Many church goers assume that getting baptised will remove one's sin (all sin). Is this myth or reality? Let's think on this issue for this missive. Many believers assume that this is so! Repent at the moment of dunking and then all sin gets removed as the pastor lifts one from the water. But is this doctrine/ritual valid in real-time? Do believers actually change all their negative behavior/sin during (and after) this process (called baptism)? Is sin removed from one's inner spirit? How much? Let's review a few examples from real-time experience.
2. At my baptism (at age 32) my father (Martin) also chose to get baptised again after my baptism (this was his fourth time). Dad was baptised in Sweden at an early age, then twice by my cousin, Brynolf, (in his forties...on the farm in a cattle trough), and then a fourth time when I was baptised in Wisconsin Dells. My cousin, Brynolf, was a self-made preacher/pastor/farmer who viewed baptism as crucial for eliminating one's sin (all sin). He preached the typical forgiveness of sin (all sin) during this spiritual ritual. But what is real-time experience? Is sin actually removed (totally)?
In real-time, it appears that sin emerges again within all those believers who choose baptism. This means that their SIN is not fully removed as many pastor's proclaim. Sin is breaking the MORAL LAW (of the God of Israel). We also call this the Ten Commandments of God Almighty. Read these Commandments and you will discover that keeping these LAWS fully is totally IMPOSSIBLE. No human being can keep the MORAL LAW fully and completely. Baptism and repentance may help (to a degree) but FULL adherence to this LAW is impossible for any human being. What does this mean?
For me, this means that NONE (no human being on planet earth...now or past) can call themselves fully 'righteous' or 'free of all sin'. Abraham got called 'righteous' (in a relative way) and so did Noah, Job, and Moses. But none of these patriots were FULLY 'righteous' in real-time (continually). They were simply declared 'righteous' in a relative manner (compared to the many). King David was declared a sinner and also a righteous person (during select parts of his lifetime). Solomon also was partly righteous and partly a huge sinner. So who on planet Earth has experienced NO sin and/or has eliminated ALL sin? Paul of Tarsus had conflicting viewpoints on this issue of sin. This conflict in thinking is part of Paul's confused mindset! In one of his epistles he says everyone is a sinner (Romans 3:10) then he changes his viewpoint in the following text.
Did Yeshua/Jesus view himself as without ANY SIN (during his lifetime)? I don't think so! According to the Gospels, this Servant, Jew, Rabbi, Prophet, Messiah person did not view himself as totally righteous. Why? Because he did choose to get baptised by his cousin, John, in the Jordan River around the age of 27. His decision to get baptised was part of his repentance during/under the preaching of his cousin, John (the Baptist). John was preaching a message of REPENTANCE (for all Jews). Yeshua/Jesus (this Jew from Nazareth) chose to get baptised (by John) and this resulted in his epiphany after he emerged from his dunking (by cousin, John). Father God (Yahweh...the God of Israel) then chose this Jew (Yeshua/Jesus) for his later ministry (called preaching the Kingdom of his God). Mark 1:15.
Yes, every person on planet Earth (now or in the past) is classified as a 'sinner' to some degree. Nothing removes ALL SIN from any human being. We all are sinners for our entire lifetime (to some degree) and we all die as sinners (to some degree). My father, Martin, chose to get baptised FOUR times so as to remove ALL his sin. It did not work. But Dad tried anyway. His first baptism did not remove all his sin, then his second, third, and fourth were similar. Dad died a believer but he also died with some sin (within his spirit). Who can live on this planet WITHOUT any sin? My sense is NO-ONE! Romans 3: 10-12 is an accurate description of man's situation. None is FREE of all sin!
So how many times should I/You get baptised? My sense is that ONCE is sufficient. But after this ritual one must REPENT daily. There is no option that removes ALL sin from our inner spirit. This means that repentance is a good option (and this should be daily). Man's condition is such that NONE is free from sin and this means that repentance is wise and helpful (for our inner spirit) daily. I am guilty of not repenting daily but my sense is that I should do this. Clearing my mind from daily muck helps with clear thinking and a better outlook. This has been my experience. So repentance is a wise action IMO. I try to follow this concept!
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