IN DEFENSE OF ACTS 2:38... SALVATION QUESTION # 10 What about Matthew 28: 19 - baptism in the name of the Father, Son & Holy Ghost? Wouldn’t I be safer in obeying Jesus rather than the Apostles? Matthew 28: 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: This is probably the most common question asked, and it deserves a solid answer. For it is this very question, when explained and understood, that could move your theological position from Trinitarian (One God in three persons) to Oneness (One God manifested in flesh). First of all, if baptism was not in God’s plan of Salvation, it would not matter how – or even if - you were baptized. However, as this Bible Study has revealed, baptism is indeed in God’s plan for the remission of our sins. Therefore, we need to ponder the following facts as we come to our decision: 1. No one in your Bible was ever baptized in the titles, Father, Son & Holy Ghost. Jesus commissioned baptism in a singular name. Father, Son & Holy Ghost are titles of God. Jesus is His name. I am a husband, father, son … but if I wrote a check out to you, it would need my name. 2. The New Testament church in the book of Acts knew only of water baptism by immersion in the name of Jesus Christ. “The formula used was ‘in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ’ or some other synonymous phrase: there is no evidence for use of the trine name.” – Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, 1951, vol. 2, pg. 384 ( Acts 2: 38; 8: 16; 10: 48; 19: 5; 22: 16; Rom. 6: 3; 1 Cor. 1:13) 3. Throughout scripture, Jesus instructs us to pray in His name, cast out devils in His name, anoint the sick with oil in His name, etc. Why would it be considered heresy to baptize in His name? 4. Jesus also instructed the Apostles to preach remission of sins in His name: Luke 24: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 5. Peter preached the first sermon of the first church. His reply to “What must we do?” fulfilled both Matthew 28: 19 and Luke 24: 47: “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 2: 38 Matthew 28: 19 is the ONLY time that Trinitarians use this argument about “rather obeying the words of Jesus”, but once that argument is used it must be applied to the entirety of the New Testament. For one to say “I would rather obey the words of Jesus than the words of the Apostles” is to imply that the original preachers of the New Testament church were in error, and in essence, false teachers. Please prayerfully consider the following facts about the Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ: 1. Peter was given the “keys to the kingdom”, or the spiritual insight into being saved. (Matt. 16: 19) 2. If it did not matter how a person was baptized, Paul would not have re-baptized believers. (See Acts 19: 1 – 6) 3. Jesus spent 40 days with His Apostles AFTER his resurrection. He spoke to them concerning the kingdom of God. Is it not reasonable to believe that if His Apostles had any questions, they would have been clearly answered during this period? (See Acts 1: 3) 4. Remember, it was Jesus Himself who “opened their (the Apostles) understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,” (Luke 24: 45) 5. The church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ Himself is the chief cornerstone. (Ephesians 2: 20) 6. If the Apostles had been in error, their names would not be written in Heaven. (Revelation 21: 14) 7. Jesus prayed for every person who would believe on Him through the Apostles’ doctrine: John 17: 20 - “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;” 8. John gave us the secret to deciphering truth from error: 1 John 4: 6 “We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” Following the Apostle’s doctrine assures us from falling to deception. 9. Acts 2: 47 says “…And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” If Jesus had not approved of Acts 2: 38, He would not have placed His seal of approval on it and saved souls. 10. The only way we even know what Jesus said – is to trust fully in the written words of His Apostles. As a matter of fact, if we cannot trust the Apostles’ words, we cannot trust the entire New Testament. The argument of “rather obeying Jesus” is simply said in ignorance and has no validity. You really have only two choices when determining how to be baptized: Tradition … or Truth. Tradition has to acknowledge that no person in the scriptures was baptized by repeating the titles, “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost”, but continues to hold to the argument that “I’d rather believe the words of Jesus than the words of the Apostles.” Truth would contend that when you believe the Apostles preaching, and are baptized in the singular name of Jesus Christ, you are indeed fulfilling the commission of Matthew 28: 19, and thereby obeying the words of Jesus, just as the Apostles did. Colossians 3: 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. @Back on Track Bible Studies - Rick Flores 2013 (Excerpted from Withstanding The Winds Bible Study. The full study, which contains 30 questions both on Salvation & Oneness, plus related articles can be obtained on PDF e-study for a $5 donation through PayPal at [email protected]. Also available in e-study format is One Hour To Heaven & If I Had One Hour To Tell You About One God) Complete details in comment section.
Posted on: Sat, 18 Jan 2014 00:54:30 +0000
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