A Question of Baptism (John 3:22-27)

John 3:22-27 ²² After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he spent some time there with them and baptized. ²³ John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim because water was abundant there; and people kept coming and were being baptized ²⁴ -- John, of course, had not yet been thrown into prison. ²⁵ Now a discussion about purification arose between John's disciples and a Jew. ²⁶ They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and all are going to him." ²⁷ John answered, "No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.

Both Jesus (through his disciples - apparently he didn't baptise anyone himself - John 4:1-3) and John are roaming around the countryside baptizing people who are professing their desire to turn from religion (full of rules and minutia) and turn towards the way of the Messiah.  Baptism was a rite of purification - the external symbol of what has happened inside the heart. 

But a question has come up... "Whose baptism is valid - which one makes us pure?"  John or Jesus? 

The question shows a misunderstanding of what happens in baptism... it isn't who baptizes you or if the technique is correct that matters. Baptism is an outward way of expressing what has been given from God.  What is important to God is that we express outwardly the transformation that is happening in our hearts, not who baptizes us or their technique. 

And yet, so many denominations stake a claim that one type of baptism is right and all the others are wrong.  Maybe like the man that confronts John's disciples, we've once again become concerned with the rules and minutia instead of what is happening in our hearts?  Baptism is a beautiful outward expression of the desire to turn to God and be transformed.