Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit… (Matthew 28:19 NASB)
So then, those who had received His word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. (Acts 2:41 NASB)
On June 25, 2005, I placed a ring on the hand of my new bride as an outward, symbolic expression of an inward commitment that we made to each other before God and all our witnesses. This imagery helps us understand the symbolism and significance of baptism. Jesus’ command in the Great Commission to baptize all disciples in the name of God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) was designed to be an outward, symbolic expression of an inward commitment of faith in Jesus Christ. In the book of Acts, we see those who believe in Jesus are baptized in public as a way of saying, “I want everyone to know I am committed to Jesus.”
This helps us clear up two misunderstandings of baptism: 1) Over-significance — as a means to obtain salvation and 2) Under-significance-as something optional and unnecessary for believers. Baptism is perfectly significant because it is our public “ring exchange” with Jesus. So have you been baptized as a disciple of Jesus?
