Jesus insisted on receiving baptism "to fulfill all righteousness." When he had been "born of water," and had come up out of that element, the Spirit of God came upon Him, and the voice of God was heard: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." This is the pattern. So likewise the repentant believer goes down into the water, with the one sent of God to baptize, and is buried therein and raised up again in the likeness of Christ's resurrection; he is thus born of the water, receiving the baptism appointed by the Lord; the remission of his sins comes from God through His Son Jesus Christ, and is given in baptism; he is cleansed and purified, his past sins are blotted out; he is like a newborn babe before his God, and is then prepared to receive the Holy Ghost, which "dwelleth not in unclean tabernacles," and which is imparted to the baptized believer by the laying on of hands by those having authority to officiate in this ordinance. As his body was enveloped in the waters of baptism, so his soul is enveloped in the Holy Ghost, and he is baptized with divine fire; he is "born of water and of the Spirit," and made a citizen of the kingdom of God. AUTHORITY TO BAPTIZE. [Sidenote: Called of God.] [Sidenote: Heb. 5: 4.] [Sidenote: Exod. 4: 14-16.] The Scriptures also teach that, for the ordinance to be effectual, it must be performed by one authorized to act in {153} the name of the Lord; for "no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." Aaron was called by the voice of God, through Moses. [Sidenote: Divine authority.] [Sidenote: Matt. 28: 19.] [Sidenote: Mark 3: 14.] [Sidenote: John 15: 16.] The Savior commanded His Apostles to "teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." But He had given them the divine commission to act in His name wheresoever He should send them: "He ordained twelve, that they should be with Him, and that he might send them forth to preach." The divine authority which they possessed was the source of their power. This fact He impressed upon them, saying: "ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you." If they had started out on their own authority without being chosen, God certainly would not have recognized ordinances performed by them in His name. [Sidenote: Imperfect baptism is not baptism.] [Sidenote: Acts 19: 11-16.] [Sidenote: Acts 19: 1-6.]