SOMEBODY’S WROMG ABOUT BAPTISM – COULD IT BE YOU?

Either the church world today is wrong about water baptism or the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ is wrong!  In my opinion there is no way the Apostles are wrong!  Read on and you will find 99% of the church world is wrong about water baptism!

”And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so”  [Acts 17:10-11].

          Although most would not readily admit it, there are many today that believe the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ were wrong in some of their teaching.  But, could this be so?  Especially when you consider that our Lord taught them for over three years during His earthly ministry; and after He was raised from the dead, He expounded unto them for forty days the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, Acts 1:2-3.  How could they have misunderstood Him as to what they should teach the people? How indeed could they have been wrong?

          Frankly, I do not believe they were, or even could have been wrong in what they taught.  The Apostles were hand picked by our Lord Jesus and He certainly knew what He was doing!  As a matter of fact when others could not understand His doctrine or parables, He would take the twelve disciples aside and explain His teaching.

”And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them” [Mark 4:10-12].

          Jesus gave the twelve disciples knowledge that no other human being had!  He gave them understanding as to the mystery of the kingdom!  How indeed could they have been wrong!

Also, the Lord Jesus gave the keys to the kingdom of God to Peter and told him what he would do with them.

”And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” [Matthew 16:18-19].  

          Can you possibly understand the great power our Lord gave to Peter in these verses of scripture?  Remember, it was Peter that opened the door of the kingdom to the Jews on the day of Pentecost, and also it was Peter that was sent to the gentile Cornelius to open the door of the kingdom to the gentiles! Although Paul was the apostle to the gentiles, it was Peter that had the keys.  How indeed could Peter have been wrong!

          The Apostle was so bold in what he preached he stated flatly that we would be judged by what he preached!  ”In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel” [Romans 2:16]. 

          When Paul was opposed by others, he stated the following: ”But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men?  For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ” [Galatians 1:8-12].

          Paul boldly cursed men and angels who would dare preach anything contrary to the gospel he preached.  I hope dear friend that you are not under this curse!  Obviously, the Apostle Paul was given the same authority Jesus had given the other apostles.   How indeed could they have been wrong!

          Think about this my friend, the scripture says, ”And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone”  [Ephesians 2:20].   Do you realize if the apostles were wrong the very foundation of the gospel we have believed is faulty?  And if our faith is not built upon their teachings we very well may be lost.  How indeed could they have been wrong!

          Well now, if we have concluded by the scriptures that the apostles could not have been wrong in the gospel they preached, what authority do men today have to conclude differently?

          There are many today that oppose the Pope of Rome as the Vicar of Christ.  They say the Pope, nor the Catholic Church hierarchy has the authority to change what the apostles have preached.  I certainly concur with that!

          However, most of those that do oppose the Pope actually assume the position of a Vicar of Christ themselves when they preach contrary to the apostles doctrine.

          Although there are several teachings we find in today’s modern theology I find contrary to the sound doctrines of the apostles, I will deal with only one in this article.

          This one subject in my opinion is the most blatantly perverted of them all.  The reason I believe this is because it is the easiest understood as there is no doubt how it was taught and practiced in the early church.  The examples where it was administered is crystal clear in the scriptures!

          If in fact it is as crystal clear as I say, how could it be misunderstood or misrepresented today?  I must say it is one of these two things:  (1) either this subject is boldly perverted by many that simply do not regard the apostles teaching as Holy Scripture, or (2) they that oppose it are spiritually blind leaders of the blind.

          I believe we are in an era of a great spiritual awakening!  The Truth is being restored!  We do not have to be deceived.  I believe many that truly love the Lord Jesus Christ have accepted teachings contrary to what the apostles taught because they have blindly followed their denominations by laws and articles of faith without questioning them or comparing them to the scriptures.   This is a great mistake.

          Our subject is one that has divided the Protestant and Pentecostal movements for years, yet there is absolutely no scripturally defining reason for it.  That is, if you take the apostles teaching and practice as divinely inspired and you firmly believe they were not wrong in what they taught.

          Recently, I began an investigation into what Christian denominations and organizations taught concerning the name of Jesus, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and water baptism.

          As I searched different organization’s “Statement of faith”, “Articles of Faith” and “Ordinances”; I was amazed as to how little scripture was given to support their positions.  The one area that stood out with the least scriptural support was water baptism.  Most stated simply that water baptism would be administered, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Spirit) according to Matthew 28:19.

          Further investigation revealed that the reason baptism was administered in this way was, and I quote one statement that reasonable reflected most: “We baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit because we are Trinitarian, we believe in the Trinity.  Those that baptize in the name of Jesus are believers in the “Jesus Only Doctrine”.

