The Real Baptismal Font

Zechariah 13:1

How do you know I’m married? My ring proves it. If someone asks me if I’m married, I hold up my finger and say - “I’m married,” he understands. Also, how do you know I’m Singaporean? My red passport proves it. If an immigration officer asks what my citizenship is, I hold my passport and say - “this is my citizenship,” he understands. Now, the ring isn’t the marriage nor the passport my citizenship. But sometimes a symbol is so related to what it symbolizes, that what it symbolizes becomes its very name. Like baptism. There’s the symbol - water. It can be seen and felt. But you have what it symbolizes - the actual baptism where the Holy Spirit washes our sins when we believe. Now, if the actual baptism is spiritual cleansing; why’s the water ritual also called baptism? Because the ceremony is so closely related to what it signifies. In Mark 1:8; John the Baptizer says, “I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.” Both are called baptism, but only spiritual baptism saves. In the Old Testament, God promised to cut away sin inwardly; this was illustrated by circumcision. But the sign so closely symbolized the meaning, that circumcision itself was called the promise. God said in Genesis 17:10 - “This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.”

Lord’s Day 27 was written to correct the Catholic heresy of baptismal regeneration. Catholics teach that water baptism saves. Infants must be baptized, lest they die and can’t get to heaven. They believe this because the language confuses them. Water baptism is called baptism; so is the washing of sins. So they wrongly equate the two - “water baptism washes away sins!” But why does God use the same word for both? Because he’s always used symbols to teach and promise. And this symbol of water is ancient. In Zechariah 13:1, God said a fountain will be opened for sin. What’s this fountain? Is it a baptismal font? We examine this by asking 3 questions. Firstly, for what purpose was the fountain opened? Secondly, in which day was the fountain opened? And thirdly, for whom was the fountain opened?

Firstly, for what purpose was the fountain opened? The book of Zechariah answered an important question - how will sin be cleansed? God commanded his people to worship him alone but they worshiped idols, wealth, and served themselves. And since they sinned, they were punished! But the question was this - what’s the guarantee they wouldn’t be punished for their sins again? If the leopard can’t change its spots, nor the Ethiopian his skin - how can people accustomed to sinning, stop sinning? And if they don’t stop sinning, they’ll continue to be punished. What can wash away the problem of sin? Zechariah prophesied that one day, there’d be an answer to this problem of sin. Something will come to cleanse sin once for all. On that day, a fountain is opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and uncleanness. The Hebrew word for “sin” means to miss the mark, to do wrong, to descend the path of disobedience and rebellion in thought, word, and deed. And in the Old Testament, the way to obtain forgiveness of sin was by atonement and ceremonial cleansing. Blood was shed by killing animals to achieve the forgiveness of sin. Leviticus 17:11 says “it is blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” Blood was shed to atone for sin. The Hebrew word for “uncleanness” means an impurity to remove. For example, dirty diapers are thrown away. It’s unclean. Now, this word describes ceremonial impurity. There were things that could defile you ceremonially - if you touched a dead body, or blood, or you eat certain foods. And this uncleanness was purified by special water. Numbers 19:9 describes how special water would be sprinkled to purify unclean people. So blood sacrifice led to forgiveness and sprinkling of water led to cleansing.

The problem was this, how much blood and water would it take? If you don’t stop sinning, sacrifices are needed daily, weekly, monthly, yearly. And in actual fact, sin can’t really be atoned by animal sacrifices. Hebrews 10:4 says, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” Not even water. Hebrews 9:13 says the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean only ceremonially cleanses outwardly. They don’t actually wash away sins. So this tells us that blood atonement taught forgiveness and water taught cleansing. They were only symbolic. So what’s the real solution to remove sin and impurity truly and inwardly? The fountain was the answer. We learn “in that day there shall be a fountain opened.” The Hebrew word for “fountain” means to dig out. It could be a well, or a spring, or a fountain - a gushing fountain. It’s like an artesian aquifer - when you dig into it, the positive pressure causes it to gush out. The word “opened” has the idea of continuance - once it is opened, it will be perpetual. The purpose of this perennially flowing, and never drying up fountain is for the purification of sin and uncleanness. So to be clear, sacrifices and water ceremonies would be replaced by that fountain. But what was that fountain? Does this mean that a water fountain can now wash away sin truly and actually? We learn the answer in the next question.

Secondly, in which day was the fountain opened? The text clearly shows us that it will be opened in that day. Which day is that? When will this fountain for sin and iniquity be opened? To see which day that is, we need to check the context. When you write a letter, you date it. And here, we see a date. Zechariah 12:10 says, “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced…” God will pour out the spirit of grace on his people, and they will look upon him whom they have pierced. And immediately in Zechariah 13, we read that it is in that day, that God will open the fount of forgiveness. “They shall look upon me whom they have pierced.”

This was fulfilled at the crucifixion. John 19:34-37 – “But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, They shall look on him whom they pierced.” We see in the crucifixion how Christ fulfilled prophecy when he was pierced through. And the piercing caused blood and water to flow out of him. That’s when the fountain was opened.

And the crucifixion of Christ made an end to the necessity of continual sacrifices. His sacrifice on the cross was much better. You remember, the blood of bulls and goats and the sprinkling of water could only purify the outside; but Hebrews 9:14 says “the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, will purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Christ’s blood forgives us from sin; it cleanses us from inward uncleanness, it changes our souls. According to doctors, blood is the body’s cleansing agent. It takes oxygen and other supplies to your cells, and it removes waste and impurities from them. It literally cleans the filth from your body. But the only cleansing agent that can purify our souls from sin and uncleanness is the blood of Christ. Those who come to Jesus and ask him for cleansing will be cleansed of all sin, all guilt and moral failures, all sinful thoughts and words. No other atonement is needed. And this fountain of forgiveness and cleansing flows perpetually. 1 John 1:7 tells us that “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us (perpetually cleanses us) from all sin.” We’re told in 1 John 5:6 – that Jesus Christ “came by water and blood…not by water only, but by water and blood.”

