Salvation is an internal, personal commitment to follow Jesus and to continue to follow Jesus.
Salvation has an external, public expression through baptism to follow Jesus and through the Lord’s Supper (also known as Communion) to continue to follow Jesus.

Baptism

Romans 6:3-11 (NLT)

3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him.

9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

Notice the contrasts of old life and new life; death and resurrection. Baptism symbolizes a watery grave. As you are plunged beneath the water, you reenact your death to your old sinful life. When you are raised from that water, you are proclaiming your new life in Jesus Christ.

Baptism does not save you, but it is your first act of obedience after being saved. Therefore, baptism is an indicator of whether your salvation was an authentic receiving of Jesus as Savior and Lord (boss).
Baptism is an external, public symbol of an internal, personal commitment to follow Jesus—our justification.

• What do you remember about your baptismal experience?
• How do you feel when you see others baptized?
• How does your baptism give your assurance of your salvation today?

Communion—The Lord’s Supper

From His initial breaking of the bread and sharing of the wine, Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” After we are saved, we become followers of Jesus. Following is a continuous endeavor. Communion is a continuous symbol of our commitment to keep on following Jesus.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you.[a] Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” 26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.

The bread represents the broken body of Jesus while the wine His blood. He gave His life blood on the cross of Calvary to redeem (literally “buy back”) us from our slavery to sin.

As often as we partake of the Lord’s Supper, we are reminded of what Jesus did for us in salvation and we renew our submission to Jesus as Lord.

Communion is an external, public symbol of our internal, personal commitment to continue to follow Jesus—our sanctification.

  • In what settings have you received Communion? (types of worship styles, particular worship centers, places away from the church campus, etc)
  • Salvation is an initial turning to God; also a continual turning to God; and an ultimate turning to God. Christian theology has used three terms to describe the three aspects of our salvation: justification, sanctification, and glorification. How are these words helpful to you in understanding and explaining biblical faith?

    We are only baptized once to signify our initiation into salvation.
    We celebrated communion continuously as a reminder and a renewal of our covenant to continue to follow Jesus.