“Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Mt3.15 ESV
This famous reply of Christ to the Baptist, explains why the perfect Son of God had asked to undergo a baptism of repentance. So why would a sinless person do something designed for sinners. Well, for one thing, Christ is doing perfectly on our behalf, what our feeble efforts are unable to do. Even our tears of repentance need to be washed in His blood. Christ not only atones for our sins, He accomplishes with perfection all that God requires of us. It is both His death and perfect life that are needed for us to be made right with God.
But Christ is also teaching us, like the “us” in the verse above, that there are some things that we can do for others that they perhaps are not doing for themselves. It came as a surprise to me the first time I realized that the plurals in the Lord’s Prayer, “us” and “our” meant that when I prayed, “Forgive “us, our” trespasses,” I was able not only to ask forgiveness for myself but for others, perhaps when they have failed to ask it for themselves. I can ask for protection and daily bread not only for myself but also for people who are not looking to God for these things. In this way, we become little priest whose service for others is perfectly expressed in Jesus who is our High Priest. 2/14/2008 ts
Just me trying to be honest with God.
