"Baptized
Into The Name Of ..."
Among the
last words uttered by Jesus prior to His ascension were, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you
alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen”
(Matt. 28:19-20).
Baptism is a
unique command. So far as revelation goes, it is the only
act ever authorized to be done in the name of the Godhead,
the three sacred deified Beings. Baptism in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is
without question important, else why would Deity be so
uniquely linked with it? Why would the Lord have put the
divine seal of the Holy Trinity upon this one act? There
are obvious and clear scriptural grounds for it.
Baptism is
predicated upon faith in God, faith in Christ, sincere
repentance from a worldly life of sin. To be baptized is
really nothing without faith in God Almighty and His Son,
Jesus Christ. It is faith that pleases God (Heb. 11:6) and
satisfies the demands of Jesus (John 8:24) that causes one
to be baptized. One wonders why the majority of the
religious world balk at such a simple act of faith. The
denominational world regards baptism as an option, “an
outward sign of an inward grace,” or as initiation into
some church, but in no way essential to salvation from
sin. Something that puts one into a right relationship
with Deity is so lightly regarded by those who profess
such deep reverence and piety for the Almighty. That is
strange.
The late J.W.
McGarvey wrote,
“The name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
means the combined authority of all manifestations of
God. To be baptized into this is to be brought by
baptism into actual subjection to it. He that is
baptized is brought into subjection, by that act, to the
Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; and in
consequence to this subjection he receives remission of
his sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).
‘Baptism in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit’ is the fullest expression of
sincere and humble obedience from the heart.”
The American
Standard Version reads, “Go ye
therefore, and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.” The preposition is
changed to “into” in the American Standard Version.
The original
expression is “eis to onoma tou patros...” The
particular preposition denotes direction toward its
object. The “into” something and the something here in
this verse is:
The Father
The Son
The Holy Spirit.
Baptism is
the means by which this entrance into the name of the
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is accomplished. It is
impossible to find any other divinely authorized means to
accomplish such. You are encouraged to try and find an
exception to this.
The
commission required the making of disciples. The King
James Version reads, “Go ... teach” where the
ASV reads “Go ... make disciples.” The verb
indicates the process at work — changing sinners into
disciples. The means by which it is done is explained by
the participle “baptizing.” There is a rule of grammar
that says, “when an active verb is followed by an active
participle, the participle serves to explain how the
results are achieved.”
The Lord’s
order is, “Go make disciples.” How? “Baptizing
them.” Disciples are made by baptism, according to
this passage.
During the
execution of this great duty, the apostles and early
disciples went everywhere preaching the gospel. They made
it possible for hearers to have faith by preaching the
word of God (Rom. 10:17). Those who believed were told to “repent and be baptized, everyone of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins and
you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”
(Acts 2:38).
Elsewhere one
reads of the apostles baptizing people “in the name
of the Lord,” “in the name of the Lord Jesus,”
or “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” They
were doing what Jesus commanded, viz., baptize people
into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit. Baptism “in the name of Jesus” is
baptism by His authority and the only place anywhere in
the Bible one finds the authority Christ gave others to
baptize is Matt. 28:19-20.
Some,
who call themselves "Pentecostals," teach an
error that misleads people into thinking they are not
baptized correctly if at the time of their baptism the
baptizer said, “I baptize you into the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
They insist, albeit erroneously, one must say, “I
baptize you in Jesus’ name.” They stress what the
baptizer says at baptism, not the authority of Christ! If
you ever happen to encounter this, ask the individual who
believes it the following series of questions.
1. Do you
admit that Matt. 28:10-20 is the only place where Jesus
gave instructions to those who were to baptize others? (If
you get a "no," ask for the passage where Jesus
authorized others to baptize someone else. You won’t get
it.)
2. When the
apostles baptized others, did they obey what Jesus said in
Matt. 28:19-20? (You have to get a yes answer here -- if
not close the conversation -- you’re wasting your time.)
3. Is it
right to say what you are doing when you do it? (Follow
that with) Would it be right to say the words Jesus used
in instructing His disciples in baptizing others?
Those who
insist on some sort of baptismal formula ignore the
only place in all the word of God where those who
were to baptize others were given specific instructions on
how to make disciples of all nations.
Baptism into
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit is a sacred and beautiful act. Baptism puts one
“into the name of” the divine Three.
We stand
ready to discuss this with anyone. Please let us hear from
you. Questions about this article are
welcome. Valley Church.