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“Permit it to be so now, for thus it’s fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”

᛭ INI ᛭

Today, Christ our Lord fulfills the name prophesied about Him in Jeremiah 23. It’s the name we sang at Vespers during our Advent Midweeks: “This is the name by which He will be called: THE LORD IS OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” This means He’s morally good according to the 10 Commandments; He’s sinless; He’s holy; He’s “just and good and right.” (LSB 819) (Everything we’re not.)

He fulfills all righteousness by receiving John’s baptism. John’s baptism was for sinners “for the forgiveness of [their] sins.” (Lk 3) (No wonder John tried to stop Him…) Christ fulfills all righteousness by being “numbered with the transgressors” (Is 52), by being “the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world” (Jn 1), “bearing our sins in His own body on the tree, by His wounds you have been healed” (1Pet 2), forgiven, made righteous before God.

All of that is poured into what Christ is doing today at the Jordan river. As Christ says, BAPTISM, His Baptism in the Jordan, FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS. The Baptism of our Lord also gives us the chance to consider the other Baptism of our Lord, the one He instituted in the last chapter of Matthew. Christ says that John’s baptism, a sinner’s baptism for the forgiveness of sins (Lk 3), FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS. That’s also true of the Baptism Christ instituted. Holy Baptism is also for sinners, for the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 22), that they would be disciples of Christ (Mt 28), forgiven believers, who have received the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2). In other words:

HOLY BAPTISM FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS.

(I. Holy Baptism itself fulfills all righteousness FOR YOU.)

HOLY BAPTISM FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS, that means, first of all, that Holy Baptism itself fulfills all righteousness. Baptism does this because it’s not our action for God. It’s not showing the seriousness of our faith or our commitment to Christ or our promise to amend our life or whatever other opinion puts Baptism under our control, to define and use it however we want.

Holy Baptism is God’s action. It may be the minister’s hands doing it, but in fact Christ is baptizing. John 4 tells us that Christ makes disciples through His own disciples baptizing. Baptism is God’s work; it’s Christ’s promise; it’s the anointing of the Spirit. In Baptism the Holy Trinity “began His good work within you” (Phil 1). That’s partly what it means to be “baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Holy Baptism itself fulfills all righteousness because it’s God’s work and promise.

Second, HOLY BAPTISM FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS because of what Baptism does for you, what Christ does for you through Holy Baptism. The Scriptures are very clear on the blessings and benefits of Holy Baptism. It works the forgiveness of sins. (Acts 2) It gives you the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2; Tit 3) It transfers you out of the devil’s domain of darkness (Col 2) and brings you into God’s Kingdom (Jn 3). It makes you a Son and Heir of the Father (Gal 3, Tit 3) instead of a child of wrath. (Eph 2) It saves you. (1Pet 3) It makes Christ’s redeeming death yours (Rom 6). It raises you to the new life of the Spirit by uniting you with Christ’s resurrection from the dead. (Rom 6; Col 2; 1Pet 3) In other words, HOLY BAPTISM FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS by giving you Christ’s own righteousness. Just as Christ’s Baptism in the Jordan fulfilled all righteousness because He claimed sin as His own, so now your Baptism into Christ fulfills all righteousness by making His righteousness yours.

(Transition.)

HOLY BAPTISM FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS, first of all, because Holy Baptism itself fulfills all righteousness. It’s what Baptism does FOR YOU. It’s the Holy Trinity’s action to save you (Tit 3). But that’s not all. BAPTISM FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS now, right now, for you, because, second of all, being baptized daily fulfills all righteousness.

(II. Being baptized daily fulfills all righteousness FOR YOU.)

A true Christian life is a daily Baptism. Each day is a new beginning at destroying the Old Aadm’s evil works and vices within you—anger, hatred, envy, lust, selfishness, laziness, arrogance, and unbelief. Since we aren’t naturally good, Baptism brings you into Christ’s kingdom where the Spirit works within you. Over time, the Spirit daily lessens these vices and bears His good fruit in your life. (LC-IV, 65ff.)

