One Baptism's Pronouncement - Whose Name or Names?

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One Baptism's Pronouncement - Whose Name or Names?

Post by email » Sun Mar 15, 2009 12:34 am

Is the "One Baptism" to be performed with the pronouncement, "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," (Matt. 28:19) or with the pronouncement, "I baptize you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ!"?
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larry
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Re: One Baptism

Post by larry » Mon Mar 16, 2009 1:02 pm

Baptizing people "in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" or in "the name of the Lord Jesus Christ" are both acceptable. "In the name of" does not prescribe a ritualistic formula of words to be called out while baptizing a person, but explains by what right or authority baptism is commanded.

The issue of authority was discussed by Jesus and the chief priests in Mt. 21:23-27. We do not know what John or Jesus or the Apostles said during the act of baptizing anyone, but we know they all had divine authority for what they preached and practiced regarding baptism.

The same word for authority used in Mt. 21 is used in Mt. 28:18. Jesus is claiming deity and part of the Godhead. There are three persons in the Godhead: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. All three were active in creation (Gen. 1:1-2, 26; John 1:1-3.) When we read in Mt. 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," we understand the gospel, including the command of baptism, is to be preached and practiced in the name of God, deity, or the Godhead. There is a unity of authority.

In Acts 2:38 when Peter said "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins: and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit," he was not stating a formula for baptizing but was showing by whose authority it should be done. In Acts 19 when Paul found some disciples who had not received the Holy Spirit because they had been baptized by John, he explained what they needed to do and in verse 5 we find that "they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." Again not a formula of words to say, but by the authority of Jesus Christ.

I hope this is helpful in answering your question.

larry
http://www.insearchoftruth.org

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