Jesus Said, "Yet A Little While, And The World Sees Me No More; But Ye See Me: Because I Live, Ye Shall Live Also." - Part 2158

"And all the people that heard [Him] and the publicans justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him." (Luke 7:29-30)

In other words, those who received the Word, willingly declared the righteousness of God, and couldn't get into the water fast enough. But the Pharisees and lawyers? These rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. Instead of accepting that John the baptizer was indeed the him of whom it is written, "Behold, I send My messenger before Thy face, which shall prepare Thy Way before Thee" -- these preferred to justify themselves, and stand on the river bank watching, but never getting into the water to be cleansed. (Luke 7:27; Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3) 

The latter response speaks to the heart of men. On one side are those people who love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength, and similarly flow His love through to others, and on the other -- as we see here, those who reject the counsel of God "against themselves" -- being not baptized. For clarity, please note that John's baptism (before the cross) was repentance. 

"John bare witness of Him and cried, saying, "He that cometh after me is preferred before me, because He was before me. And of His fullness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, [but] grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1:15-16) 

You see, John always pointed to Jesus -- whose shoes latched he was not worthy to unloose. (John 1:27)

This becomes clearer from when Paul having passed thought the upper coasts came to Ephesus and finding certain disciples said unto them, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" And these said unto Paul, "We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost." And he said unto them, "Unto what then were ye baptized?" And they said, "Unto John's baptism." 

Then said Paul, "John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on Him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." When they heard [this], they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 19:1-5)

Note again that these believers were willing to be water baptized in the precious, holy Name of the Lord Jesus. In fact, when they heard this message,  just as the first 3,000 souls received on the day of Pentecost, they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 2:36-41; Acts 10:44-48) 

So, what is the difference between the disciples of the early church, and many within the modern day religious culture of this day? In this current time, many point to their infant baptism, when someone sprinkled them with water as a baby (suggesting that this sprinkling is sufficient) -- even when they had no opportunity to repent of their sins beforehand. 

Peter (standing with the eleven) on the day of Pentecost declared, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:36-4) 

Thus, repentance comes before baptism for every one of us.

In the modern day church as well, there is a denial that we are to believe on Him which came after John the baptizer, even when repeatedly John pointed toward Jesus, saying, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" Just like the Pharisees and lawyers above -- who stood on the banks, refusing to get wet -- these current day justifiers reject the key of knowledge, and, therefore, also "reject the counsel of God against themselves." (Luke 7:30) 

Sadly, these deny also that we are to buried with Him / baptized into His death so that when we come up out of the water, we are resurrected like Him, and our hearts and minds renewed. Again, not sprinkled with a handful of water but buried, our old lives replaced by His garment -- so that we can become clothed in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus.

As the scripture saith, "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:3-4)

Moreover, others deny that every person water baptized in the New Testament scriptures (after Jesus was taken up and He [Jesus] through the Holy Ghost gave commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen] were water baptized into the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ (for the remission of sins / the answer of a good conscience toward God) so that they could receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts  1:2-3; Acts 2:1-47; I Peter 3:21-23) 

These instead rely on the traditions of men, citing Jesus' words from Matthew 28:19 for guidance. Therein, Jesus commands us to be baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (or as most say -- Holy Spirit because these do not understand Holy Ghost). And consequently, the traditions of men prevent seekers from understanding that the Name of the Father, Son, or Holy Ghost is JESUS-- the only Name under heaven whereby we must be saved is JESUS, for He shall save His people from their sins. (Acts 4:12; Philippians 2:9; Matthew 1:21-23)

Jesus Himself said, "I and My Father are ONE!" (John 10:30) 

Jesus Himself said, "If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also; and from henceforth ye know Him and have seen Him." (John 14:6-7; Isaiah 9:6)

Further, from a grammatical perspective -- F/father is a title. So is S/son. These describe our role of responsibility within society but neither is our name. The same principle applies to Holy Ghost / Holy Spirit. The Spirit of the Lord that moved upon the face of the waters in the beginning is Spirit plus He is holy. " ... for I the Lord your God am holy." (Leviticus 19:2)

"Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." (Revelation 4:8)

Hear O Israel, there is One God and in this current dispensation of grace, His Name is JESUS. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29-31)

You get the point. Either we get in the water in the precious holy Name of the Lord Jesus Christ or we stand on the river banks wherein we reject the counsel of God against ourselves. This is our choice! Know also that water baptism is a huge topic in the scriptures and very worth studying for your learning and edification. And be strengthened in His goodness and grace, putting on His garment of righteousness. 

Stand in the offering plate.