people for salvation by making them aware of their sin problem. John proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins and baptized people in water (Mark 1:4-8).  The people baptized by John were prepared to receive Jesus and His message to repent and believe the gospel, because they knew God was just and would punish them for their sin (Mark 1:15; Luke 7:29-30)

Today we don't baptize people with a baptism of repentance, but we are to still prepare people to receive Jesus and His message, "Repent and believe the gospel."  We prepare people  to receive Jesus' salvation by making people aware of their sin.  We make people aware of their sin by comparing their life with the Law of God (Romans 7:7,13).  If people don't have a sin problem, they will have no need for salvation from sin and its judgment of eternal torment (Luke 7:30; Romans 6:23; Revelation 21:8).

The believers' job today is to prepare people for the gospel of Jesus Christ by making people aware of their sin problem.  Are believers doing that today?  Are you doing that with children and adults in your sphere of influence.  A mother to her child who has told her that he can't help it that he get's angry and hits his sister, "I know you can't.  You have sin in you that makes you hit your sister in your anger.  You need Jesus to save you from your sin."  Think what would happen if we identified sin as peoples problem and Jesus as the one who could save them from sin.