Baptism on the brain

Adam Charles Hovey | 01/14/2025

I've got baptism on the mind, (there's a good reason for that, The Baptism of the Lord, and, just for fun, here's the readings for the same day in French; Le Baptême du Seigneur — Année C). (Before we get started, don't forget to check me out on Locals; Catholicism, news, and whatever commununity)
And while I've already addressed both baptismal regeneration and infant baptism, and whether or not the Bible says to only baptize those capable of those making a profession of faith, here,An overlooked passage on baptismal regeneration and infant baptism, and here, Something the Bible doesn't teach,
So, if baptism forgives sins (which I've already documented that it does), why would Jesus, who is without sins, need to be baptized?
Well, he DOESN'T need to be baptized. But consider this, John's baptism (or, I should say, the baptism from John, maybe that is a better description) was separate from the baptism of John.
“And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were you baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then Paul said, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came upon them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.” (John 19:1-6).
By the way, if you're convinced that “born again”, is some kind of interior conversion, and is divorced from the act of baptism, I think you should read this; Get born again
If you're curious WHY Jesus was baptized, the gospel readings in the links I provided toward the start of the article should be enough.
What's interesting, is in that link I sent you, in Luke 9:35, God the Father calls Jesus his “chosen Son” (Luke 9:35) but also, in Matthew 3:13-17, this is actually the revelation of the Holy Trinity (especially v. 16-17).
This makes sense that this would be recorded this way in Matthew, BECAUSE, Matthew is the one who tells us to baptize using the Trinitarian formula. (Matthew 28:19). And with that, this shows the sanctification of the water of baptism.
And, for those that think baptism is unimportant (for the record, I DO believe in invincible ignorance and baptism by blood, you'd have to contradict Christian history to deny baptism by blood), I leave you with this verse; “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned”. (Mark 16:16).