          The more I pondered these statements, the more it was hard for me to believe that any Christian theologian or student of the Bible would say such a thing!

          Where was this in the Bible? How could they believe such a thing?  Did the apostles teach this?  And if they did, where was it for I had never heard such a doctrine!  Of course I knew that some baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and some baptized using Matthew 28:19 as a formula; repeating the words of Jesus when He gave His Great Commission.  But, I had never heard that if one was baptized in Jesus name it was because he was a “Jesus Only” and didn’t believe in the Trinity!

          Everyone that has read the New Testament knows all the apostles and the early church baptized in the name of Jesus.  This is a fact!  I thought, does this mean that the apostles and the early church didn’t believe in the Trinity and they were all “Jesus Only” people?  It would sure seem that way if I believed these denominations reasons as to why they baptize the way they do! 

          The more I thought about their reasoning for baptizing, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” the more I realized how ridiculous their reasoning was!  Certainly the apostles and early church were neither Trinitarian nor Jesus Only!  These doctrines came along many years after the apostles died out.  As a matter of fact it was 325ce before the Trinity was officially accepted by the Nicene Council of which the pagan Constantine greatly influenced.

          As I delved more into their reasoning I discovered that some of them didn’t really have any doctrine as to the mode of baptism.  You could be immersed in water, sprinkled with water, or have some water poured on your head and all would be sufficient for baptism.  How ridiculous this was to me as I knew that the word for baptism was the Greek word baptismos which means to immerse fully.  Two scriptures that immediately came to mind concerning the mode of baptism was Romans chapter 6 verses 2-6:  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

And Colossians 2:12: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.   

          If you bury something, you just don’t sprinkle dirt over it, nor do you pour a little dirt on it.  You bury something by completely covering it over!  When you baptize someone you bury (fully immerse) them in water.

Some might say these scriptures are talking about spiritual baptism rather than water.  But it is obvious that the Apostle Paul is comparing water baptism to death, burial and resurrection.  The old man must die through genuine repentance, and then be buried (immersed in the grave of water baptism), and then as he comes out of the water this signifies the resurrection of the new spiritual man.  I must say, when you plant something, you bury it.  This is not talking about the baptism of the Holy Ghost. 

          Another thing I was amazed to find out is most all of the denominations that believed in water baptism actually didn’t believe it was even necessary.  Therefore if it was not necessary, I guessed this is why they made the statements they did.  They were saying that the way you are baptized determines your doctrine!  If you are baptized in Jesus name, you are a Jesus Only.  If you are baptized according to Matthew 28:19, you are a Trinitarian.  In other words, you were not baptized for the remission of sins, or to fulfill all righteousness, or for a good conscience toward God.   

          Finally, I understood!  Now, I knew!  But, what did I know?  I knew they had all changed the Word of God and had deliberately perverted what the apostles preached and demonstrated.            Their statements alone testify that they believed Peter and all the apostles were wrong!

          The Bible clearly tells us why and how we should be baptized!  Clearly, these truths have been subverted by those of authority within their various denominations and organizations.  Many have believed their lies and have fallen into false doctrine.

          Look at those three scriptural reasons a moment.  (1) For the remission or forgiveness of sins: “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]  Remember, Peter had the keys to the kingdom.  The keys were: (1) repent and (2) be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.  If you obeyed these two commands, you would receive the Holy Ghost. (2) To fulfill all righteousness:  “And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him.” [Matthew 3:15-16]  I am told that Jesus walked 70 miles to be baptized in water by John!  If He thought it was that important why belittle its importance today?  (3) For a good conscience: “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 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.” [1Peter 3:20-21]  Here, the Apostle Peter is very bold and says emphatically that water baptism also saves us and will give us a clear conscience toward God!  If for no other reason than these three, everyone not only should be baptized, they must!

          Jesus said, “. . . . And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” [Mark 16:15-16]  Look at what Jesus said.  The emphasis here is on He or the person that believes.  He that believes.  And, he that is baptized.  In other words, it is what the person does that qualifies him for eternal life.  First, he believes, then, he is baptized.  Some have misinterpreted this scripture to mean that a person believes then he receives the baptism of the Spirit.  It should be clear that our Lord’s emphasis is on the person and what he does and not on the working of the Spirit.  He believes and then he gets baptized.  You cannot baptize yourself with the Holy Spirit!  But, you can be baptized in water.

          The title of this article is my question to you.  Were the Apostles wrong?  Obviously, the hierarchy of modern denominations and organizations as well as countless others think so! 

           I say without hesitation that I believe multiplied millions have been baptized the wrong way and for the wrong reasons!  How and why were you baptized?  Do you even know? 

