FOLLOWING JESUS IN WATER BAPTISM 

A common reason given by those who still practice the Jewish ritual of water Baptism today is that they are following the Lord's example in Water Baptism 

Yet, this people cannot be water Baptized for the same reasons for which Jesus was water Baptized 

Water Baptism part of the Kingdom Gospel preached by the 12 Apostles and John the Baptist to ISRAEL 

Repentance and water Baptism was necessary for the remission of sins inorder to enter into the Kingdom of heaven on earth ( Mark 1:4)

The Lord Jesus however DID NOT have any sins to be remitted being the sinless Son of God (Hebrews 4:15).

John the Baptist hesitated to Baptize Jesus knowing that he had no sin but Jesus insisted that he should be water Baptized to fulfill all righteousness

Matthew 3:14-15 

 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

What does to "fulfill all righteousness" mean ?

He was water Baptized to fulfill the Righteousness of the law and the prophets 

Jesus did not come to destroy the promises, prophets, and laws given to Israel. 

He was not setting a new pattern with his water baptism, but fulfilling an old one.

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” – Matt 5:17

Washings with water were required for many different people at different times with different purposes under the law.

 If someone failed to do them, they would be guilty of breaking the law.

One particular law that was being invoked by John was the washing requirement for all priests.

John was preaching the kingdom come and in the kingdom the entire nation of Israel was to be priests unto the Lord (Exo 19:6, Isa 61:6).

Jesus kept the law perfectly, and as such submitted himself to the required ordinances to fulfill all righteousness.

Few prophecies spoke of the messenger coming before the Lord to prepare his way.

“As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” – Mark 1:2-3 (quoting Mal 4:1 and Isa 40:3)

John the Baptist was that messenger, and Jesus was the prophesied Lord.

God told John a prophecy that he would be able to identify the Messiah through his water baptism.

“And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.” – John 1:31-33

If Jesus did not fulfil what was spoken of him then the prophecies would be false, the message of John the Baptist a lie, and God would be unrighteous.

Jesus came to fufill the prophets and he fulfilled multiple prophecies by being water baptized of John.

Jesus was water baptized to justify John’s message.

John the Baptist preached the kingdom was at hand. Those that heard his preaching and justified God’s word to him were water baptized of him (just as they justified God in Jesus’ ministry).

“And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.” – Luke 7:29

By being baptized of John, Jesus was saying, “John’s teachings are truly from God”.

In order to align himself with God’s prophet and his message, Jesus needed to be water baptized of John.

Multiple times in Jesus’ time on earth God spoke from heaven and testified that Jesus was His Son (John 12:28, Mat 17:5).

Jesus knew that he was the Son of God (Luke 2:49), and that his water baptism would identify him as such to Israel.

 Therefore, Jesus insisted to John that he be water baptized of him.

When he came up out of the water the Spirit of God descended on him and God spoke for everyone to hear.

John later would preach this event as proof that he was the Messiah.

“And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him… And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.” – John 1:32-34.

Jesus was not water baptized to institute a new ordinance. Water baptism was an old tradition.

He was water baptized to fulfill righteousness of the law and the prophets and to show that was the prophesied Messiah, the Son of God.

If you want to follow the Lord in Baptism today,it is not by his water Baptism under the law in Matthew-John 

In this Dispensation of Grace there is ONE BAPTISM for the church the Body of Christ as Paul clearly said in Ephesians 4:5 which takes place when we trust Christ's atoning shed blood, death burial and resurrection for our sins(1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

This ONE BAPTISM is baptism by the Spirit into Christ's Body which identifies us with Christ's crucifixion,death burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 12:13, Romans 6;3-4, Colossians 2:11-13, Galatians 3:27)