“I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is finished! Do you think that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
Luke 12:49-53
Introduction
In a clear continuation of this theme we have seen from the Lord, we once again see the cost of following Him may very well be the relationships we hold most dear. But more profoundly, we see a glimpse into the reason for Christ’s coming in the first place. We certainly know that His coming was to show God’s glory (John 1:14) and to save all who would believe from their sins (John 3:16). But here we see another reason for His coming: to grant division rather than peace.
Not peace, but division
When the Lord says He did not come to grant peace, we can see from the context that this peace He is not granting is peace among mankind. This is made clear from the example He gives: a household will even be divided against itself. The smallest unit of human unity is divided by Christ.
Families are ordained by God to model His own love. Husbands, for instance, are commanded to love their wives as Christ loves the Church (Ephesias 5:25). Children are commanded to honor their parents, obeying them as we are to obey God (Ephesians 6:1). This is a good thing! But a family made up of members who do not choose to honor God will inevitably be divided when sin comes to bear. This is made most obvious when unbelieving family members are called to repentance.
A baptism to undergo
But Christ did come to grant peace. A peace between God and mankind (Romans 5:1). He did this by adopting sin onto His sinless body (1 Peter 2:24). When we undergo baptism in water, we approach with our sins and are submerged under the water. In this act, we are buried with Christ; after which we are drawn out of the water, being raised with Him in unity of life (Colossians 2:12). This outward act of baptism reflects the work which the Holy Spirit performs in our hearts, not by means of water, but by means of His power (1 Peter 3:21; Colossians 2:11). Baptism, therefore unites us to Christ.
He, too, underwent a baptism. But His baptism is the one which unites Him to us. He took the sins of all who would believe and accepted the just punishment for them, which is death (Romans 6:23). Being submerged into the heart of the earth, He was drawn out by the power of God, being made the first of many to be resurrected (Colossians 1:18).
If you are not yet baptized, then seek a baptism as the first act of obedience in your walk with Christ. The Spirit will continue to sanctify you and make you more like Him.
May the Lord bless you and conform you into the image of His Son.
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