          Some have told me, they were baptized when they were a child.  Some have said they didn’t know how they were baptized, and most don’t know why.  It is a shame that one of the most important teachings in all the New Testament has been down graded to demonstrate ones doctrinal position rather than what it was intended for.  May God have mercy on them!

          You might wonder why the apostles never baptized using our Lord’s words in Matthew 28:19.  Were they wrong to baptize in Jesus name?  Of course not!

          They did exactly what Jesus told them to do!  Our Lord never intended anyone to repeat what He said as a formula when baptizing someone.  Jesus told them to baptize in a Name! They obeyed Him and baptized in the only name given under heaven that can save mankind, and that name is Jesus.  Jesus plainly told them to baptize in the name.  Name, not names!  “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” [Matthew 28:19]   Of course, Father, Son and Holy Ghost are not names.  What name could possibly represent the Father, Son and Holy Ghost? The name of Jesus is more than adequate to represent the Godhead of Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

          Let’s take just a moment to look at the name of Jesus and what that name represents.  I am telling you, the apostles were not wrong!  Who are you going to believe, the glorious report of the verbatim preaching and practice of the apostles and early church, or your leadership that has rejected them?

          Let’s look at the Prophet Isaiah’s prophesy of the coming Christ.  He was very clear about what His name would represent.  “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”  [Isaiah 9:6] 

          Careful examination of this scripture reveals the prophet is prophesying of the coming Christ and that His Name would represent several things.  I must draw your attention that according to Isaiah’s prophesy, the name of Jesus would be called the Everlasting Father.  Matthew also quotes from Isaiah chapter seven, verse fourteen, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”  [Matthew 1:23]  Here again we see the importance of the name of Jesus.

          In the Gospel of Luke we find the great commission given differently.  “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”  [Luke 24:47]   In this passage there is no mention of baptism but we see that remission of sins should be preached in His Name.

The importance of the Name of Jesus is emphasized by the Apostle John as he ends his gospel by saying, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”  [John 20:31] 

The writer of Acts quotes the Apostle Peter saying, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”  [Acts 10:43]   Therefore, there is no remission of sins except through the Name of Jesus!  Remember, Peter said that baptism in the name of Jesus was for the remission of sins!  There should be little doubt the apostles boldly declared the name of Jesus throughout their lives and many of them were beaten for preaching His name.  There has always been something about that name that stirs up the devil!

Remember, Jesus said, “. . . . All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”  [Matthew 28:18]   Do you believe what He said?  Does He really have all power?  I certainly believe our Lord!  And He was given a Wonderful Name at His birth.  Mary and Joseph didn’t name Him.  No sir!  God sent an angel to name Him.  Don’t you know every son has his father’s name?  God the Father gave His Son, His Name!  “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  [Philippians 2:9-11]

There you have it!  God gave Him a name that is above every name!  You will bow to that name my friend!  And my friend, it is the only name given. . . .  “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”  [Acts 4:12]   You can’t be saved without confessing that Name and obeying that form of doctrine that was delivered to mankind at Pentecost!

Are you so blind that you cannot see that this is why the apostles baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ and not by repeating what He said in Matthew 28:19.   The name of Jesus was the only name given to them.

The only way to honor God the Father is by doing everything in the name of Jesus Christ.  When you bow and confess that lovely Name, you give God glory.  “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”  [Colossians 3:17] 

          Now, let’s look at the record given to us in the Book of Acts where we will read actual eye witness accounts of how the multitudes were baptized.

But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.  [Acts 8:12] 

          In this setting, Philip had preached the gospel in the city of Samaria.  The people there received the gospel Philip preached after they had witnessed the miracles and deliverance power of God that Philip demonstrated among them.  There is no doubt that Philip preached water baptism as part of his Gospel message because verse twelve says they were baptized. 

Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)  Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.  [Acts 8:15-17]

          Although the multitude of people that believed was baptized, they had not received the Holy Ghost!  This eye witness account in itself is disturbing when you compare it with the materialistic, easy believism, only believe, social gospel of today when it seems everyone automatically receives the Holy Ghost when they say the “sinners prayer”.

          Please note, they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus!  Philip knew they had not received the Holy Ghost because he had not heard them speak in tongues.   He called for the apostles who came to Samaria, laid their hands on the people, and they received the Holy Ghost (verse 17).

          Recorded in this same chapter eight you find Philip preaching Jesus to a man from Ethiopia.  The first thing the man wanted to do after Philip preached to him was to be baptized in water for he said, “See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized?”  I have a question for the ministers; is water baptism part of your gospel message?  And if it is, do you command them to be baptized in the name of Jesus as our apostolic did?  

