All of my life I had heard the expression: “died in the wool,” meaning that something was so grounded, so rooted, so fixed in a certain condition that it could not be changed. For example, “He is a died in the wool democrat” or a “died in the wool ____________(name a church).” I knew what the expression meant but did not understand upon what it was based.

Many years later I would learn that “died in the wool” had deep spiritual roots. It involved the act of Christian baptism and its connection to the dying of sheep’s wool. During a visit to Israel in the 1970’s I had the privilege of preaching a baptismal service at the Jordan River. The crux of my message involved how the dying of sheep’s wool and water baptism came to be connected. Over the years as professing Christendom has grown farther and farther away from God, the meaning of true baptism has become more significant to me. My heart breaks as I observe what is happening in the name of the Biblical God. One day God will send a messenger to face the leaders of the Satan-controlled Catholic/Protestant Church System. He will give His messenger the privilege of informing them of the damage they and those from whom they received their various perverted gospels have done to the lives of millions of salvation seekers. Jesus speaks directly to them in Matthew 7:23, 15:9 and 19:17, Luke 6:46 and John 14:15, 23 and 15:10. Please read those Words of the Master Himself before continuing.

Anciently, sheep’s wool was used for a variety of purposes. Most sheep were white, with some having brown spots. Most people wanted their clothing and other items made of fabric to be colored. The making of fabric out of sheep’s wool was an arduous, time-consuming process. Many hours of hard work went into the process, making the articles produced (clothing, etc.) very expensive if one did not make his own fabric. The color had to maintain its depth over many years of daily use. In many cases the item would be handed down from one generation to the next. This made the coloring process very important.

Along with being long-lasting, wool has another important characteristic. Wool’s texture is such that the color penetrates the individual hairs through and through so that it does not change over time. “Died in the wool” meant that whatever color the fabric had absorbed, it remained that color throughout the life of the article. After gaining this understanding, the saying made sense. It also explained how it perfectly applied to the act of spiritual baptism–once having our PAST sins “washed away” (Rom. 3:25). Baptism symbolizes the fact that there must be no change in one’s new spiritual “color”–no “fading” or “changing” of one’s spiritual condition (holiness). “Sinners saved by grace” openly declare their right to change from saint to sinner to saint to sinner at will from baptism to death. Jesus, they declare, died to make sinning a normal part of the “Christian walk.” Jesus says otherwise.

During the dying process the wool was placed in a vat of whatever color the dye master wanted the wool to PERMANENTLY absorb. The wool was then forced beneath the surface and made to remain there for an extended period of time. Later, having been dyed through and through, the colored wool was placed on a drying rack. Once dry, it was then made into thread–another arduous, time-consuming process. The threads were then intertwined in such a way as to create fabric–another arduous, time-consuming process, one I have had the privilege of witnessing. My hat was off to those who, even in the 1970’s, were still making fabric the old fashion way. These people were living as their ancestors had hundreds of years earlier. That experience gave me a greater appreciation for modern conveniences. Now let us view the wool-dying process and baptism from spiritual perspective. As you will see, the two go hand-in-hand IF, that is, the “dye” is allowed to perform its designed purpose–the changing of the “fabric” totally and permanently.

We will begin with the first mention of baptism found in the Holy Bible. In Matthew 3:1-12 we find laid out for us exactly what true, Christian baptism means. Here we find John the Baptizer preaching in the wilderness of Judea. Notice the primary subject of his message: “REPENT.” Having been told by the Lord God in His Holy Scriptures that he would be baptizing people in preparation of the arrival of His (God’s) Son (see Mk. 1:2-11), John’s message was to “REPENT” and to “PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD” BY MAKING A STRAIGHT PATH BETWEEN THE PEOPLE AND THE COMING MESSIAH, ALLOWING NOTHING TO ALTER THE BELIEVER’S FUTURE WALK. John had been told by God that His (God’s) Son would come to him for baptism (Jn. 1:-34). When he saw the dove come down from heaven and light on Jesus he knew that his (John’s) cousin–Jesus of Nazareth–was the promised messiah (vs 33). John’s words concerning Jesus (vs 29-33) had been spoken to Him by God through the Holy Spirit before Christ’s arrival at the Jordan River.

Note that John’s words contained four important subjects : “REPENT,” PREPARE,” “FRUITS” and HOLY SPIRIT.” These words determine whether one’s baptism will serve its designed purpose or be nothing more than a meaningless ritual. Let us study Matthew 3 with our hearts intent on learning the Truth about this vitally important part of the salvation process. Read The Process of Salvation. Key Word–Process. Let us return to Matthew 3.

John’s words to the masses of people who had come to be baptized outline the meaning of true baptism by emersion–not sprinkling. Notice John’s first recorded word to them–“REPENT” (vs 2). Why? “For the Kingdom of Heaven (symbolized by the church) is at hand.” Repent of what? Verse six tells us: “sins.” What constituted sin during John’s day? The transgressing of the Law. If Jesus was going to do away with the Ten Commandments, why have people who would become His disciples repent of breaking it? Why did the One who told John how to identify His Messiah not tell him that the Law would die with Him? Note that Jesus never mentioned the demise of God’s Law. What was “nailed to the cross” was “the (Mosiac) handwriting of ordinances” concerning animal sacrifice and certain rituals that Moses had written on a scroll (“book”) and placed BESIDE the ark containing the Ten Commandments.

An important lesson is taught in verses 7,8. Here we find many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized. Note John’s words to them. He called them “vipers” upon whom God’s wrath would fall. Why? Because of their lack of good fruits–holiness, righteousness, godliness, meaning obedience to God’s Law. These people were not spiritually PREPARED to obey the Law of God. Therefore they were not open to receiving the Holy Spirit which would empower them to obey the Law. John’s baptism did not deliver the Holy Spirit to those whom he was baptizing. It did, however, prepare them receive it upon embracing the true Gospel of God–the Good News of the Kingdom of God which was the Gospel preached by Christ Himself (Mk. 1:1,15). Read John’s Baptism. Key word–John’s. L.J.