Buy an essay on Baptism – The Historical Record

At the same time, the description of the rite of baptizing and the essence of baptism can be revealed not only through the sacred records but also through the analysis of historical records, especially through the analysis of secondary sources. In this regard, Roman and Greek authors are particularly important because they can offer an alternative view compared to the sacred view of Jews and Christians on baptism and the rite of baptizing. At the same time, theology of the Middle Ages also focused on the study of baptism and the rite of baptizing, whereas the struggle of the Catholic Church with heretics contributed to the in-depth study and analysis of baptism. All these researches were carefully recorded and, today, they provide contemporary researchers with important information on baptism and the rite of baptizing. What is more important about it is the fact that secondary sources and the historical records allow researchers to trace changes that had occurred to baptism and the rite of baptizing in the course of time.

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In this respect, the use of the name of Jesus in the rite of baptizing and in the traditional formula of baptism is particularly noteworthy. Some researchers (Cullmann, 148) point out that the name of Jesus was used in different ways in the course of the development of Christianity and baptism. For instance, some researchers (Willimon, 135) point out that the name of Jesus used as in the name of the Lord Jesus. In such a way, Jesus Christ was directly associated with God to the extent that God and Jesus are one and the same entity. Basically, this idea is traced in another formula of baptizing, which was more popular and widely-spread: in the name of Jesus Christ or to put it more precisely in the name of the Son. In this formula the association of Jesus Christ with God is implicit but not as direct as in the formula “in the name of Lord Jesus”. Instead, the formula “in the name of Jesus Christ” or “in the name of the Son” reveals three images of God, who was represented as the Father, the Son and Holy Ghost. Although these three images or entities belong to the God and symbolize the unity of the God, they do not associate Jesus Christ with the God or, to put it more precisely, they do not present Jesus Christ as God Himself. In fact, this is exactly what the formula “in the name of Lord Jesus” does because it presents Jesus Christ not as one of the images of the God but as the God Himself.
Some researchers (Long, 78) point out that the formula “in the name of Lord Jesus” proved to be quite embarrassing and unclear provoking debates among believers and theologians concerning the unity of God and His representation on the Earth. As a result, the formula “in the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Ghost” was used as the correct formula which, by the way, was used by apostles after the death of Jesus Christ and his resurrection. Therefore, many researchers (Willimon, 144) believe that this formula stresses the unity of God and promotes the fundamental belief of Christianity that there is only one God, who is present everywhere and who defines the life of people on the Earth and in the afterlife.