Thanks for the reply. I think church history (of course it is up for grabs) says they baptized in Jesus' name until the second century. And then the church at Rome changed it to what is common today. It's worth searching out.
After you have spent a little time on this forum you may see that too much preoccupation with Church History can have adverse effect, lol.
I spend very little time looking at how God worked through the Saints of the past, and try to focus on how He would work through me.
Baptism of the Holy Spirit happened at Pentecost and is now part of the New Birth.
I would suggest to you that the Baptism with the Holy Ghost is in fact the reason for the New Birth, which was not taking place prior to Pentecost.
It was the Promise of God:
Ezekiel 36:24-27
King James Version (KJV)
24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Men are born again by the Gospel and the Resurrection (or in other words through the Work of Christ):
1 Peter 1:2-3; 20-23
King James Version (KJV)
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
Ephesians 5:25-27;
King James Version (KJV)
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
The new creature is a result of our Reconciliation with God, which is itself a result of the Atonement:
2 Corinthians 5:17-19
King James Version (KJV)
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
The Ministry of the Comforter is unique to this Age, and was not taking place prior to the coming of the Promised Spirit.
So as not to make this too long, I would just make one point that I would ask you to consider:
John 14:15-18
King James Version (KJV)
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
John 14:20-23
King James Version (KJV)
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Here is the question: can a man be born again apart from the Eternal Indwelling of God? Apart from Atonement? Apart from...
...believing on the Name of Jesus Christ?
If we say that men were "born again" in the Old Testament based on faith in a coming Messiah, should we not then stop evangelizing Jews who, though they reject Jesus Christ, await the coming of the Messiah?
The Gospel of Christ was a Mystery, not revealed in the Ages past, but is now revealed to men by the Spirit that was sent:
1 Peter 1:10-12
King James Version (KJV)
10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
All throughout the New Testament we see the distinction drawn between what is happening now and what took place prior to the Coming of Christ and the Comforter. One more passage:
John 1:11-13
King James Version (KJV)
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Regeneration began when Christ came, and not before. Christ came to give eternal life to as many as would believe on His Name.
So give it a little consideration, and be glad to discuss this with you.
Continued...