Have You Fulfilled All Righteousness?

Matthew 3:13–15 (NKJV):

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.

And John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?’

But Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he allowed Him.”

In this short exchange, Jesus uses two crucial phrases we must reflect on deeply:

“It is fitting for us”

“To fulfill all righteousness”

1) “It is fitting for us”

Jesus did not say,

“It is fitting for me to fulfill all righteousness,” but rather, “It is fitting for us.”

This distinction matters. Jesus includes others in the act of fulfilling righteousness not only Himself. He is laying a foundation for His followers, showing that righteousness is something we must all walk in, not just admire from afar. It is a shared call.

As believers, we are united with Christ (Romans 6:5), and therefore we must walk as He walked (1 John 2:6). If He submitted to baptism to fulfill righteousness, so must we. He is our example in all things (1 Peter 2:21).

2) To Fulfill All Righteousness

There is a difference between practicing righteousness and fulfilling all righteousness.

You fulfill righteousness when:

You believe in Jesus Christ (Romans 10:10)

You partake in the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:26)

You proclaim the gospel (Mark 16:15)

You live a holy life (1 Peter 1:15–16)

But all righteousness includes an essential act many overlook: baptism in water.

Even though Jesus was sinless (Hebrews 4:15), He still underwent water baptism not because He needed cleansing, but because it was the righteous thing to do in God’s redemptive plan. By doing so, He endorsed baptism as an act of obedience and alignment with God’s will (Luke 7:29–30). To refuse baptism is to reject the counsel of God.

So if Jesus, the sinless Son of God, chose baptism to fulfill all righteousness how much more should we?

Why Water Baptism Matters

In the New Testament, baptism is never presented as optional. It is commanded by Jesus (Matthew 28:19) and preached by the apostles as essential for salvation and identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.

Acts 2:38 (NKJV):

“Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'”

Romans 6:3–4 (NKJV):

“Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

Biblically, true baptism involves:

Full immersion in water, symbolizing burial and resurrection (Mark 1:9–10; John 3:23)

In the name of Jesus Christ, reflecting apostolic teaching (Acts 2:38; Acts 10:48; Acts 19:5)

Sprinkling or pouring does not reflect the biblical pattern. Jesus wasn’t sprinkled Scripture says, “He came up from the water.” John baptized in places where much water was available (John 3:23).

What If I Haven’t Been Baptized Properly?

This is a serious question. If you’ve never been baptized, or if your baptism doesn’t align with the biblical example (full immersion in the name of Jesus), and yet you have come to know the truth can you still be saved?

The sobering answer is: Not according to Scripture.

James 4:17 (NKJV):

“Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

God may show mercy to those who never had the chance to hear or understand the full truth (Acts 17:30). But once truth is revealed, we become accountable (Hebrews 10:26).

The Enemy’s Strategy

In these last days, Satan aims to keep believers from fulfilling all righteousness. He doesn’t mind if you do some things just as long as you don’t do everything. He wants people to settle for partial obedience because partial righteousness still leaves room for disobedience.

But Jesus is coming back for a blameless bride (Ephesians 5:27) a people who have embraced His full counsel, including repentance, faith, holiness, and baptism.

So now, the most important question remains: