Baptisim - A Custom to Ordinance

Baptism is a very interesting subject in the bible –

In Romans 6:3-4 the Apostle Paul puts the matter this way
Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?    We
were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from
the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Notice the strength of the expressions - "baptized into Christ" and "baptized into his death" and
"buried with him in baptism."
Baptism doesn't save you—salvation comes by faith alone – Ephesians 2: 4:10
Baptism allows us to demonstrate our connection with Jesus and with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We're all members of one body under the authority of the same Lord. But it's important to remember
that Ephesians 2:8-9 says faith in Jesus Christ is the only requirement for salvation, not baptism. But, to
fulfill His command, we're to be baptized following our decision to accept Him into our lives.

The Three main significant events of Baptism.

 John the Baptist

 The River of Jordan
 The Baptism of Jesus

Who is John the Baptist?

John the Baptist is one of the most distinctive characters in the New Testament. He had an unusual flair
for fashion, wearing wild-looking clothing made of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist. He
lived in the desert wilderness, ate locust and wild honey and preached a strange message. Unlike so many
people, John the Baptist knew his mission in life. He clearly understood that he had been set apart by God
for a purpose.
Through God's direction, John the Baptist challenged the people to prepare for the coming of the Messiah
by turning away from sin and being baptized as a symbol of repentance. Although he held no power or
influence in the Jewish political system, he delivered his message with the force of authority. People
could not resist the overpowering truth of his words, as they flocked by the hundreds to hear him and be
baptized. And even as he attracted the attention of the crowds, he never lost sight of his mission—to point
people to Christ.
Luke Chapter 1 verses 8 onwards the foretelling of the birth of John the Baptist
Luke Chapter 1 verses 26 Onwards speaks of the foretelling of the birth of Jesus Christ
Verses 45 States that the child in Elizbeth’s womb rejoiced with joy when it heard about the birth of
Christ.
Though Zachariah the father of John the Baptist is said to be priest at the temple of Jerusalem during the
time of Herod, the history of John has no evidence that he practiced what his father was doing and he kept
himself in the wilderness with a strange life style.
“And you my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go on before the Lord
to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the
forgiveness of their sins…” (Luke 1:76-77)  
The River of Jordan
John the Baptist has been shown as a person who lived in the wilderness and lived as ascetic life.
The river rises on the slopes of Mount Hermon, on the border between Syria and Lebanon, and flows
southward through northern Israel to the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberius). Exiting the sea, it continues
south, dividing Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank to the west from Jordan to the east before
emptying into the Dead Sea
John the Baptist came from a family of priests; many of the Essenes were priests who disagreed with the
temple authorities.- John was called to prepare the way of the Lord; the Essenes main purpose for living
in the wilderness was to prepare the way for the Lord.- John baptized people as a sign of repentance and
inner cleansing; the Essenes practiced ritual cleansing in water as a sign of the souls cleansing.- John the
Baptist didn't participate in the normal lifestyle of his people; the Essenes lived an isolated, ascetic
existence.
Despite the remarkable similarities, John was never identified as an Essene, was not a member of any
community, and cannot be placed definitively at Qumran. He proclaimed his message publicly rather than
seeking the shelter of a monastic setting like that of Qumran and or  Ein Gedi
the Essenes meticulously observed the Law of Moses, the sabbath, and ritual purity. They also
professed belief in immortality and divine punishment for sin. But, unlike the Pharisees,
the Essenes denied the resurrection of the body and refused to immerse themselves in public life
One of their principal religious rituals was a daily immersion “tvilah” in the ritual bath “mikvah” to
regain purity. Jordan river represented a perfect mikvah of continuously running water.
 Halakha -  According to halakha or custom, the hands are washed on a number of occasions. These
include before and after eating a meal with bread; upon awaking in the morning; after using the toilet;
before eating karpas in the Passover seder; and before prayer. On some of these occasions the water must
be poured from a cup; on others it may also be delivered by any means such as a faucet. On some of these
occasions a blessing is recited
Full-body immersion (Tvilah)
There are several occasions on which biblical or rabbinical regulations require immersion of the whole
body, referred to as tvilah. Depending on the circumstances, such ritual bathing might require immersion
in "living water" - either by using a natural stream or by using a mikveh (a specially constructed ritual
bath, connected directly to a natural source of water, such as a spring).
This article discusses the requirements of immersion in Rabbinic Judaism and its descendants. Some other
branches of Judaism, such as Falasha Judaism, have substantially different practices including the
requirement of an actual spring or stream.
A mikvah is a pool of water — some of it from a natural source — in which observant married Jewish
women are required to dip once a month, seven days after the end of their menstrual cycle. The ocean is a
mikvah. A lake can be a mikvah. More commonly, it’s indoors and looks like an oversized bathtub.
“Mikvah” comes from the Hebrew word for “collection,” as in a collection of water.
Leviticus verses (15:19, 15:24, 18:19 and 20:18)
The Practice of ritual cleaning in the old testament
The Mosaic Law strictly distinguishes between "clean" and "unclean". Water is one of the means used to
bring about ritual purity. Persons who were unclean in a religious sense had to subject to a bath of
purification (Leviticus 13-15).
Ezekiel 16: 9 mentions a washing with water and an anointing with oil, through which Jerusalem was
received into a covenant of salvation. This can also be understood as a reference to Holy Baptism with
water and Holy Sealing.
1 Peter 3:20-21 20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of
Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and
this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the
pledge of a clear conscience toward God.[a] It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ

Why was John Doing the Baptizing in the First Place?

Matthew 3
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him,
saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all law.” Then John consented.
John’s audience was the people of the Judean countryside and people coming from Jerusalem. His
message: turn your allegiance towards God, forgiveness of sin is available (the exile is over), and be
baptized in the Jordan River. People would confess their sins and be baptized
Verse 7
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to
them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?  Produce fruit in keeping
with repentance, I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham, The ax is
already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and
thrown into the fire.
I baptize you with[b] water for repentance,  But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose
sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with[c] the Holy Spirit and fire.