For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify 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. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.  [Acts 10:46-48]

          In this account an angel of God had appeared to a Gentile named Cornelius and told him to send for a man named Peter who would tell him what he should do.  (If you are not familiar with this account, you can read all that transpired beginning with Acts chapter ten and verse one.  Peter came to the home of Cornelius and preached the Gospel to Cornelius and his household.  While Peter was preaching, the Holy Ghost fell on all of them!  Now, although they had received the Holy Ghost the Apostle Peter knew there was one thing they lacked.  He commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord!  Why?  Because water baptism was an essential part of the Gospel Message that Jesus had commanded them to preach, and he was certainly not going to leave it undone.  This is very important to know what the apostles did in this situation as I have heard some in our day teach if you have the Holy Ghost, you don’t have to be baptized in water.  Of course, there are many that don’t teach water baptism at all, or that it is not necessary.  Remember, “And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.”  [1John 5:8]  

          In our last eye witness account we find the Apostle Paul re-baptizing some disciples he had encountered.  He had asked them if they had received the Holy Ghost since they had believed.  Their reply was, “We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.”

          The Apostle Paul asked a strange question: “And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.  [Acts 19:3-6]

          Obviously the Apostle Paul considered water baptism as necessary as all the other apostles!  The record is a matter of fact. The Apostle Paul baptized them in the name of the Lord Jesus as did all the other apostles.  As a matter of fact Paul thought water baptism was so important that he baptized the keeper of the prison and his household in the same hour of the night after preaching the Gospel to them.  “And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.” [Acts 16:30-33]

          I know most of you are familiar with verse 31, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”  You hear that verse quoted almost as much as you hear John 3:16. But you probably have not heard verses 32 and 33 quoted. 

The eye witness account reported that Paul also spake unto them the word of the Lord, (verse 32), and he also, baptized them in the same hour of the night, (verse 33)!  We know for sure that Paul preached water baptism in Jesus name as part of the Gospel Message commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Please bear in mind that the Apostle Paul was not present when the Great Commission was given.  However, he received the revelation of Jesus Christ from the lips of Jesus Himself who appeared to him and imparted the Gospel to him.  The amazing thing is Paul had the same message as Peter. 

What about you?  Do you have the same message as our apostolic fathers, or have you adopted a message contrary to theirs?

          Again, my question to you my friend is, “Were the Apostles wrong?”  I do not know what your answer will be after you read this article.  However, my answer is a resounding, “NO” THEY WERE NOT WRONG!

Have you obeyed the Truth?  The Gospel Message hasn’t changed! ”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] 

JESUS NAME WATER BAPTISM

BRITANNICA ENCYCLOPEDIA
11TH edition, Vol 3, Pg 365-366
The baptismal formula was changed from the name of JESUS CHRIST to the words Father, Son, & Holy Ghost by the Catholic Church in the second century.
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BRITANNICA ENCYCLOPEDIA
Vol 3, Pg 82
Everywhere in the oldest sources it states that baptism took place in the name of Jesus Christ.
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CANNEY ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELIGION
Pg 53
The early church always baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus until development of Trinity doctrine in the 2nd century.
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(Otto Heick)
(1965), I, 53
At first baptism was administered in the name of Jesus, but gradually in the name of the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE
(1898), I, 241
[One explanation is that] the original form of words was ‘into the name of Jesus Christ’. Baptism into the name of the Trinity was a later development.
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A HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
Williston Walker, (1947), Pg 58
The Trinitarian baptismal formula … was displacing the older baptism in the name of Christ.
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THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG ENCYCLOPEDIA   OF RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE
(1957), I, 435
The New Testament knows only baptism in the name of Jesus …, which still occurs even in the second and third centuries.
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CANNEY’S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELIGIONS
(1970), Pg 53
Persons were baptized at first ‘in the name of Jesus Christ’ … or ‘in the name of the Lord Jesus.’…

Afterwards, with the development of the doctrine of the Trinity, they were baptized ‘in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.

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ENCYCLOPEDIA BIBLICA
(1899), I, 473
It is natural to conclude that baptism was administered in the earliest times ‘in the name of Jesus Christ,’ or in that ‘of the Lord Jesus.’ This view is confirmed by the fact that the earliest forms of the baptismal confession appear to have been single – not triple, as was the later creed.
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ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA
11TH edition, (1910), Vol 2, Pg 365
The Trinitarian formula and trine immersion were not uniformly used from the beginning… Bapti[sm] into the name of the Lord [was] the normal formula of the New Testament. In the 3rd century baptism in the name of Christ was still so wide spread that Pope Stephen, in opposition to Cyprian of Carthage, declared it to be valid.
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THE EVIDENCE IS OVERWHELMING.

This is obviously the way the apostles baptized in the first Church. Don’t you think if you are going to be in Christ’s Church, YOU should be baptized in the NAME of Jesus? ”And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end

shall be saved.” [Matthew 10:22]