Using water symbolizes Baptism’s true purpose. Living outside your baptism, your flesh always gets wilder and stronger. Living in sin actually fights against Baptism and the Spirit. Without Christ, vices like pride, greed, lust, and anger only grow worse over time. Every year, every day, the sinful flesh resolves to become worse and worse, from youth onward. That’s life apart from Christ and Baptism and the Spirit. (LC-IV, 68ff.)

If it weren’t for Baptism’s ongoing effect, your flesh would run rampant! “Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Gal 5) and “live and walk by the Spirit.” (Gal 5) The Spirit is given to you in Holy Baptism. Empowered by the Word and Spirit, Baptism’s water is both powerful and an illustration. True faith holds onto Baptism, which includes subduing the flesh, but without faith Baptism’s just an empty ritual. (LC-IV, 72)

Repentance is essentially Baptism. Both are a serious attack on the old Adam to restrain his desires and start anew. Living in repentance is walking in Baptism. Baptism doesn’t just symbolize but also begins and enlivens this new life. Baptism gives grace, the Holy Spirit, and the strength to suppress your old Adam and a new person daily emerges and arises. Even if you fall into sin, Baptism remains. There’s no need for rebaptism, just repentance. (LC-IV, 74ff.)

We must guard against old Adam’s sinful opinion that Baptism is just a one-time event. This bull-headed idea destroys Baptism’s daily use and benefits. Baptism, as God’s institution, is like an unbreakable ship. When we sin, we fall overboard, but the ship’s still there. The Spirit brings true repentance, then true and living faith is returned into the ship, that you live on it safely like before. (LC-IV, 80ff.)

We must also guard against old Adam’s sinful opinion that keeps Baptism in your back pocket to bring out only to prove you’re a Christian, even though you live however you want. Old Adam also pits Holy Baptism against Christ’s other gifts. When that happens Old Adam is following the Pied Piper of Hell, Satan, who daily says, “Did God really say?” (Gen 3)

So, Holy Absolution is of great use, for the Third Sacrament of Confession, is indeed the Sacrament of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (LC-IV, 74) The Sacrament of Communion also is of great importance in your continual, daily battle against sinful living, the devil, and temptation. The forgiveness poured out at Baptism is all the more given in Christ’s body and blood at Communion. It wasn’t just water that poured from Christ’s side, but water AND blood.

When I encourage Confession, when I encourage Communion, I’m doing nothing except encouraging you to be a Christian. (Luther, Exhortation) For true disciples of Christ cherish, guard, keep, and use “all that He has commanded,” (Mt 28) each and every word and gift of Christ, even using them as much as possible!

(Conclusion.)

Today, Christ our Lord fulfills all righteousness by receiving John’s baptism. There He’s “numbered with the transgressors” (Is 52), being “the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world” (Jn 1), even “bearing our sins in His own body on the tree, by His wounds you have been healed” (1Pet 2), forgiven, made righteous before God.

All of that’s poured into Christ’s baptism in the Jordan, but it’s also poured into Holy Baptism. HOLY BAPTISM FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS. First of all, because Holy Baptism itself does this for you. It’s God’s action that “works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this.” (SC IV) Baptism’s benefits are received by faith.

HOLY BAPTISM FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS in your daily life as well. The Christian life, the life of a true believer, is a daily Baptism. It’s the life of righteousness and holiness, the Spirit bearing His fruit through you. It’s the daily benefit of Baptism. As you know very well from experience, the baptized sin daily and much, and so there’s “daily contrition and repentance.” (SC IV) The baptized have constant need of the other two Sacraments: Absolution and Communion, even as the crucified Christ absolved and had water AND blood flow from His pierced side.

HOLY BAPTISM FULFILLS ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS, received by a true and living faith, both the day of your baptism and every day since, for “He who began a good work within you will finish it until the Day of IHS CHRIST.” (Phil 1)

᛭ INI ᛭