The New Testament presents at least two primary purposes for water baptism. According to Romans 6:3, when a person is baptized into Christ (invoking Jesus’s name over the person), their old sinful life is put to death through participation in Christ’s death. Likewise, on the Day of Pentecost, Peter proclaimed that repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ are necessary for the removal (or remission) of sins. Therefore, water baptism functions as a means of identifying with Christ’s death and the remission of sins. For this reason, the name of Jesus is invoked when the person being baptized is fully immersed in water, affirming that salvation is grounded in Christ alone, whose sacrificial death and cleansing blood provide the only basis for taking away of humanity’s sins.
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Author: Dr. Powell,
Dr. Powell earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Bible and Theology, and a Master of Arts in Theological Studies. He also has a second Bachelor (BS) and second Masters (MS) degree in non-theological related disciplines. Dr. Powell also earned his Ph.D. in Bible Exposition (comprehension, interpretation, and application). He enjoys reading and writing “Bible and Theology,” leading congregations, preaching and teaching, traveling with his family, and having long Bible discussions with people. His favorite subjects are on the Second Temple period, New Testament Epistles, and the afterlife (not explicitly limited to eschatology). He does lots of research and investigation on the subjects of heaven and hell.
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Matthew 28:19 and Mark 16:15-16 is Jesus’ Great Commission to His disciples. And from the disciples, they were to commission the church as Jesus instructed. Mark emphasizes the words that the person who believes and is baptized will be saved. Matthew emphasized the baptizing of new disciples in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The commission to baptize people in the Name (singular) not Names (plural) was a command from the Lord. The terms Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is not a Name as referred to in Matthew 28:19. For instance, I’m a father but John Matthew is my name. I’m a son but ‘son’ is not my name. In order to obey His command, we need to know the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost to which the Apostle Matthew is referring. As it was understood by Peter and the other men who were present with Jesus at the time He commissioned them, they understood it to be Jesus Christ. The book of Acts is discipleship put into action when they started carrying out Christ’s command of discipleship. They all quoted the Name Jesus Christ over candidates when they were baptized in the New Testament. Colossians 3:17 says, “Everything you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. Let’s consider Matthew 28:19 again. Jesus’ command to make disciples by going, teaching, and baptizing in the “Name” of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is first fulfilled in Acts 2:38, 41. When the Apostle Peter gave this command, Matthew, John, James and all the other Apostles were present to correct him if he was wrong. But Peter wasn’t wrong; he fully and completely obeyed Jesus’ command. The Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost – referred to in Matthew 28:19 – is Jesus Christ. And all instances of Christian water baptism in the New Testament were all done in the Name of Jesus Christ (see Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5; 22:16; Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 1:12-15; Gal. 3:27; ), as fulfillment of Jesus’ command in Matthew 28:19 and Mark 16:15-16, for water baptism. For those who are still not convinced by Scripture itself, you should therefore be aware that the Catholic Church admitted that they changed the baptismal formula from the words, “Jesus Christ” to the words, “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”1 Prior to the development of the doctrine of the Trinity in the second and third century, the early Church baptized believers in the Name of Jesus Christ. After the doctrine of the Trinity was developed in the second and third century, the baptismal formula was changed from the Name of Jesus Christ and replaced with the Trinitarian formula: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.2
– Blessings to all of you.
REFERENCES
1 Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 2, Page 263
2 Canney Encyclopedia of Religion, Page 53
3 Encyclopedia Britannica, 11TH edition, Volume 3, Page 365-366