Custom essays on THE FORMULA OF BAPTISM

The Bible gives us precise instructions of deep spiritual significance for the proper administration of water baptism and God means for everyone to abide by them. The Apostle Paul commanded, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17). Without a doubt, these instructions apply to water baptism.
The apostles knew the literal meaning of all the teachings of Jesus concerning baptism and carried them out explicitly. They understood that the singular name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost – the name that disclosed the fullness of the Godhead – is Jesus. (See Matthews 1:21, John 5:43; 14:26 & Colossians 2.9). On every occasion they utilized Colossians 2:9). On every occasion they utilized, or commanded the use of, the name of Jesus Christ in the baptismal formula. (See Act2:38; 8:16; 10:48, 15:5, 22:16). It is significant that they plainly approved of His name in the baptismal ceremony. The name Jesus identifies and authenticates the baptism, just as the proper name signed to a check makes it valid.
Jesus commanded His disciples to “teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19). He did not command them to utilize these words as a formula, but He commanded them to baptize in “the name”. The word name is used here in the singular, and it is the main point of the baptismal command.
The titles Father, Son and Holy Ghost depict God’s relationships to humanity and are not the supreme, saving name described here, which is Jesus. Jesus is the name in which the roles of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are exposed. The angel of the Lord instructed Joseph, “She shall bring forth a son, and thou shall call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthews 1:21). Jesus said, “I am come in my Father’s name,” and “The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, the Father will send in my name” (John 5:43; 14:26). Thus by baptizing in the name of Jesus, we esteem the Godhead.
“For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9).

THE APOSTOLIC TEACHING

We cannot leave to sheer chance or peculation the essentials of Christian baptism, but we must observe Acts 4:12: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved”.
Luke 24:45-47 records that just prior to His ascension, Jesus opened the disciples understanding. It was essential that their understanding be opened, and many today need this same process in order to understand the Scriptures. Subsequently, Jesus said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day”.
The disciples had their understanding opened so that they could grasp the vast meaning of the death and burial and resurrection of Christ. Verse 47 expresses the commission that Jesus then gave. “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations (Jews and Gentiles), beginning at Jerusalem”.
Peter was one of that numbered to whom Jesus had spoken and whose understanding was opened. After having listened to these instructions, a few days later he was moved by the Holy Ghost to preach on the Day of Pentecost. The hearts of the hearers were pricked and feeling condemned, they cried out to Peter and the other apostles. “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). Peter did not hesitate but boldly answered, “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” (Acts 2:38). “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).
Some say that Peter told them to be baptized in Jesus’ name because they were Jews and this baptism was to make them recognize Jesus Christ. But let us go with Peter to the house of Cornelius some years later. Cornelius and his house were Gentiles, yet there again Peter “commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord” (Acts 10:48). (Most translations actually say, “In the name of Jesus Christ”.) If Peter was wrong on the Day of Pentecost, he surely had plenty of time to be corrected before he went to the house of Cornelius.
Was Peter mistaken on the Day of Pentecost? When the hearers were pricked in their hearts, they spoke to Peter and the rest of the apostles (Acts 2:37). This included Matthew, who wrote Matthew 28:19. Moreover, when Peter preached, he stood up with the eleven (Acts 2:14). Matthew was there, yet we find no words of modification from him. He surely would have spoken up if Peter had challenged the Lord. But all the apostles understood and carried out the Lord’s charge. As Jesus said I in prayer, “I have manifested thy name unto the men (the apostles) which thou gavest me out of the world and they kept thy word” (John 17:6).
The Samaritans, who were not Jews, were baptized as well in the name of Jesus as well. Then Phillip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them, but when they believed Phillip preaching the things regarding the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. They were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 8:5, 12, 16).
Let us recognize how Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, baptized. He went to Ephesus several years after the Day of Pentecost and found some disciples of John the Baptist there. 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 is any Holy Ghost”. And he said unto them, “Unto what then were ye baptized?” They said, “Unto John’s baptism”. Then Paul said, “John 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”. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord” (Acts 19:2-5). Even though, these disciples had already been baptized, the name Jesus was so important to them that they were provoked to be re-baptized in Jesus’ name.
We do not believe that Paul altered the formula or mode of baptism when he baptized Lydia and her household (Acts 16:14-15) or the Philippi an jailer. The latter came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas saying “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved and thy house”. And he took them the same hour of the night (soon after midnight), and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his household, straight way” (Acts 16:30-33). How can we not believe that Paul baptized these people using the same mode and formula that he used elsewhere, that is, immersion in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ?
Paul was not with the apostles when Jesus gave his final instructions to them in Mat.28:19 and Luke 24:47, yet Paul baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. How did he know what to do? He said that the gospel was not a custom of men but a revelation of God. He officially stated that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ: (Galatians 1:11-12). Paul was chosen to bare Jesus’ name to the Gentiles, and he wrote several divinely inspired epistles to the church. To this apostle, God disclosed the mystery of the church, “which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto the holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit (Ephesians 3:5). Paul alleged to have divine authority: “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 14:37). And Paul wrote, “Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and Father by him” (Colossians 3:17). Water baptism is done in both word and deed. We cannot afford to neglect this command to the church.
The church is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20). The apostles not only preached baptism in Jesus’ name but they were skilled in it. Nowhere can we find that they baptized using the words” in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the of the Holy Ghost”.
We do find them baptizing using the words “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. In baptizing in Jesus’ name, they satisfied the command of the Lord in Matthew 28:19. Paul said, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we preached unto you, let him be accursed”. (Galatians 1:8). Let this be a serious warning to us.
Some say that they will agree to the words of Jesus in Matthew 28:19, but not those of Peter in Acts 2:38. But Peter spoke on the Day of Pentecost under the anointing of the Holy Ghost. Peter was one of the apostles, and to him has been given the keys of the kingdom were given to him, so we have the right to discredit his words.
In Mark 7:8 Jesus said, ”Laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men. “History tells us that it was not until many years after the apostles that the mode and method of baptism in the name of Jesus Christ were changed. (See Hastings’ Bible Dictionary, vol.1 p. 241.) Which means more to you, the authority of the Lord or the tradition of men? Baptism is essential and it is the public profession of faith and discipleship and a cleansing or washing of the soul from wrongdoing.
Have you ever stopped to evaluate the religion of today with that of the apostles? They baptized (immersed) all their converts in Jesus’ name (not in the titles, Father, Son and Holy Ghost). They were baptized with the Holy Ghost and spoke in other tongues. They believed and experienced divine healing. Any one of these things is called fanaticism by numerous modern churches. Who is wrong – the Bible or modern churches? Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). There is one Lord, one faith and one baptism (Ephesians 4: 5).