Key Beliefs: Supporting Basic BeliefsНамуна

Baptism

John the Baptist is doing a new thing. It was common for Jews at that time to wash themselves before going to the synagogue, but having someone baptize someone else was new. John is preparing people for Jesus’ arrival. They need to know it’s not enough to be Jewish; there needs to be a heart change as well. Jesus shows the importance of baptism by being baptized Himself. He didn’t need to repent since He had no sin to wash away, but He wanted to show the importance of declaring yourself to be a follower of God. We should follow Jesus’ example.