It is worth noting that the apostles always, and only, baptized in the name of Jesus. Acts 2:38
Most churches throughout the world today baptize people by saying, ‘In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost’. However, the disciples throughout the book of Acts baptized only in the name of Jesus Christ.
This is worth looking at.
I really love the fact that they knew the power and authority of that name, and acknowledged that it is the name above every name both in heaven, and on earth, and below the earth: both in the world that now is, and in the world to come.
They preached in his name, healed in his name, raised the dead in his name, and
performed wonders in his name.
We may
well ask why they baptized in Jesus’ name, yet according to Matthew 28:19 they
were to go and baptize in ‘the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost’.
However,
note firstly, that the use of the word ‘name’ is singular: 'the name', not the
‘names’. What name was this to be then, the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost?
Who is Jesus, but the eternal Word of God, the Creator of everything, the mighty God, the Everlasting Father, God himself manifest in the flesh. God is spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. The Holy Spirit is referred to as the ‘Spirit of Christ’, (Romans 8:9; 1Peter 1:11).
It is a mystery beyond human comprehension, but fully apprehended by faith.
God
has revealed himself to us in human form (flesh and blood) and given himself a
name which is above every name. That name of our God given to mankind for their salvation is Jesus.
The disciples understood this perfectly well and did baptize the converts in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – that name was, and is, the name above all names. That name is Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that it is higher than any other name in heaven, or on earth, or under the earth.
There
is no jealousy in the Godhead. He is one God. He has given to us the name of
Jesus, and at that name every knee shall bow and every tongue confess clearly
that Jesus is Lord.
‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, for the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to as many as the Lord our God shall call.’ Acts 2:38-39
It
could not be clearer. They baptized in the name as Jesus commanded, and
preached in the name, were beaten and hated because of that name, thrown in
prison because of that name, tortured and murdered because of that name. Do the priests and preachers of today think that name to be insufficient?
The practise of the churches today is not what the disciples did. There again, there is not much at all in the churches of this century that reflects anything of the zeal and Spirit-led movement of the early church. Most of what churches do now (including the Pentecostal and 'Charismatic' denominations) is basically Roman Catholic in its habit.
Away with all the man-made rituals and dogmas! Let’s get back to New Testament apostle's faith and practise!
Maybe you feel a bit offended now because you were baptized in the Trinity, and now I am pointing out something different. Please don’t be. I looked at this matter for myself only recently, and through searching the Scriptures, I believe that what I have found is true.
I am quite sure that the apostles would not have disobeyed
their Lord and Saviour, and if it were a wrong practise, the Holy Spirit would
have shown them: for he guided them at every step in that early church mission.
For
instance, ‘And the Spirit said unto Phillip, Go near…’ Acts 8:29; and again, ‘They (the apostles)
were forbidden by the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia..’ Acts 16:6-7
So, if the Holy Spirit was leading and speaking to them in such precise and powerful ways, why then were they not reprimanded for apparently disobeying a direct command of Jesus?
They were not told off because they were not doing anything
wrong. They were doing exactly what Jesus had told them to do, and the proof
was the fact that thousands were being added to the church daily. They were
baptizing in the awesome and powerful name given unto men, in whose name only is the forgiveness of
sins and life everlasting.
‘Neither
is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given
among men through which we must be saved.’
Acts 4:12
The
name of Jesus is our glory and praise, and is the name that we should be
exalting throughout the nations. (Ephesians 1:21-23)
You
can talk about God and even the Holy Spirit, but see the difference when you use the
name of Jesus. People get real uncomfortable, restless, annoyed, embarrassed,
and sometimes angry and violent.
Many
church-goers often talk of God and what he is doing, but they feel somewhat
awkward or ashamed to speak of the name above every name.
"I baptize you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth!"
Now, doesn't that sound emphatic and authoritative! Can you just hear the demons scream and wail when another soldier of Jesus Christ obeys the command and pledges his allegiance to the King?
I shall leave this for your personal perusal and contemplation, but I do believe that the disciples followed expressly what Christ had commanded them to do by baptizing in the name of Jesus.
Just because we do what we do because everybody else does it, and we have always done it this way, does not mean that we should simply continue in a ritual because it is expected of us.
I believe that we should baptize people just like the apostles did. It goes from ‘methodology and habit’ to radical confession that Jesus Christ is Lord; and it is an outward declaration of our faith in The Name.
It exalts the Deity of Christ and hurls that name against all the lies and deceptions of darkness, bursting light into the enemy camp. It flies in the face of 'modernism' that has flooded churches and bible colleges alike with the belief that Jesus is less than God Almighty.
Why are we so afraid of that name? Why do we think it less than it is? Why do we suppose the name is insufficient? The early church knew the power of that name, but the church of today would sooner stick with 'conformity'.
The church is powerless without that name, and is ineffectual if it does not know, or does not believe what that name can do in declaration, in prayer, and in fighting the principalities and powers of darkness.
And it is not just screaming out the name thousands of times (as so many people do in the course of their prayers, hoping something might happen), but it is in the knowing of the name, the intimacy of the name, the inward revelation of the name, that brings both the authority and efficacy of that name to the believer.
“I baptize you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.”
Let’s face it, That is pretty powerful!
It was radical back then, and would raise many eyebrows now; and who wants to
simply conform, when we can stand out from the crowd and nail our colours to
the mast, and show to the world our faith and allegiance to Jesus? After all, baptism was a public and outward display of faith in Jesus Christ, not something hidden away in secret in front of a few like-minded people singing choruses.
It
makes us more than just ‘religious’ or a ‘member’ of the church or parish. It
declares that we are followers of a person, even the Man Christ Jesus - God in the flesh - exalted on high, far above all!
If it
was good enough for the apostles, then it is good enough for me. If it was
challenging and daring enough for the new converts back then, then it will also
be the same to those who choose to forsake this world and follow Jesus Christ today.
Many people of all persuasions believe in God in some form or another and to one degree or another. They all go through some form of ‘initiation’ or ritual to join their particular branch of faith or religion.
However, when someone turns around from all that they are, and from following the mind-set of this world, and then declares their firm belief in Jesus Christ, suddenly things become a lot more serious. They are giving themselves totally to serve, love, and follow a name that has been despised and hated by millions down through centuries.
They are considered to be too radical, too militant, too intense.
Baptism is more than just an act. 'Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission [forgiveness] of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit!' (Acts 2:38)
Just take some moments to really consider these words. They are life-changing, and transforming, and maybe we never fully understood them before, or experienced their full impact and reality in our lives.
Following Jesus leaves no room for compromise or joining some comfort club of do-gooders. They have enlisted in God’s army to carry an ensign across the world declaring the gospel of Jesus.
They did not join some 'holier-than-thou' club to attend church on Sunday, sit down, and sing some songs, then go home and try to be good. What a bore that must be!
I
shared this truth with a great friend of mine who has been an evangelist for forty years. His
response was to request that at the next baptismal meeting I hold, he wished to
get re-baptized, but this time in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
The world we are living in needs the name that is above every name. Darkness has swamped the populations with fear, hatred, and distress, and the church has been silent throughout.
It is time to raise the name of Jesus everywhere, and bring the light and power of his name to the nations like never before.
(The above is from my book 'The Name' available to read free on Amazon or purchase for 0.77p)
JGM 2022
