16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16–20 (ESV)
What are the major components of the Lord’s Great Commission to His disciples? What right does Jesus have to command His followers to obey this commission? What promise is included in this commission? These questions are to be considered and answered in the next several days.
To begin with, what right did Jesus have to give a commission in the first place? Jesus provided the answer when He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Jesus then said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” To make disciples is not only for believers in Christ to urge the unconverted to become followers of Jesus. It also involves mature disciples instructing and teaching the recently converted in their new-found faith in Christ (Matt. 13:51-52).
Jesus’ next statement was, “…baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” The Lord referred to those who became disciples from, and belonging to, all nations. Baptizing (βαπτίζω; baptizo) is a present, active, plural participle. It means to immerse in or under water. It is to be continually done by the church. What does baptism signify?
The Westminster Confession of Faith explains, “Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible Church, but also to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, or his ingrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins, and of his giving up unto God, through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life: which sacrament is, by Christ’s own appointment, to be continued in his Church until the end of the world.”
“Baptism (βάπτισμα, baptisma) is the act of washing in water as part of a purification ritual. The rite of formal initiation into the Christian church through water. Regarded by many Christian groups as a sacrament (though some groups prefer the term ordinance). Though several allusions to baptism exist in the Old Testament, baptism is primarily a New Testament concept,” explains the Lexham Bible Dictionary.
First, baptism is a sacrament, rite or ritual observed by believers in Christ. In other words, baptism is an ordinance solely belonging to the church.
Second, baptism signifies admission into the universal church of Christ and is required for admission into the local church.
Third, baptism is a sign and seal of the Lord’s covenant of grace, regeneration, and forgiveness of sin by Christ alone through God given faith alone on the basis of God’s grace alone.
Fourth, baptism signifies what God has done in saving the sinner. It also represents what the Lord is currently doing in sanctifying the saint. The believer in Christ at baptism testifies of not only their personal faith in Christ, but also their desire to live for Christ.
Fifth, the church of Jesus Christ is to observe baptism until the Lord returns in power might and glory. Like the church’s other ordinance, the Lord’s Supper or Communion, it is to be continually practiced.
There is a rich and full biblical treatment regarding the symbol of water and the Holy Spirit. A full and complete treatment of the biblical symbol of water purification is not possible in this brief article. In a restricted sense in the life of the individual believer in Christ, baptism illustrates the following truths.
- The priority of repentance of sins and faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord prior to baptism.
- The forgiveness of sins.
- The initiation into Christian/Church fellowship.
- The giving and presence of the Holy Spirit.
Baptism is to be done in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This represents the three-fold nature of salvation: God the Father elected (Eph. 1:3-5), God the Son provided a substitutionary atonement (Eph. 1:6-12), and the Holy Spirit regenerates (John 3:1-8; Titus 3:1-5), spiritually baptizes (I Cor. 12:13), gifts (I Cor. 12:11), seals (Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30), and fills (Eph. 5:18).
“Christ enjoins that those who have submitted to the gospel, and professed to be his disciples, shall be baptized; partly that their baptism may be a pledge of eternal life before God, and partly that it may be an outward sign of faith before men. For we know that God testifies to us the grace of adoption by this sign, because he engrafts us into the body of his Son, so as to reckon us among his flock; and, therefore, not only our spiritual washing, by which he reconciles us to himself, but likewise our new righteousness, are represented by it.” – John Calvin
Soli deo Gloria!
His Word Today 