Jesus commanded His disciples to go and make disciples, teaching them to observe all that He had commanded them.

Today, I will review two important commands Jesus gave that are incorporated into the New Covenant and are meant to be taught to those who come to know Christ Jesus as Lord.

1. Repent, Believe in the Gospel & Follow Jesus

Mark 1:15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

We are meant to have an awakening of realization that leads us to see the futility of doing life on our own terms that leads us to change our minds and renounce the former things and those things that are of this world's value system in order to embrace the values of His kingdom.  In other words, we change our minds to agree with what Jesus says, believe in who He is and what He has done, and receive how it applies to us.

We are to let go of our own way of thinking and embrace the good news and way of the gospel and His kingdom.  This is the starting point for every disciple.  We are to look to Jesus, put all our trust and hope in Him, and walk by faith in Him.  We are expected to receive His mercy, grace, and love, which He offers so freely, with the aim of knowing Him more fully.

2. Be Baptized

Matthew 28:19 ………, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Acts 10:44  While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

If someone struggles with the idea of following Jesus in the obedience of being water baptized, how will they reckon the old man dead when it comes to other issues in the flesh?  Water baptism is like a first act of obedience to Christ.

Jesus Himself was water-baptized by John the Baptist.  This practice was so prevalent that when Philipp was joined to the chariot of the Ethiopian Eunuch and shared what Isaiah was saying concerning Jesus with him when the eunuch believed and then saw a little water, he asked to be baptized by Philipp.

Romans 6:3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so, we also should walk in newness of life.

I’m not saying water baptism saves a person, but just because it isn’t the means of salvation doesn’t diminish its significance in a disciple’s life.

These are just two of the seven commands Jesus gave to His first disciples. We know they stand because the disciples practiced them and because they were taught to new disciples in the New Covenant.