Baptism represents the most important commitment we can make. It signifies
our willingness to surrender our lives fully and completely to our Creator,
putting to death our old self and rising from a watery grave to live
a new and transformed life.
Since this decision is such a major commitment, the Scriptures tell
us not to take it lightly.
Many people were attracted to Jesus and His teaching, and great multitudes
sometimes followed Him from place to place. Yet He pointedly challenged
them to consider their level of commitment.
"... Whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot
be My disciple," He said to one such crowd. "For which of
you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the
cost, whether he has enough to finish it-lest, after he has laid
the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock
him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'
"Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not
sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to
meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while
the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions
of peace" (Luke 14:27-32).
He used two examples to illustrate His point that we must count the
cost-recognize and acknowledge the consequences-of our commitment
to follow Him. First He used the example of someone starting an expensive
and time-consuming building project. He noted that no one should
begin such an endeavor without first determining that he can follow
through on that commitment to the end.