For what purpose is the fountain opened? For a permanent solution to sin and uncleanness. When was it opened? When Jesus died on the cross. And that’s when he also gave his people the Holy Spirit to apply that washing. Titus 3:5-6 says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.” And this we see in Pentecost. The Holy Spirit was poured out to fill and wash his people. And we’re also told that when we have the Spirit of God, our bent to sinning will also be removed. Ezekiel 11:19-20 - “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh. That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.”

So here, even the Bible uses the illustration of a fountain of water to describe Christ’s death on the cross, which washes away sin by the Holy Spirit. That’s why Christ instituted water baptism to continue to teach that symbolism. The water doesn’t wash away sin - only the blood of Jesus Christ and the Spirit. As Q&A 72 answers whether this outward water washes inward sin by saying, “no, but only the blood of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit cleanse us from all sins.” So if animal blood sacrifices, sprinkling with special water, and water baptism doesn’t save, why does God use it? But God uses these symbols “to teach us that the blood and Spirit of Christ remove our sins just as water takes away dirt from the body. But, even more important, He wants to assure us by this divine pledge and sign that we are as truly cleansed from our sins spiritually as we are bodily washed with water.” As John the Baptizer said, “I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.”

And thirdly, for whom was the fountain opened? Our verse tells us that it was opened “to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” Now those two terms are used to show the extension of this cleansing. The house of David speaks of the royalty and ruling elite and the inhabitants of Jerusalem speak of common people. Both common and royal persons alike need cleansing. In other words - it’s for everyone - the Bible says that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. It’s for all who would come to the fountain. Your status doesn’t matter. In fact, the better or holier we perceive we are, the more in need of cleansing we are. Some people assume the pastor or the elder must be holier and therefore, their prayers are more effective. But we’re all sinful. In Zechariah 3:1, the prophet had a symbolic vision of a priest named Joshua. In verse 3, it says, “Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.” Wow, the priest himself was filthy! He was sinful! What was needed to be done to him? Verse 4 - “Take away the filthy garments from him. Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.” So all people need to be cleansed - those on the top and those at the bottom.

A story was told of how a man driving cross country was impressed by the beautiful orange trees that lined a highway. They were as big as grapefruits. So he stopped the car and picked a couple of them. When he got home, he cut into the oranges, having high hopes of enjoying them, but then found out why no one else had picked them. The flesh was grainy and pulpy and full of seeds. And the juice was more sour than lemon juice. He found out that these particular oranges were called ornamental oranges. They were very pretty to look at, but they were worthless as food. So those who are in high stations, who look respectable - but are inwardly still sinful - they are in need of cleansing. And all of us must acknowledge that - our bent to sinning, or need for cleansing.

But the fountain was also open to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. This speaks of God’s people comprehensively. But who are the inhabitants of Jerusalem? We know that Jerusalem is a way to speak of God’s covenant people. And we see this prophesied by God in Zechariah 8:1-6 - “Again the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, thus saith the Lord of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the Lord of hosts.” God foretold a time when his covenant people in his restored kingdom would be comprised of the young, the old, men, women, and also boys and girls. We must not forget that Zechariah 13 was written in this context.

The fountain would be open to all of God’s people. And this would also include children. Children can be saved. They can receive washing by Christ’s blood. They can believe. In fact, God has a special place for children in his kingdom. And this was reflected in Jesus’ ministry. He told his disciples to let the little children come to him. You see, even when Jesus was faced with the faithlessness of the people of Jerusalem, he demonstrated his compassion to children in Matthew 23:37 - “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” He would’ve saved their children. Jesus loves the little children of his people. That’s why the fountain is also open to them. Salvation is open to them. Cleansing is opened to them. And just like circumcision, water baptism symbolizes the washing they need. That’s why as a Reformed church, we baptize children, not because baptism saves - as the Catholics teach - but we baptize them because they’re part of Jerusalem; they’re God’s people. And so as it was with circumcision, baptism is God’s solemn promise to save worthy recipients. And who are those worthy recipients? Those that come by faith. Those who receive the promise and symbol of baptism by faith - those that are truly and inwardly baptized from their sins.

Q&A 74 says that “infants as well as adults belong to God’s covenant and congregation. Through Christ’s blood the redemption from sin and the Holy Spirit, who works faith, are promised to them no less than to adults. Therefore, by baptism, as sign of the covenant, they must be incorporated into the Christian church and distinguished from the children of unbelievers. This was done in the old covenant by circumcision, in place of which baptism was instituted in the new covenant.” Believers who have been washed must always be pointed back to their forgiveness. Each time they witness a baptism, they are to remember what Christ has done for them at the fountain. Children who’ve yet to confess are to be pointed to the forgiveness they will receive if they believe. And each time they witness a baptism, they are to be instructed to trust in Christ for true inward cleansing.

Friends, let me ask you - have you been cleansed from your sins by Christ’s blood? He offered himself a sacrifice - those who trust in him, shall be forgiven. Repent and be baptized - that is, be inwardly cleansed. And come and take the waters of baptism. Children of the church, you’ve been baptized because you’re God’s people. The water only washed your head. You must truly believe. God promises to save you when you believe.