Luke 3:21 Now when all the people were baptized and as Jesus was baptized and was praying, heaven was opened. Matthew 3:13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him. (14) But John tried to prevent Him, saying, It is I who have need of being baptized by You, and You come to me?
[Part 1 of 2] If we would have a proper understanding of the significance of the baptism of the Man-Savior, we need to consider further what is the highest standard of morality. The highest standard of morality is actually the result of the God- created man (Gen. 1) with the human virtues created by God plus the tree of life (Gen. 2), a tree that signifies God as life to us with all His divine attributes. In the man created by God there were the human virtues. These virtues are in God's image and according to His likeness. In particular, these virtues are according to God's love, light, holiness, and righteousness. According to chapter two of Genesis, this God-created man with his human virtues was placed in front of the tree of life. The tree of life signifies God as life with His divine attributes. When the tree of life is added to the God-created man, the result is a living in the highest standard of morality. The Lord Jesus was baptized in order that He might live a human life expressing God's attributes. Although the Lord Jesus was a complete and perfect Man, He needed to be put aside in order to live a life that expressed God. To be baptized simply means to be put aside, to be terminated and buried so that we may live not by ourselves but by God. If we are set aside in this way, we shall be able to live a human life with the divine attributes expressed in the human virtues. [Continued tomorrow]
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Witness Lee, Life-study of Luke, pp. 65-66. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA. Please visit us at www.emanna.com. Send comments to: [email protected].
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