Matthew chapter 3 records the account of Jesus’ water baptism by John the Baptist:
13) Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
14) But John forbad him saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
15) And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness,”
The dulled reasoning of our clouded minds may well ask, “Why did the sinless Son of God need water baptism? He had no sins to repent of.” But when John declared his unworthiness to baptize Him, Jesus responded that John should do so in order to “fulfill all righteousness,” verse 15. How did Jesus fulfill all righteousness? He humbled Himself to identify with us and our need for water baptism. He is our Pattern Man. As He was in this world, so are we. In this one act of humbling Himself to the waters of baptism, He fulfilled all righteousness. Jesus demonstrated that humility fulfills all righteousness. When I walk humbly before the Lord, it puts me in right standing with Him. Jesus is our “Life Giver”. When we bring forth fruits of repentance, He replaces our Adamic nature with His glorious one. There is an amendment that takes place in our lives:- a change to our thinking, our health, a reformation takes place – a reforming of our lives.
Through the finished work of Jesus Christ at Calvary, salvation has opened heaven’s treasure store to us. 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 describes our calling: The “are-nots” of this world can become the recipients of the divine nature of Christ “That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. That according as it is written, He that glories, let him glory in the Lord.” (verses 29-31)
I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. He is my identity and this is where my security is, who I am in Christ. The world portrays many false and insecure identities. If I am trusting in what the world thinks of my home, car, finance, clothes, job, friends, social life – these are all identities built on wrong foundations that can change and crash at any given time. Jesus Christ is the eternal Rock of my salvation. In an ever changing world, He will never change. He is all my righteousness and I stand complete in Him.
(The book of Romans has many scriptures relating to the righteousness of Christ in the Believer. If you take a concordance and do a little Bible Study on “righteousness” in Romans, you will read again of our wonderful inheritance in the righteousness of Christ.)
Humility chooses to prefer others before oneself. It is not proud. It is long-suffering. It is not self-seeking. It is the very nature of the living Christ, choosing to please God before pleasing men.
1 Peter 5:5 “…God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.” So….when I walk in humility, God is pleased and gives more grace. It is the grace of God that upholds my life. God never pushes me over, but when I am in pride, He will resist me by removing His grace from my life if I do not repent, and I fall over. It is a miserable place to live without God’s grace. Thank God, that Jesus has made a way back to be reconciled with our Heavenly Father. It is a narrow gate and humbling to repentance is the key that releases the Door, Jesus Christ, our Life Giver, the Way back to “Our Father’s House”. Humility fulfills all righteousness and puts us back to right standing with our Father. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.