A Symbol of Commitment

“This is like baptism to us. Baptism does not mean we wash our bodies clean. It means we are saved from the punishment of sin and go to God in prayer with a heart that says we are right. This can be done because Christ was raised from the dead.” - 1 Peter 3:21 
 
 
Why did Jesus have John the Baptist baptize Him? John, an imperfect human like the rest of us, was going to baptize the only perfect being that ever walked the face of the earth. But why? 
 
As a kid, I was so confused about baptism. I wanted to get baptized because I honestly thought the water washed away my sin. I had this belief that if I got baptized I would go to heaven. It just felt like something I was supposed to do. I didn’t grow up in church, so my neighbor invited me to church, and I saw people get baptized. And so in third grade, I got baptized, even though I didn’t understand what it meant.  
 
When you understand baptism as an illustration, you learn that it is meant to tell a story. It is very similar to a wedding band. When you get married, you wear a wedding band on your left hand. It is a reminder that you are in a living, breathing, real, relevant relationship with your spouse. 
 
I wear a wedding band not because I’m hanging out with people and I just need to let everybody know I am taken (nobody’s looking at me asking themselves this question anyway). Instead, it is a symbol. 
 
If you take your rings off, are you still married? Yes, of course you are! But the ring is a statement of your commitment to your spouse. That is what baptism is. When you choose to get baptized, it is a statement, an illustration that something took place internally, and you are fully committed to following Christ.  
 
Have you committed to fully giving your life to Christ? If not, baptism will not wipe your sins clean. It is not how you get to heaven. That can only come from repentance and accepting that Jesus’ death is what allows you to have a personal relationship with the Father. Once you have made that choice, baptism is the ultimate symbol of your commitment to Christ. Show everyone that you are His child and you are choosing to follow Him!