WEEKLY DEVOTION

“And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, Go, and you shall wash seven times in the Jordan. And your flesh shall return to you, and you shall be clean.” 2 Kings 5:10 (Read verses 1-14)

Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, if one does not receive birth from above, he is not able to see the kingdom of God … If one does not receive birth out of water and Spirit, he is not able to enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:3,5). Saul of Tarsus, whom we know as the Apostle Paul, after he had met Jesus on the road to Damascus, was told by Ananias, “Rising up, be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). Peter, at the Feast of Pentecost, preached, saying to those whose hearts were troubled over their sins, “Repent and be baptized, each of you on the name of Jesus Christ to remission of sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all those afar off, as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts. 2:38-39).

But how can we be cleansed of our sins and born anew from above through the simple waters of baptism?

Wouldn’t it be better if Jesus Himself would appear to us in shining glory and wave His hand over us and say, “Be clean”? Think of leprous Naaman, commander of the army of Syria - a five-star general or greater. Elisha didn’t even come out to him but sent a messenger out to him, telling him to go and wash seven times in the Jordan River and he would be cleansed. Naaman was furious until his servants convinced him to do as Elisha had commanded. He went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times and his flesh became like the flesh of a child.

Now God tells you and me - through a minister, a messenger - to repent of our sinful ways and be baptized. He doesn’t even tell us to travel to Israel and be baptized in the Jordan - any water will do. Many still say today that Christian baptism is nothing, just a symbol of what God has already done in the heart; but that’s not what Jesus says. It’s not what the Bible teaches. To disciple the nations, we are not only to be going and teaching Jesus’ Word, we are to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The minister, the servant, applies the water in the name of the Triune God, and God washes away our sins and makes us His children (cf. Mt. 28:18-20; Gal. 3:26ff.; Acts 2:38-39; 22:16; Col. 2:8-15). It is a “washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5; cf. John 3:3,5; Eph. 5:25-27).

Christian baptism is not man’s work; it is God’s work - a “circumcision not made by hands” (Col. 2:11). It is a rebirth from above - a baptism of water and Spirit (John 3:5). It is a means appointed and chosen of God Himself to give to us the blessings which Christ Jesus won for us by His sufferings and death on the cross and confirmed to us by His glorious resurrection (cf. Rom 4:25).

Should we reject it, belittle it or look for another way to be cleansed from our sins and receive the blessings Jesus won for us upon the cross? The Bible says: “The one believing and being baptized will be saved. And the one not believing will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).

Grant us faith to believe Your Word, O Lord, and be made clean. Amen.

[Devotion by Randy Moll. Scripture taken from Green's Literal Translation (LITV), Copyright 1993 by Jay P. Green Sr., All rights reserved.]

Community, Pages 4 on 02/15/2012