The
Truth about Water Baptism in Jesus Name
INTRODUCTION:
Every individual that comes to Jesus, being drawn by the Spirit, will want to
be baptized. And in fact, to obtain full salvation, will need to be baptized
in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).
Jesus commanded baptism (Matthew 28:19) and said, "If ye love me, keep
my commandments" (John 14:15).
However, before baptism the baptismal candidate should be thoroughly repentant
and believe with all his heart that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (Acts
2:38, 8:37). The act of being immersed in water in the name of Jesus will not
in itself bring about the remission of sins. Repentance and baptism in Jesus'
name are required. A sinner who has no intention of turning from his life of
sin will not be profited by the act of baptism.
Not until a sinner fully repents and believes that God has forgiven him, should
he submit himself for baptism in the name of Jesus, by a duly authorized minister.
However, failure to do so when he fulfills these requirements will put him in
disobedience to the gospel of Christ and will inhibit spiritual development.
PURPOSE OF BAPTISM:
Baptism is an act of obedience to God by a person who believes in the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ. The obedience is in order to receive remission of
repented sins (Acts 2:38). In answer to a good conscience before God baptism
does also now save us through the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ
(I Peter 3:21). Baptism is a type of putting on or being clothed with Christ
(Galatians 3:27).
By baptism a believer expresses his divorcement from his old sinful life and
identifies himself as desiring to live a new life for Jesus. His previous life
of sin is actually buried with Christ in baptism (Romans 6:4).
PROPER MODE OF BAPTISM:
Sprinkling, pouring, and immersion are modes of baptism practiced today. Ephesians
4:5 states, "One Lord, one faith, ONE baptism." Therefore we believe
there exists but one correct mode of baptism. That would be the one employed
by Jesus and His disciples.
Two scripture references let us know what that mode is. "And Jesus, when
He was baptized went up straightway out of the water. . ." (Matthew 3:16).
Acts 8:38, 39, in reference to Philip baptizing the eunuch, says, ". .
.And when they were come up out of the water. . . ." Went up straightway
out of and come up out of strongly implies that baptism is properly administered
by immersion in water. Paul's reference to baptism as a burial with Christ (Romans
6:4) supports this position. Study of the Greek word baptizo, from which baptism
comes, gives conclusive evidence that immersion in water is the proper mode.
Baptizo means to dip, plunge, or immerse.
SCRIPTURAL FORMULA FOR BAPTISM:
Jesus commanded His remaining eleven Apostles, in Matthew 28:19, to baptize.
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them. . ." He spoke
to men whose understanding had been opened to the scriptures (Luke 24:45). His
words obviously captivated them. They were witnesses to His death, burial and
resurrection. They were soon to witness His ascension. They knew He possessed
the words of eternal life and they would not forget these.
He charged them previously, "If ye love me, keep my commandments"
(John 14:15). Doubting Thomas, upon seeing the nail prints in His hand and the
wound in His side, had already made the confession, "My Lord and my God"
(John 20:28). The disciples knew He was God manifested in flesh, they did love
Him, and they would not fail to keep this commandment.
On the momentous day of Pentecost, recorded in Acts the second chapter, we read
for the first time they obeyed this command to baptize. They had all just been
filled with the Holy Spirit of God and spake in other tongues as this Spirit
gave the utterance (Acts 2:4). Peter had stood with the eleven and preached
a message of Jesus the Christ and Him crucified. Jews and proselytes, gathered
in Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost, changed from mockers to inquirers.
Pricked in their hearts from Peter's message, they asked what they should do
to be saved. Peter, the logical spokesman due to the fact Jesus gave him the
keys to the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 16:19), issued this reply, "Repent,
and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission
of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (the Spirit of God
the Apostles received)."
Peter exercised his God-given authority. The other eleven Apostles stood in
silent agreement with him. The people were receptive, "Then they that gladly
received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them
about three thousand souls" (Acts 2:41).
At first glance this might seem to be a contradiction of what Jesus commanded
them in Matthew 28:19, as to the formula for baptism (words said over a baptismal
candidate as they are immersed). Knowing that all scripture is inspired of God
(II Timothy 3:16) and therefore there can be no contradiction in scripture,
we must analyze these two verses a little closer. In doing so we will find that
Acts 2:38 is not in contradiction to but is the application of Matthew 28:19.
First let us observe what the Lord Jesus commanded, ". . .baptizing them
in THE NAME of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." The
command is to baptize in THE NAME (singular) of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost. In Peter's reply as to what should be done he said,".
. .be baptized in THE NAME of Jesus Christ. . . ." In order for these to
agree, and since they are both contained in the Word of God, they must, THE
NAME of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost must be THE NAME of
Jesus Christ.
