The writers of Matthew 28 and 1 Peter 3 reveal that baptism is not merely a ritual but a command from Christ and a public naming ceremony in which individuals profess repentance and trust in Christ, and during which God publicly affirms His love and commitment for the repentant sinner. Baptism is an essential mark of discipleship, an outward picture of the inward cleansing, and an ordinance in which we receive the family name of God with all the rights and privileges that come with that name.