"To Jordan Came our Lord, the Christ" by Martin Luther, 1483-1546 Text From: EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN HYMN-BOOK (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1927), pp. 374-376 1. To Jordan came our Lord, the Christ, To do God's pleasure willing, And there was by Saint John baptized, All righteousness fulfilling; There did He consecrate a bath To wash away transgression And quench the bitterness of death By His own blood and Passion, He would a new life give us. 2. So hear ye all and well perceive What God doth call a Baptism And what a Christian should believe Who error shuns and schism: That we should water use the Lord Declareth is His pleasure, Not simple water, but the Word And Spirit without measure;- He is the true Baptizer. 3. To show us this, He hath His Word With signs and symbols given; On Jordan's banks was plainly heard The Father's voice from heaven: "This is My well-beloved Son, In whom My soul delighteth; Hear Him!" Yea, hear Him, every one, Whom He Himself inviteth; Hear and obey His teaching! 4. In tender manhood God the Son In Jordan's water standeth; The Holy Ghost from heaven's throne In dovelike form descendeth; That thus the truth be not denied, Nor should our faith e'er waver, That all three Persons do preside At Baptism's holy laver And dwell with the believer. 5. Thus Jesus His disciples sent: Go, teach ye every nation, That, lost in sin, they must repent And flee from condemnation. He that believes and is baptized Shall thereby have salvation, A new-born man he is in Christ, From death free and damnation, He shall inherit heaven. 6. Who in this mercy hath not faith Nor aught therein discerneth, Is yet in sin, condemned to death And fire that ever burneth; His holiness avails him not, Nor aught which he is doing; His inborn sin brings all to naught And maketh sure his ruin; Himself he cannot succor. 7. The eye of sense alone is dim And nothing sees but water; Faith sees Christ Jesus and in Him The Lamb ordained for slaughter; It sees the cleansing fountain, red With the dear blood of Jesus, Which from the sins, inherited From fallen Adam, frees us And from our own misdoings. _____________________________________________ Notes: Hymn #401 from Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-book Author: Martin Luther, 1543 Translated by: Richard Massie, a. ______________________________________________________________ This text was converted to ascii format for Project Wittenberg by Cindy A. Beesley and is in the public domain. You may freely distribute, copy or print this text. Please direct any comments or suggestions to: Rev. Robert E. Smith of the Walther Library at Concordia Theological Seminary. E-mail: CFWLibrary@CRF.CUIS.EDU Surface Mail: 6600 N. Clinton St.,Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 USA Phone: (219) 481-2123 Fax: (219) 481-2126 ______________________________________________________________