Baptism

I got baptised again today. The first time was when I was five years old. I have been a Christian my whole life, but the journey has been rocky for me. I have never lost my faith, but it has been tested on a deep level my entire adult life. I mistook these tests and stumblings for a reason not to get baptized again. I think it is the same thought process some use to not accept Jesus or to go to church, specifically the thought that you are not worthy of these things. Other factors were involved but, in retrospect, that was part of my thinking. I also wanted to understand baptism, its origins in the old testament; I had read the whole Bible and could not find it as a ritual anywhere. It was like one day Jesus came upon John who was baptizing people and was just like "this guy gets it." and jumped in. Jesus did nothing not foretold though, so I was perplexed.

I looked up all instances of water in the old testament, and could not find it specifically, but did find something interesting. In Leviticus 15, the following phrase is repeated 12 times:

"must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening." One reference, specifically to the emission of semen, references washing the man but does not reference clothes, another reference on the same topic references clothes but not the man, the prescription is repeated 12 times though, with the evening mentioned in each.

Then Leviticus 17:15 reads "And every soul that eateth that which died of itself, or that which was torn with beasts, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even: then shall he be clean."

The key here is the last piece which was not repeated in the prior verses. "Then he will be clean."

Jesus always traveled with 12 disciples, as the 13th man. Also in Hebrew love (Ahava) and (Echad) one, as in unity, both have a value of 13. I believe all of these concepts tie together.

While all 13 verses prescribe washing with water (usually clothes and body), and they all reference no longer being unclean (at) evening, only the 13th references making you clean. I believe this is the primary segment in the Bible referenced for baptism. This also highlights various permutations, such as the 9th reference.

I saw this as the expression of God's love for us. It demonstrates that we are going to be unclean, quite regularly, and in fact not even by choice sometimes. God understands this, and is not looking for perfection or some grand display in most cases, just to clean up and come back (unity, of a kind), and quite quickly in most cases, I might add. Jesus later hinted at this through baptism, providing a marker amidst numerous commands and prescriptions for restitution, of where God's heart truly lies. It was never meant to be difficult, but it is complicated and so easily misunderstood. Baptism is therefore a one time promise to be clean, or return to being clean, at the earliest opportunity.

I'm sure there's more to it, there is much more online regarding the flood, the Exodus, etc., and how baptism is meant to be symbolic of these things, but I thought I might add what I learned from my own perspective, when I asked for wisdom in the area. I'm glad I did it, I feel clean clean as the sun is now setting.