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 really worth looking at.
I truly love the fact that they knew the power and authority of that amazing 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 in that verse,
that the use of the word ‘name’ is singular: it says, 'the name', not the ‘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). God has revealed himself to
us in human form (flesh and blood) and given himself a name which is above every
name. That name he has given to us is Jesus.
The disciples understood this
perfectly well and baptized the converts if the name of the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit – that name 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 (Mark 12:29; Deuteronomy 6:4) ). 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 they preached in the name, were beaten and hated because of that name, thrown into prison because of that name, tortured and murdered because of that name, and yet the priests and preachers of today think that they were wrong to baptize in that name!
Away with all the religious
rituals and dogmas!
Let’s get back to New Testament
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 do not be. I found this matter for myself only recently, and through
searching the Scriptures, I believe that what I have found to be 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 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 this is the name that we should be exalting throughout the nations. (Ephesians1:21-23) You can talk about God and even the 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 are somewhat awkward or ashamed to
speak the name that is above every name.
I personally believe that the disciples followed
expressly what Christ had commanded them to do by baptizing in the name of
Jesus Christ. 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 this becomes an outward
declaration of our faith in The Name.
“I baptize you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.”
Let’s face it, that was pretty radical back then, and
would raise many eyebrows now! but who wants to simply conform, when we can
stand out from the crowd, nail our colours to the mast, and show our faith and
allegiance to Jesus?
It makes us more than just ‘religious’
or a ‘member’ of the church or parish. It declares that we are followers of a
Person, not a denomination or a religion.
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 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. 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 Man that has been despised and hated by
millions down through centuries. They are considered to be too radical, too
militant, too intense.
However, following Jesus leaves
no room for compromise or joining some religious social club of do-gooders.
They have enlisted in God’s army to carry an ensign across the world declaring the
gospel of Jesus. They have enlisted in the army of the Lord, and sworn allegiance to him.
I shared this truth with an
preacher and evangelist of forty years just the other day. 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!
It is time to get back to lifting the name of Jesus high above all the
din of religion, and above the unholy music and violent din of this world.
JGM 2022 Truth