Scripture confirms this. "She shall bring forth a son, and thou Shalt call
his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matthew
1:21). Matthew 1:25 adds, "...and he called his name JESUS." The Son,
spoken of in Matthew 28:19 conceived by the virgin Mary of the Holy Ghost, received
the name Jesus. This same Jesus states, "I am come in my Father's name.
. ." (John 5:43). Jesus inherited His Father's name just like you and I
inherit our father's name (Hebrews 1:4). The Holy Ghost comes in the same name,
as Jesus speaking in John 14:26, denotes, "But the Comforter, which is
the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name. . . ." THE NAME of
the Father is Jesus, THE NAME of the Son is Jesus, and THE NAME of the Holy
Ghost is Jesus.
The Word of God again holds true; there is no contradiction. Father, Son and
Holy Ghost are titles of one God whose name is Jesus. Peter and the rest of
the Apostles knew that. Therefore, Peter gave the formula he did, and the rest
of the Apostles stood in agreement with him.
Thus, on the day of Pentecost three thousand souls took on the name of Jesus
in baptism. The name that Peter declared in Acts 4:12 was the only name given
under heaven among men, whereby we must be saved. Philip invoked the same name
in baptizing the Samaritans in Acts 8, ". . .only they were baptized in
the name of the Lord Jesus." Peter continued the pattern in Acts 10:48.
He commanded a gentile household that had already received the Holy Ghost to
be baptized in the name of the Lord. The word command takes on special significance
here considering it was delivered to an Italian army officer. To him, disobedience
to a command demanded severe consequences.
In Acts 19:1-7 we read of twelve men in Ephesus who lacked the gift of the Holy
Ghost. Learning they had not received the Holy Spirit, Paul, the Apostle born
out of due season (I Corinthians 15:8), immediately inquired of them unto what
they were baptized. Since they were baptized only unto John the Baptist's baptism,
a baptism unto repentance, Paul explained that they were to believe on the One
who came after John, Christ Jesus. When they heard this they were baptized in
the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Paul laid hands on them and they received the
Holy Ghost. This Bible narrative depicts to us two important points about baptism:
(1) If a person has not received the Holy Ghost it may be because he has not
yet been baptized in Jesus' name; (2) If a person had been previously baptized
but not in Jesus' name, Paul rebaptized him in the name of Jesus.
Paul was a strong believer in the name of the Lord. He learned the name of the
Lord in an unforgettable experience that transpired in his life on the road
to Damascus. "And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly
there shined round about him a light from heaven: and he fell to the earth,
and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And
he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
. ." (Acts 9:3-5). Paul, formerly a persecutor of the Christians, became
a Christian. He speaks of calling on the name of the Lord at his own personal
baptism, in Acts 22:16.
Some other references signifying the formula for baptism to be in the name of
the Lord Jesus are: ". . .baptized into Jesus Christ. . ." (Romans
6:3); ". . .but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified
in the name of the Lord Jesus" (I Corinthians 6:11); "And whatsoever
ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to
God and the Father by him" (Colossians 3:17).
Reference books further support the fact that the early church used the form
in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ as their formula for baptism. "The
original form of words were 'into the name of Jesus Christ or Lord Jesus.' Baptism
into the trinity was a later development," Dictionary of the Bible by Scribners,
page 241, vol. I. "The early church always baptized in the name of the
Lord Jesus until the development of the trinity," Canney Encyclopedia,
page 53. The doctrine of the trinity was officially adopted by the Catholic
Church in 325 A.D. approximately three hundred years after the beginning of
the church.
CONCLUSION:
Jesus commanded baptism. The disciples and the early church obeyed His command
and commanded it to others. The Holy Bible, delivered unto us by the hand of
the Lord, commands it Therefore, it is the responsibility of every individual
seeking full salvation to be baptized, using the proper Biblical mode and formula.
The Bible contains no record of anyone being baptized any other way than by
immersion in water (mode), in the name of the Lord Jesus (formula) We therefore
conclude that baptizing in the titles using the words "in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" is a tradition instituted
by men. Jesus' command in Matthew 28:19 is not being obeyed by using the titles;
it is only being repeated. Peter and the rest of the Apostles were in obedience
to God on the day of Pentecost in stating that baptism should be administered
in the name of Jesus.
Salvation comes only by the grace of God. It is only by His grace that we can
repent and be baptized in Jesus' name for the remission of our sins. It is our
privilege and our honor to be buried with Christ in baptism in answer to a good
conscience toward God. By our act of obedience in baptism, in the name of Jesus
Christ, we receive the promise of the gift of the Holy Ghost. All who have repented
should be baptized in the name of Jesus even if they have already received the
Holy Spirit (Acts 10:44-48). God commanded it. Every true believer will do his
best to obey the commands of God. He would let nothing hinder him.
Apostolische
Pfingstgemeinde (UPC)
Friedelsheimer Str. 14-20
68199 Mannheim
Germany
http://www.v-p-m.de
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