Baptism of Jesus
Onwards the fall of Adam and Eve, mankind lost his childhood and thus The Holy Son came down from heaven in becoming human from Virgin Saint Mary for redemption. Amongst the major work of God in soteriology is the “Baptism of Jesus.”
Baptism is the gate to Christianity; This was done by the baptism of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12)
Our Lord told the Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.” (John 3:5) Otherwise it is as it said, “a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.” (John 8:35)
Our Lord is who made the order of baptism through His own baptism. On the Apostasy Age, at His thirty years of coming to earth, Lord Jesus Christ was baptized by the hands of Saint John the Baptist. In scripted in Saint Matthew’s gospel (3:13-17), as follows; “Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
The baptism of Jesus has bestowed us cleansing from the sin as well as returned our childhood we lost through sin. Our Lord has saved us from every evil by His baptism. “having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us.” (Colossians 2:13-14)
The Sacrament of Baptism is the way to salvation; It bestows as childhood and new life. We become the children of God through our baptism and be the part of Church. Baptism is also the gate for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Before His ascension, Our Lord ordered the Apostles saying, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19) Patristic Fathers, then after teach His words, and baptize the pupil in to becoming Christians.
The baptism of Jesus is the paradigm for us and thus we celebrate the day this work of God ensued, which us Tir 11. On this day, we give honor and veneration to the Arc of Covenant thru the liturgy we inherited from the Patristic Fathers. The Arc of the Covenants from all the local churches are taken out from the temple and travel to the sea of Baptism. This celebration is made all over the country, where the Christian community escort the Arc of Covenants of their local churches up to the sea of Baptism. Then, after the liturgy of Prayer, laities spend the whole night praising God. Then early in the Morning, The Patriarch held the liturgy of baptism is done for all those who gathered.
Then again we escort the Arc of Covenants back to their abode. Except the Arc of Saint Michael which enters back its abode on the following day, in his feats day, Tir 12, which is also the feast of Cana of Galilee. These feasts are major for all the faithful’s and shall be celebrated in glory.
May God bestow us redemption and blessing, Amen!