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The Importance of Water Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ
All Scripture Quotations are taken from the Authorized King James Bible of 1611
There are those who believe that faith alone is enough to save a person, because they misinterpret
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Note that “shalt be” is future tense, belief is the beginning of the process of the New Birth
and Acts 16:31. And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Note that the Jailor acted upon his faith and was baptized.
Ac 16:33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
True Faith will always produce obedience
Saul believed on the LORD JESUS CHRIST after his Damascus road experience (Acts 22: 6-8), but days later Gods messenger Ananias, told Saul that he was yet in his sins and that water baptism would wash them away.
Acts 22 : 16.And now why tarriest thou ? arise, and be baptized, and WASH AWAY thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
The scriptures declare that water baptism is for the washing away or remission of sins
Acts 2 : 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.
Also read John 3:5, Mark 16:16, 1Peter 3:21 & Acts 4:12.
The scriptures declare that water baptism is a COMMAND, not an option Acts 10 : 48. And he COMMANDED them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.
If you were Christened (sprinkled with water) as a baby you have not been baptized.( Baptism is full immersion )
Water baptism is so important, that those whose baptism was invalid for the Church age had to be RE-BAPTIZED in the name of the Lord Jesus Acts 19 : 1-6. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus
The book of the Acts of the Apostles is an historical record of the birth and developement of the original Church. It records examples of the disciples baptizing people and also the formula for baptism which was "In the name of Jesus".
You may say "We baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost because Jesus said so" Matthew 28: 19.
Let us remember that Jesus never wrote a word of the New Testament, but his words were recorded by his disciples. Let us take a careful look at what Jesus actually said. "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the NAME (singular, not names) of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost".
Jesus did not tell his disciples to repeat his words as a baptismal formula.
The focus of Jesus' command was to baptize in a single name, and not three titles, eg Father, Son and Holy Ghost. There is a difference between a name and a title. Father is a title meaning ' Male parent ', Son is a title meaning ' Male child ', Holy Ghost is describing the purity of GOD's Spirit. None of these are GOD's name. JESUS is the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost
The terms Father, Son and Holy Ghost refer to the three manifestations (Not persons) of the one God whose name is Jesus. GOD has many titles, but only one name, which is JESUS. " And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus , receive my spirit " Acts 7:59
Most churches believe in praying, casting out devils and healing the sick in the name of Jesus, but reject or even become offended at the thought of being baptized in his name. Paul said "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed (baptism is a deed), do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Colossians 3 : 17 & Acts 19 : 5.
Jesus taught his APOSTLES how to baptize people John 4 : 1&2
Jesus commissioned NO-ONE but his APOSTLES to teach all nations Matthew 28 : 19.
Therefore the APOSTLES are the only ones we can depend upon to show us how to be baptized correctly
The only true formula for water baptism is the one used by the Apostles.
The Apostles, who were taught by JESUS, administered baptism “in the name of Jesus”.
ACTS 2 : 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.
ACTS 8 : 16 For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the NAME of the LORD JESUS
ACTS 19 : 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the NAME of the LORD JESUS.
The Apostles NEVER repeated the words " In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost " as a formula for water baptism. And they continued stedfastly in the APOSTLES' DOCTRINE Acts 2 : 42.
Respected historical sources verify that the early Christian church did not use a threefold baptismal formula but invoked the name of Jesus well into the second and third centuries. Below are just a few quotes.
Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible (1962), 1. 351: "The evidence… suggests that baptism in early Christianity was administered, not in the threefold name, but 'in the name of Jesus Christ' or 'in the name of the Lord Jesus.' "
Otto Heick, A History of Christians Thought (1965), 1, 53: "At first, baptism was administered in the name of Jesus, but gradually in the name of the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."
Canney's Encyclopedia of Religion (1970). Page 53: "Persons were baptized at first 'in the name of Jesus Christ'…or 'in the name of the Lord Jesus.'…Afterwards, with the development of the doctrine of the Trinity, they were baptized 'in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost."
Encyclopedia Biblical (1899), 1,473: "It is natural to conclude that baptism was administered in the earliest times 'in the name of Jesus Christ,' or in 'that of the Lord.' This view is confirmed by the fact that the earliest forms of the baptismal confession appears to have been single - not triple, as was the later creed.
The Apostle Jude said
it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. Jude verse 3