When we are baptized, it signifies the washing away of sins,etc. Jesus was baptized yet He was sinless! How?

Question

As we know, Jesus was sinless from beginning to end, yet He was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. What's the meaning to this? A sinless person cannot have His sins washed away being baptized if He is & has been sinless and cannot sin!

Answer 1

Well first of all, it was an example of "being the change" that he wished to see in the world, leading by example as it were. Because although your question has logic to it, there would be plenty of people who'd protest "How can he say we should do this if he hasn't done it himself?" And secondly, it was an act of humility, of the kind to which he appears to have been particularly prone. Later we see him washing the feet of people inherently more "sinful" than himself. I like to think of this as an example of him acknowledging his humanity - however perfect and sinless he may have been before arriving here, while clothed in flesh he was a man, with all the temptations of a man. Perhaps in the baptism he was guarding against the sins of pride and complacency, and putting himself under the judgement of his father, saying "here I am - let me as man be washed clean, to be more perfectly your instrument."

Just a thought. Peace.

Answer 2

Baptism does not wash away your sins it is something done after you have been saved

Act 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
Act 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
Act 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Act 8:38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

The reason Jesus was baptised is to lead by example, also if baptism washes away your sins, why did'nt Jesus baptise anyone ?

Joh 4:1 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
Joh 4:2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)

Answer 3

I believe that Jesus was baptized as an act of public declaration of His obedience to God and if you recall He was immediately led by the Holy Spirit who had descended upon Him which signified that it was the beginning of His ministry.
Our sins are washed away by His blood which was pure. He having no sin had no need to be cleansed, however He is also The High Priest in heaven, interceding on our behalf. The Lord required strict cleansing rituals of the people and the priests before any sacrifice so perhaps God required Jesus to be baptized keeping the laws. Jesus was after all without sin never having disobeyed the Law.

Answer 4

He only did what the Father told him.
Remember that this was the time that he began his ministry and when he was baptized the holy spirit descended on him. Maybe, he needed that empowerment before he left for the desert to be tempted for 40 days and begin his ministry.
Also, baptism is symbolic for our death, burial(immersion in water), and resurrection as a new creation in Christ. This would have been a prophetic act for Jesus since he was to literally die, be buried and rise again.
John certainly recognized the fact that Jesus did not need forgiveness of sins as Matthew records it.
Good question!

Answer 5

Jesus' baptism was not for repentance for sin because he was sinless. "We must do everything that is right" refers to accomplishing God's mission. Jesus saw his baptism as advancing God's work. Jesus was baptized because:
1. He was confessing sin on behalf of the nation , as Nehemiah, Ezra, Moses and Daniel had done.
2. He was showing support for what John was doing.
3. He was inaugurating his public ministry.
4. He was identifying with the penitent people of God, not with the critical Pharisees who were only watching.
Jesus, the perfect man, did not need baptism for sin, but he accepted baptism in obedient service to the Father, and God showed his approval.

Answer 6

Baptism in Ortodox Chruches ( I do not speak for others i don't know) is seen as a means to say
" I turn away from Satan and everything he stands for"
" I will follow the path of God and fight evil"
" I will try and reach the level of like God being all good."

That is what Baptism is....and you get a cross around your neck to represent the cross jesus was careing.
You symbolise this way that you also cary your cross...
to die...to be crucified by those who hate you....while loving them..and beging God to forgive them.
and then to be resurected in 3 days and live eternal.

That is the meaning of baptism in Christianity...and the first citations were the old testament meaning.
" Follow path of God"
" Battle evil"
" Try and become all Good"

If God himself is not in for that...then.....why are we?
So it is very logical Jesus did so.

Answer 7

Good question, the act of baptism is not what "saves" a person or cleanses them from sin. It is an outward manifestation/proclamation of an already existing inward reality; namely that a person has a right standing before God, cleansed of their sins through Christ. Anything Christ did was right and perfect by definition. We need not fully understand in our finite minds; just follow His example.

Answer 8

Nicean council has you all messed up into believing that Jesus' life is so much different than your own...this is the problem with organized religion...all of God's servants went through the vicissitudes of life...we read in the scriptures that he was tempted like the rest of us mere humans. Baptism is generally a purification ritual...what was he to be purified of...this is just one of the many contradictions of organized religion.

Answer 9

Jesus was sinless,He had many followers and He did this as a example to teach repentance.

Answer 10

Being baptized has NOTHING to do with being saved. Baptism is an OUTWARD expression in the life of a believer of an internal transformation; and is a public declaration to follow Christ.