In Whom Ye Also Trusted, After That Ye Heard the Word of Truth, the Gospel of Your Salvation - Part 1583

"And Jesus answering said unto him, "Suffer [it to be] so now: for thus it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness." (Matthew 3:15)

"For thus it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness." 

These are the words spoken by Jesus to John the baptist/baptizer when Jesus appeared before John to be water baptized. John did not understand why someone of such prevalence -- the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world -- would approach John to be baptized. (John 1:29) In fact, the idea was so unimaginable to John that he told Jesus that it should be the other way around. John not even worthy to untie the shoes worn by Jesus and yet, in this scriptural example, Jesus was asking to be baptized. 

And so John, as the scriptures point out, baptized Jesus. In so doing, John had seen the Spirit (like a dove from heaven) descend and rest on Jesus. 

"This is He of whom I said, After me comes a man which is preferred before me; for He was before me. And I knew Him not: but that He should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him. And I knew Him not: but He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, "Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, the same is He which baptizes with the Holy Ghost. And I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God." (John 1:30-34) 

John was right. Jesus was altogether pure.

Note that there are some interesting parallels here. Fire did not descend upon Jesus as was the case in Acts chapter 2 where purification was required prior to the descent of the Spirit of Jesus into the assembled group of believers. Still, Jesus was the holy child of God. The Lord's Christ. Jesus -- the only begotten Son. He was conceived by the holy Spirit seed which is why John was so reluctant to baptize Jesus. It is also the reason Jesus spoke the foregoing words.

But when John obeyed and baptized Jesus, it was to fulfill ALL righteousness. In that moment, Jesus was revealing the righteousness of God. He who never had sinned took our sin upon Himself. He, the just one put Himself in our place. He was also revealing to future generations - us - the scope and scale of the love God had for His created people. His beloved!

"After His kindness and love, God became our Saviour ..." (Titus 3:4-7) 

"God manifest in the flesh." (I Timothy 3:16)

"The Lord coming forth as a mighty man ..." (Isaiah 42:13; Isaiah 9:6)

Talk about mercy, love and grace when the same God who created man in the beginning would put Himself in our place. Oh, the love that went in to fulfilling the salvation plan -- the mystery that was held in the bosom of the Father from the beginning of the world. Oh, the grace that brought that same plan of salvation to man. Oh the mighty gulf that God did span when His humanity died for us at Calvary. He put Himself in our place so that we might be saved into a life more abundant. 

Equally important, because of God's love, we can now become clothed in the righteousness of Jesus.

This puts a totally different slant on righteousness. Herein is the righteousness of God revealed. Who is going to say that we are still dead in trespasses and sin when Christ has died, sacrificing His own life for us?  What condescension to bring to us redemption? Think about it! God took the form of man to bring to us salvation. Redemption because of His love for you and I.

He Himself bore our sin in His own body nailed to a tree. He did not turn back when He was tortured for He knew that as a consequence of those whipping stripes, we could be healed. This is truly redemption.

And the second parallel? God’s plan of salvation was hidden from previous generations. But His plan is now made known to us in this fullness of times. We have the benefit of knowing that the He as a Son became a curse in order to fulfill all righteousness. I stagger at the thought. Why me? I ask.

It is for this reason that I, having arrived at the place where I perceive that there is nothing that could ever possibly separate me from the love of the Spirit of God which was in the man Christ Jesus (God Himself as a son), could find the peace and love that was extended to us from any other place. Indeed, we have been reinstated from Adam's world of sin to glorious freedom. We've been purchased by His precious blood -- not with silver or gold. 

We have been redeemed and our debt paid in full by the love God had for us. 

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Romans 8:1-4)

In other words, what God has cleansed, do not even think of condemning. For there is no condemnation to anyone that is in Christ Jesus.

Further, the Bread of Life is spending time meditating upon the love of God our Saviour. 

Jesus said, "This is My body given for you. This is My blood shed for you."

Now, with the plan of salvation fulfilled, the purpose of God is proceeding. As the scriptures state, the next step, after asking Jesus into your heart is to be born again of the water and of the spirit. We need to enter into the new covenant receiving the promise of His Spirit so that we can be renewed in Him. If we follow the instructions of Jesus, and fulfill all righteousness by being baptized into the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we receive all the spiritual blessings intended from God.

"According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love ..." (Ephesians 1:4)

Not because of who we are but because of who He is -- "in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace, wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, ad which are on earth, [even] in Him ... who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will." (Ephesians 1:1-23)

When we believe and are water baptized in His Name -- the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we receive His sealed covenant, the covenant of God in Christ.  Like the first 3,000 believers in Acts 2, we become filled with His Spirit, speaking in other tongues as His Spirit gives utterance. 

Peace to all who are partakers of this plan of redemption. Likewise, peace to all those who are children of the second Adam (which is the Lord Himself) born again just like Jesus said to Nicodemus -- of water and of His Spirit. And when we are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus, it is at this juncture that we can sing psalms and hymns in thanksgiving. We can pray without ceasing and rejoice evermore. And yes, we can reflect on the spiritual, that inherently makes a melody in our heart to the Lord. We have so very much to be thankful for!

Stand in the offering plate.