Atonement for our sins has always been the work of God, far beyond the ability of man to accomplish; and yet attached to, and a part of, God’s work is the water and the command to wash that we have been given. It was a command given to the Israelites, and it is a statute for all men under the New Covenant. Jesus told His apostles, “Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you” (John 15:3). Paul expounded on Jesus’ meaning when he told the Ephesians that Christ gave Himself up for the Church, “that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word” (Ephesians 5:26).
Solomon asked, “Who can say, ‘I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin?’” (Proverbs 20:9). The solemn answer is that no man can make his own heart pure or cleanse himself from his own sins. Fortunately, Jesus did it for us by laying His life down on our behalf. He could do so because He is the one man who has walked the earth without sin. He is the one who has defeated the Prince of Darkness. He is the one that death could not hold in bondage. He is the one who said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). He is also the one who said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Additionally, John said:
"Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is He who came by water and blood— Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the One Who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: The Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree” (I John 5:5-8).
In Leviticus 14:8-20, to cleanse away his physical uncleanness the leper was to wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe himself in water, along with a priestly offering of atonement. In another story concerning a leper, the man of God told Naaman to immerse himself seven times in the Jordan to be cleansed of his leprosy (II Kings 5). For the one seeking salvation through Jesus Christ, atonement has already been made for him on the cross, but he has not been purified or cleansed of his spiritual uncleanness (sin) until he has been washed in water for that purpose. Convinced that Jesus was the Christ, the crowd on the day of Pentecost asked, “What shall we do”? Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:36-38). When Ananias told Paul what he must do to be saved and to submit to the will of God, he concluded with these words, “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His name” (Acts 22:16). In God’s plan for man’s salvation, cleansing through water has always been, and still is, an integral part. The difference today is, as with Jesus’ atoning sacrifice, we must submit to baptism only once in obedience to God’s command.
Some may still argue that there is a vast difference and disconnect between the ceremonial washings of the Israelites and Christian baptism and their meanings. Therefore, let us continue to investigate the scriptures, traditions, and understanding of Israel through the Old Covenant period and forward to see if there is in fact a connection. In I Corinthians 10:1-6, Paul views the exodus from Israel as a type of baptism, writing:
"For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ."
With these words, the apostle depicts the temporal salvation of Israel from the hands of the Egyptians with their passage through the Red Sea, noting that they were essentially immersed in water, surrounded by the walls of the sea being held back by God’s will and under the clouds above.
Solomon asked, “Who can say, ‘I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin?’” (Proverbs 20:9). The solemn answer is that no man can make his own heart pure or cleanse himself from his own sins. Fortunately, Jesus did it for us by laying His life down on our behalf. He could do so because He is the one man who has walked the earth without sin. He is the one who has defeated the Prince of Darkness. He is the one that death could not hold in bondage. He is the one who said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). He is also the one who said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Additionally, John said:
"Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is He who came by water and blood— Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the One Who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: The Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree” (I John 5:5-8).
In Leviticus 14:8-20, to cleanse away his physical uncleanness the leper was to wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe himself in water, along with a priestly offering of atonement. In another story concerning a leper, the man of God told Naaman to immerse himself seven times in the Jordan to be cleansed of his leprosy (II Kings 5). For the one seeking salvation through Jesus Christ, atonement has already been made for him on the cross, but he has not been purified or cleansed of his spiritual uncleanness (sin) until he has been washed in water for that purpose. Convinced that Jesus was the Christ, the crowd on the day of Pentecost asked, “What shall we do”? Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:36-38). When Ananias told Paul what he must do to be saved and to submit to the will of God, he concluded with these words, “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His name” (Acts 22:16). In God’s plan for man’s salvation, cleansing through water has always been, and still is, an integral part. The difference today is, as with Jesus’ atoning sacrifice, we must submit to baptism only once in obedience to God’s command.
Some may still argue that there is a vast difference and disconnect between the ceremonial washings of the Israelites and Christian baptism and their meanings. Therefore, let us continue to investigate the scriptures, traditions, and understanding of Israel through the Old Covenant period and forward to see if there is in fact a connection. In I Corinthians 10:1-6, Paul views the exodus from Israel as a type of baptism, writing:
"For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ."
With these words, the apostle depicts the temporal salvation of Israel from the hands of the Egyptians with their passage through the Red Sea, noting that they were essentially immersed in water, surrounded by the walls of the sea being held back by God’s will and under the clouds above.