31/08/2021
THE TRUTH ABOUT WATER BAPTISM
Unto what Name were you baptized? Were you baptized using the Titles of Father, Son and Holy Ghost or using the Name of Jesus Christ? Is there any difference between the two?
INTRODUCTION
WATER BAPTISM is a basic requirement to a Christian’s salvation. MARK 16:16 states, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be SAVED; but he that believeth NOT shall be damned.” I Peter 3:21also reads, “The like figure whereunto [even] baptism doth also now SAVE us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
A series of questions usually arise in Water Baptism: “What is the Biblical way of doing it?” Is baptism performed by sprinkling? Or is it by immersion in water? Is it using the TITLES of Father, Son and Holy Ghost (Matt. 28:19), or using the NAME of the Lord Jesus Christ? (Acts 2:38)?
The Bible cannot contradict itself for it is the Word of God. What we need today is a revelation from Almighty God in order to for us to understand and dovetail every word in it correctly. Let us therefore take a closer look upon this all-time controversial issue.
The word “baptize” originated from the Greek Word “baptizo” which means to “IMMERSE” in water. For the first thirteen hundred years from the death of Christ, baptism was always performed by IMMERSION of the person UNDER WATER. Acts 8:39states this, “And they went both DOWN INTO the WATER, both Philip and the Eu**ch; and he baptized him”. John 3:23 also states, “John also was baptizing at Aeneon because there was MUCH WATERthere”. “They came up OUT OF THE WATER” (Acts 8:39).
It is therefore evident from these very scriptures that Water Baptism was originally performed by “immersion” of the individual person underwater.
TITLES OR NAME ?
In Matthew 28:19 we can read Jesus’ great commission unto His disciples saying, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, BAPTIZING them in the NAME of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
Now, Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith, never told us to baptize in the NAMES, but in the N-A-M-E, (singular). The clue here is to find what NAME the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost possess. Take note that the word“Father” is not a NAME. “Son” is not a NAME either; neither is the Holy Ghost a NAME. These are but TITLES of the ONE true GOD.
If we trace God’s Name back in the Old Testament, we will find that God the FATHER was always called the “LORD”, capital “L-O-R-D”.
In the New Testament, we find that “JESUS” was the name given to the SON of God. In this our age, the dispensation of grace, when the Holy Ghost was given since the Day of Pentecost, He is called the “CHRIST” or the “Anointing” of God.
We can now therefore conclude from these basis that the TITLES of “Father, Son and Holy Ghost” refer to only one compound NAME, which is the only Name which was given on earth whereby man must be saved (Acts 4:12) - and that NAME is nothing else but the NAME of the “LORD JESUS CHRIST”, the complete NAME of GOD.
THE APOSTLES HAD A CORRECT REVELATION
Apostle PETER, having been given the keys to the Kingdom, commanded the JEWS, saying, “REPENT everyone of you and BE BAPTIZED in the NAME OF JESUS CHRIST for the remission of sins”(Acts 2:38) “and you shall receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit.”
The same FORMULA was used by Saint PAUL. Paul himself REBAPTIZED the disciples of John the Baptist (Acts 19:1-5) in this same manner, saying, “Have ye received the Holy Ghost SINCE you believed? They said, ‘We know not whether there be any Holy Ghost.’ Paul said, “How was you baptized?” They said,’ We’ve been baptized unto John.’ Then said Paul, “John verily baptized with baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him that should come after him, that is on CHRIST JESUS.” WHEN THEY HEARD THIS, they were baptized in the NAME of the LORD JESUS”.PETER AND JOHN did the same to the SAMARITANS as well in Acts 10:48,” And he commanded them to be BAPTIZED in the NAME of the LORD JESUS”.
The GENTILES who were in the house of Cornelius who first received the Gospel were also baptized in this same manner (Acts 10:46-48) , “For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnified God. Then answered PETER, “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? AND HE COMMANDED them to be BAPTIZED in the NAME of the LORD JESUS” (NIV).
