Key Verse:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
— Matthew 28:19 (ESV)
Lesson:
Today I had the honor of baptizing a sister in Christ—who also happens to be my sibling. This special moment reminded me of the importance of baptism and led me to reflect on its meaning and purpose for every believer.
Baptism is one of the most visible and meaningful acts of obedience for the follower of Christ. It is not a work that saves us—Scripture is clear that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8–9). Yet baptism has a vital purpose in the life of the believer.
When someone is baptized, they are publicly identifying with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3–4). The act of going under the water represents dying to sin, and being raised out of the water represents being raised to new life in Christ. In this way, baptism is a declaration: “I belong to Jesus. I am His.”
We are baptized not to earn salvation, but to obey the command of Jesus. In the Great Commission, He calls His disciples not only to teach, but also to baptize those who believe. Baptism is therefore an outward sign of an inward reality—our faith in Christ and our commitment to follow Him.
Just as a wedding ring does not make a marriage but symbolizes the covenant, baptism does not cause salvation but testifies to the covenant of grace God has made with us through Christ. It is a joyful proclamation before others that we have been united with Jesus and are now walking in newness of life.
Reflection:
- Have you been baptized as a believer in Christ? If so, reflect on what that moment meant in your walk with the Lord.
- If not, consider Jesus’s call to this step of obedience—not as a requirement to be saved, but as a way to testify publicly to your faith in Him.
Closing Prayer:
Father, thank You for saving me by Your grace and not by my works. Thank You for giving me new life in Christ. Help me to walk in obedience to You in every area of my life. May my baptism, and the remembrance of it, always remind me that I am Yours, and that I am called to live for Your glory. In Jesus’s name, Amen.