Baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ?

All the time, I do it but that is not the point. Tcassidy's post makes your post unnecessary.

 

You and I have been agreeing with each other way too much today.

 

I gather what the initial poster meant by his questions is the conflict between pentecostal/apostolic churches which demand the words "in the name of Jesus..." be said v. the traditional protestant and evangelical churches which always (that I have heard) say "in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit..."

It's pleasing to see quite a few know that is not a formula, but an acknowledgement of authority. But I have found disagreement in Baptist churches, in which most members apparently will insist that FS&H must be said for it to be a valid baptism. The opposition, which I have only heard on media with very few exceptions, are in cultic assault mode when they talk about it... one said "I'll give you a hundred dollars if you can show me one place in scripture where a believer was baptized and the name Jesus wasn't said!"

Probably needless to say, "...in the name of Jesus..." most definitely is a formula to them-- a formula for healing, for changing the course of hurricane, for giving God any order as if he were Aladdin's genie and cannot refuse.

 

When we approach the issue of Baptism we have to keep in mind what Baptism means to the First Century Jew, and the Biblical usage both literal and figurative.


When we look at Acts 2:38 baptism signifies washing (cleansing), immersion, and identification. When Peter states that they must be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, it is not to say "If you are baptized you will receive remission of sins," it is to say "You will be identified with Jesus Christ through Whom Remission of Sins is obtained.

When John baptized...


Matthew 3
King James Version (KJV)

1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.


...those being baptized by John already had repentance, hence they confessed their sins.

But when those who had not repented came...


7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:


...he refused to baptize them, and rebuked them, and warned them of the judgment they sat under:


9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.


In view is eternal judgment. In v.8 he demands they go and do that which will evidence repentance, or in other words "...prove it!"

And He prophesies of The Baptizer, Jesus Christ:


11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.


To be Baptized with the Holy Ghost is to receive eternal redemption, to be baptized with fire is to receive eternal judgment. John defines these two baptisms in v.12.

Now, again, the primary point to take home is that baptism identifies the one baptized with the baptizer, or, in the case of Christ, The Baptizer. We see that John's disciples are identified with John:


Acts 19
King James Version (KJV)

1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.


These disciples were not yet believing on Jesus Christ, and Paul reminds them what their teacher had said, that they were to believe on Christ (Who would come after him).

This is not a matter like unto "Stop! in the name of the Law!" It is a matter of identification with the one they are baptized by, and here...they receive the Baptism with the Holy Ghost. It is the moment of their conversion from death unto life.

They knew there was a Holy Spirit, but The Holy Spirit in view here is the Promised Spirit Christ tells them they will receive not many days hence (Acts 1:4-5). which, He said, they had heard of Him (John 14).

The Children of Israel were identified with Moses:

1 Corinthians 10
King James Version (KJV)

1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;


And Peter is telling men, in answer to a question posed after he has preached the Gospel unto them...


Acts 2:38
King James Version (KJV)

38 Then Peter said unto them, 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.


...to be baptized in association with Jesus Christ, because remission of sins is identified with Jesus Christ, and...

...they will receive the Holy Ghost. Or in other words, they will be Baptized with the Holy Ghost, which is synonymous with being Baptized into Christ, because that is what happens at conversion, men are immersed into God.

What he is not saying is that men will receive remission of sins through a water baptism, any more than men received repentance by being baptized with John. The repentance precedes salvation, and salvation precedes water baptism, even as repentance preceded John's Baptism.

One more passage to show that it is the Gospel of Christ, and the Gospel of Christ alone that saves, and that it is only the Baptism with the Holy Ghost (whereby we are immersed into God in eternal union) gives eternal life, and, that repentance is granted by God in the Gift of salvation through Christ:


Acts 11:13-18
King James Version (KJV)

13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;

14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.

15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.

16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.

17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?

18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.


If you read the account of Cornelius in Acts 10, you will see that Cornelius was saved while Peter yet preached the Gospel. Here we see Peter make it clear Cornelius (and his household) were saved, and received the Promise Spirit...while he yet spake (the words by which they were saved, the Gospel of Jesus Christ). Cornelius was a just man, held in high regard by God, an Old Testament Saint prior to his conversion. He received salvation, which is the Gift of God, and he received repentance unto life.

That repentance was generated by God through the Gospel, not by Cornelius in response to a demand laid on them by Peter.

Unfortunately, there are those who wrest the Gospel of Christ and teach another, one which turns the Gospel into a fictitious set of demands one must accomplish in order to be saved.

So if we take this into consideration, the simple answer to the question of the OP is this: as Trinitarians, when we baptize, we baptize men into association with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Again, it is not so much a matter of authority (though that is true as well), it is a matter of identifying those baptized with God.


Matthew 28:19
King James Version (KJV)

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:


God bless.

 

In AOG/EFC/Baptist churches been membered in, I have never seen or heard water baptism other than in the name of the father/Son/and Spirit though!

 

The authority to water baptism is given to us By God, but is not that formula as stated to us by jesus himself?

 

Are you advocating here for the Apostolic church position?