ALL true believers in the Bible, both Jews, Gentiles and Samaritans, were ALL baptized in the NAME of JESUS CHRIST, for that is the genuine and Biblical way of doing it. What about you?
WERE ST. PETER AND PAUL WRONG?
No. These apostles knew what most religious leaders of today FAIL to recognize.
First: That the NAME of the Lord Jesus Christ is the FAMILY NAMEof all Christians both in heaven and on earth (Read Eph.3:15). Second: There is NO OTHER NAME under heaven whereby we must be SAVED only in the Name of JESUS (Acts 4:12). Third: That the FULLNESS of the Godhead dwelleth BODILY in CHRIST (Col. 2:9) . And fourth: That BAPTISM must be performed in the NAME of the CRUCIFIED (Read 1 Cor. 1:13).
The Bible tells us that “Whatever you DO in word or in DEED, do ALL in the NAME of the LORD JESUS CHRIST” (Col. 3:17) . JESUS even taught us that “REPENTANCE and REMISSION of sins should be preached in HIS NAME, beginning at Jerusalem, unto the uttermost parts of the world” (Luke 24:47).
THREE TITLES TO ONE NAME
Father, Son and Holy Ghost are THREE TITLES. Yet there is only ONE NAME. It was revealed unto the apostles that salvation alone goes in the NAME of JESUS CHRIST (Acts 4:12).
The Bible teaches that there is NO salvation in any other name, title or places, ONLY in the NAME of JESUS CHRIST (Acts 4:12). Yet He is the “Rose of Sharon”, “Lily of the Valley”, “Morning Star”, “Alpha and Omega” - HE IS ALL THESE THINGS, yet there’s NO SALVATION in any of these titles; ONLY IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST.
God has so many TITLES: “Our Righteousness”, “Our Peace”, “Ever-Present”, “Our Father”, “Our King”, “Prince of Peace”, “Son”, and “Holy Ghost”. BUT He has ONLY ONE HUMAN NAME, and that NAME is JESUS - by which Name every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that He is King of kings and Lord of lords.
Everyone, therefore, that is BAPTIZED with the TITLES of Father, Son and Holy Ghost is baptized in NO NAME AT ALL.They are TITLES like Minister, Reverend, Doctor, whatevermore, Father, Son, Daughter, Wife - TITLES. You may say it does not make a difference. Then try putting your TITLE on your check and not your NAME, and see whether the BANK would encash it - say, “I sign this check in the name of the Husband”... That just make sense as it would to disbelieve God’s Word when the revelation is laying right here before your eyes.
That NAME is the Password to heaven. It is also the KEY to all the heavenly blessings and supernatural gifts that God has given to the church. “In my NAME you shall cast our devils, In My NAME you shall speak with new tongues, in My NAME you shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover” (Mark 16:17-18). “If ye shall ask any thing in my NAME, I will do [it].” (John 14:14).
WHAT ABOUT MATTHEWS 28:19?
The above-given Scriptures (Book of Acts) are not given to refute Matthew 28:19 where Jesus told the apostles to baptize in the NAME of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. They merely show HOW the command was interpreted and obeyed by the disciples in the entire Bible.
A SOLEMN INVITATION
If you have not been baptized in the NAME of the LORD JESUS CHRIST yet, YOUR BAPTISM IS WRONG. You have to be REBAPTIZED AGAIN in the NAME of Jesus Christ in order for you to receive the Spirit of God.
Acts 2:38 plainly says, “REPENT, everyone of you, and BE BAPTIZED in the NAME of JESUS CHRIST for(What?) the REMISSION OF SINS - (You are still in your sins if you are not baptized in the NAME of the LORD JESUS CHRIST for no other Name is given whereby we must be saved), “AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST”.
If you are God’s predestinated seed, you will not wait long until you are baptized in the NAME of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. Get right with God now while mercy and grace is upon your reach. “Obedience is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22).
