“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
January 9, 2022
Jesus commanded that we be baptized. Jesus began His public ministry with baptism. Jesus concluded His public ministry commanding baptism. (See Matthew 28:19.) Once a person is a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, that person is to be baptized by immersion, saying, “I belong to Jesus Christ. I’m not ashamed of Jesus Christ.”
You know why I wear a wedding ring? That ring shows that I belong to my wife. I’m a one-woman man. I belong to that girl, and I love her, and I’m not ashamed of her. When I go out of town, I don’t take the ring off. I belong to one lady.
In a similar way, baptism means you belong to Jesus Christ. You’re not ashamed of Jesus Christ. You want everybody to know. You are publicly buried in the likeness of His death and raised in the likeness of His resurrection.
Take time today to reflect on your baptism (or to respond to God if you have not yet been baptized). Consider how your baptism provides a picture of your death and resurrection in Jesus.
Discover the character of God through His many names revealed in Scripture. This month-long devotional invites you to read, reflect, and respond to the meaning of God's names, renewing your mind and transforming your heart in faith.