23. Christ comes, first, "by water"; that is, by holy baptism. He
employs baptism as an outward sign of his work in the new birth of man
and in man's sanctification. This water by which Christ comes cannot
be a mere, empty sign; for he comes not merely to cleanse or bathe the
body with water, but to purify the whole man from all pollution and
blemishes inherent in him from Adam. Christ has instituted a cleansing
wholly unlike the Mosaic ablutions under the Old Testament
dispensation. Moses came with various laws relating to washings and
purifications, but they were only cleansings of the body or of the
flesh and had daily to be repeated. Now, since these ceremonials
contributed nothing to man's purification in God's sight--a thing to
be effected by nothing short of a new birth--Christ came with a new
order of cleansing, namely, baptism, which is not a mere external
ablution from physical impurities, but a washing effective in man's
purification from the inward pollution of his old sinful birth and
from an evil conscience, and bringing remission of sin and a good
conscience toward God, as Peter says. 1 Pet 3, 21. Paul, also (Tit 3,
5), calls baptism the "washing of regeneration and renewing of the
Holy Spirit."
24. Christ first instituted baptism through John the Baptist. To
distinguish it from the Mosaic baptism, the old Jewish rite of
washings, Christ styles it "a baptism unto repentance and the
remission of sins." He designs that therein man shall perceive his
inner impurities and know them to be, in God's sight, beyond the power
of outward Mosaic ablutions to reach; shall know also that
purification of the conscience and remission of sins must be sought
and obtained through the power of Christ the Lord, who instituted
baptism.
25. Secondly, that this cleansing of sin may be effected in us through
baptism, something more than mere water must be present. Mere water
could effect no more than do ordinary washings, and no more than
Jewish and Turkish baptisms and washings effect. There must be a power
and force accompanying the water effective to work inward
purification, the purification of the soul. Therefore, John says,
Christ came, not by water alone, but also by blood; not the blood of
bulls, or of calves, or of goats, those Old Testament sacrifices, but
his own blood, as Paul declares. Heb 9, 12. He comes through the
preaching office of the New Testament, which is his rule upon earth,
imparts to us the effective power of his shed blood, his sacrifice for
our sins, and thus applies to us the treasure wherewith he purchased
our redemption.
26. Hence there is now in baptism this efficacy of the blood of
Christ. That is the true caustic soap which not only removes the
uncleanness of the outer man, but penetrates to the inner nature,
consuming its impurities and cleansing them away, that the heart may
become pure in God's sight. Thus, the blood of Christ is so
effectively mingled with the baptismal water that we must not regard
it as mere water, but water beautifully dyed with the precious crimson
blood of our dear Saviour, Christ. Baptism, then, cannot rightly be
regarded a physical cleansing, like the Mosaic ablutions, or like the
cleansing the bathhouse affords; it is a healing baptism, a baptism or
washing with blood, instituted by none but Christ, the Son of God, and
that through his own death.
27. In the record of Christ's passion, careful note is made of the
fact that blood and water flowed immediately from the spear-thrust in
Christ's side as he hung upon the cross; it is pointed out as a
special miracle. The design there is to teach that Christ's shed blood
is not without significance, but stands for a washing or bath whose
efficacy is present in the baptism with water; and that from the slain
body of Christ issues an unceasing stream of water and blood, flowing
on down through the entire Christian Church, wherein we must all be
cleansed from our sins. What makes baptism so precious, so holy and
essential is the mingling and union of the water with the blood of
Christ; to be baptized into Christ with water is really to be washed
and cleansed with the blood of Christ.