To Fulfill All Righteousness

Matthew 3:11-12 Summary

 

John the Baptist, in preparation for Jesus Christ and his ministry, baptized many people with water for repentance. And repentance means a change of mind and heart, resulting in a change of behavior. Throughout Scripture, to repent means to turn away from sin, thus resulting in a heart transformation of the Spirit of God, and then turning to follow Christ in obedience - putting off our old flesh and putting on our new lives in Christ Jesus, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (see Ephesians 4:17-24).

 

Then John the Baptist talked about Jesus Christ, the Messiah, as the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. When we trust in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives, via repentance, turning from sin and turning to walk by faith in Christ Jesus, to obey him, by the power and working of the Spirit in our lives in new birth (spiritual birth), we die with Christ to sin and we are resurrected with Christ to walk in newness of life in him. Jesus, thus, baptizes us with his Spirit in the regeneration of our lives.

 

Jesus will also baptize us with fire. Fire has to do with judgment, and the New Testament teaches that God judges (disciplines; corrects; punishes; rebukes; chastises) his own for the purpose of purifying them and making them holy, and/or to get his wandering ones to return to their “first love.” He does this because he loves us, and because he wants us to be in a right relationship with him. And so he allows us to go through difficulties to test our faith and to make us into the people he wants us to be for his service.

 

So when Jesus baptizes with fire, he will do what is necessary to get all those who profess his name to submit to him as Lord, to obey his commands, and to walk in his ways and in his righteousness. And he will separate those who give him lip service only from those who are walking in obedience to him in holy living, empowered by God. And all who called him, “Lord,” but did not obey his commands, will hear him say, “I never knew you. Depart from me you workers of lawlessness” (see Matthew 7:21-23).

 

Matthew 3:13-17 BSB (Berean Standard Bible)

 

13At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by  You, and do You come to me?”

 

15“Let it be so now,” Jesus replied. “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way.” Then John permitted Him.

 

16As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Suddenly the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting on Him. 17And a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!”

 

So, John baptized people with water for repentance. Did Jesus need to repent? No! He did not! Jesus (God incarnate) was not born with a sin nature as we are, and he never sinned against God while he lived on the earth. In that way he could be our perfect “lamb” sacrifice for our sins on that cross in putting our sins to death with him, and in being raised from the dead victorious over sin, death, hell, and Satan, so that by biblical faith in him we might die with him to sin and be raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but as servants of righteousness.

 

Why did Jesus ask to be baptized of John? What did he mean by, “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way.” How so? Did Jesus’ baptism change who he was? No! Did it alter his character? No! So, he didn’t come up out of the water a different man from who he was before he went under the water? Correct! So what purpose did it serve? Well, the word “fulfill” can mean to verify or coincide with a prediction. And what happened as a result? Jesus Christ was validated to be the beloved Son of God, the Messiah the people had long awaited and the one John had told the people about.

 

But what did Jesus’ baptism represent? I believe it represented what was soon to take place, which was his death on that cross, in putting our sins to death with him, and his burial, and his resurrection from the dead in victory over sin, hell, Satan and death. And when we are baptized in water, it represents what happened when we believed in Jesus. For by faith in him we are buried with him in death to sin and we are raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but as servants of righteousness. And it serves as a testimony of our faith in Jesus Christ.

 

So, please know that the Scriptures do not teach that if we go through the waters of baptism that that is what saves us from our sins. And they do not teach that if we are not baptized in water that we will not have salvation from sin. Jesus’ baptism was a testimony of who he was before he was baptized, and who he remained. And when we go through the waters of baptism it symbolizes and testifies to our faith in Jesus Christ in dying to sin and in being raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but now as servants of God and of his righteousness.

 

[Matthew 3:13-17; Matthew 10:11-12; Mark 10:37-39; John 1:29-34; Acts 9:15-18; Acts 10:44-48; Acts 18:7-8; Acts 22:12-16; Romans 6:1-7]

 

To Fulfill All Righteousness

An Original Work / July 17, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

 

Your Love Offering 

 

An Original Work / September 13, 2011

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

 

Thank You, Lord, for Your love, dying on a tree,

So we’d be forgiven, live eternally.

Thank You for Your kindness, Your love offering,

When You shed Your blood so we could be set free.

Thank You, Lord, for Your cross, dying for our sins,

So we’d live in vict’ry, purified within.

 

Thank You, Lord, for Your life You gave for our sin,

Giving us a new life, we’re made whole within.

Thank You for Your mercy. You paid what we owe.

When we turn from our sin, Your grace freely flows.

Thank You, Lord, for conq’ring death and sin and hell,

So we’d walk in freedom, with You now to dwell.

 

Thank You, Lord, that You will soon come for Your bride.

Perfectly You made her to with You abide.

Thank You for Your Spirit; Our God, three in One,

Giveth us salvation, through God’s only Son.

Thank You, Lord, for Jesus! He’s our King of kings!

He will reign forever! Our praise to Him bring!!

 

https://vimeo.com/126318258