Seeing the Gospel: The Significance of Baptism

When we gather as the church, we come to sing the gospel, speak the gospel, and see the gospel. One way we see the gospel is through the ordinances—visible, symbolic acts given by Jesus to His church to display His saving work. These are not just church traditions; they are gospel reenactments instituted by Christ, taught by the apostles, and practiced by the early church. We’ve already considered the Lord’s Supper. We return to this theme with a focus on the second ordinance: baptism. Our passage, Colossians 2:11–14, guides us in understanding why this visual proclamation of grace is so vital.

Baptism raises important questions: What is really happening when someone is baptized? Why immersion? What does it mean to witness someone else’ ...