Into the name

We are baptized, Jesus said, into the “name” of the Triune God. John says that we also “believe into the name” (1 John 5:13). Among other things, baptism is a road sign pointing faith in the right direction, toward the “name” of God. As such, baptism’s efficacy continues beyond the moment of baptism, persistently signalling that our trust must be directed to the name.

This is the genius of infant baptism: The signpost is given before faith is matured, and as faith matures baptism is always already there to nudge it in the right direction.