The BIG Picture (Q&A)

When we read that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Ghost (Luke 1:35), and that “that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6), it may seem unnecessary for Him to be baptized to receive the Spirit. But a rightly divided view of Scripture shows His baptism was not for personal cleansing or regeneration, but for obedience, consecration, and manifestation. Water baptism under John was a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (Mark 1:4). It was a washing, a cleansing of Israel in preparation for their Messiah (Acts 22:16). All Israel had to be baptized because they were sinners in need of washing. But Jesus was without sin (Heb.4:15; 1Pet.2:22). He had no need of cleansing, for He was holy from conception, born of the Spirit and untouched by Adam’s fallen nature. His baptism therefore was not for washing, but for fulfilling righteousness (Matt.3:15). Christ’s baptism served several divine purposes. First, it was the means by which He was publicly manifested to Israe...

An answer for Leviticus 21:18–20 18 For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, 19 Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded, 20 Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken; This passage is often misunderstood and misapplied by those who do not rightly divide the word of truth. Some have used it to suggest that people with physical disabilities are disqualified from serving God today, or that such individuals are somehow less acceptable in ministry. This interpretation is not only doctrinally incorrect—it is spiritually harmful. To understand this passage properly, we must begin by recognizing its dispensational context. Leviticus was written to the nation of Israel under the Mosaic Law. It outlines ceremonial, civil, and religious instructions for Israel’s priesthood, particularly the sons of Aaron who served...

The following is a reaction to this post:  https://thebigpicturelink.blogspot.com/2024/02/why-were-baptisms-required-for-israel.html POST REACTION: I don’t think you can connect the ministry of John the Baptist to the Old Testament priesthood. Only the priests needed to be washed, not every Israelite. And John the Baptist’s imagery had nothing to do whatsoever with priestly cleansing. Just read the accounts in the four Gospels. It was a sign of repentance. And Israelites before John were not baptized. It was a ritual that started with him. And Christian baptism has a totally different symbolic meaning and was done for both Jews and Gentiles alike. In your article, your thoughts on priestly rituals are interesting, but there’s no biblical evidence that John’s baptism has anything whatsoever to do with that. ANSWER: One cannot just isolate John’s ministry as something that just appeared out of the blue. In the Bible EVERYTHING has meaning and purpose. The entire bible interprets itse...