The Baptismal Formula

    From BelieveTheSign
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    The Question

    We have received a number of questions that specifically relate to the baptismal forumula (the words said over the person being baptized). Here is an amalgam of some of the questions we have received:

    No one was ever baptized by the Apostles in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. If it was permissible then surely there would be some record in scripture that baptism could or should be in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. But this does not exist.
    If I am not wrong, Apostle John died in 100 AD and first evidence of baptism in the in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit was that of Justin Martyr who was also born in 100 AD.
    By that time the Church started to drift away from the original teaching of the Apostles. Polycarp the direct disciple of John the Baptist fought against it tooth and nail. The feast of Passover was changed to the festival of Good Friday and Easter. Polycarp opposed it and finally was killed.
    Change in the mode of the formula to Christian Baptism is seen right after the death of the Apostles and many changes in the faith and teaching of the Apostles were also made during that period. And that is how the baptism in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit was introduced in the Church.
    Show me at least one Scripture where the Apostles have baptized the believers in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. There is none. And hence it can not be a part of our teaching and faith.
    The name of Jesus is given to us, as the meaning of this word is “Jehovah is My Salvation.’ Words as Father, Son and Holy Spirit does not mean that, “Jehovah is My Salvation.’ And hence you have to take the name of Jesus while baptizing a person. Now there are many persons in the Bible who had name Jesus but there is only one Jesus who is Lord and Christ that is our Lord Jesus Christ and hence you must add Christ or Lord to the name of Jesus. That is why Apostle Paul said in Colossians 3:17 - '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.'

    This article attempts to answer this question.

    The Scriptural Witness

    Matthew 28:18-20

    And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”[1]

    Acts 2:38

    Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.[2]

    Acts 8:14-16

    Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.[3]

    Acts 10:48

    And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.[4]

    Acts 19:5

    On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.[5]

    Romans 6:3

    Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?[6]

    What does the scriptural witness tell us?

    What is clear from the scriptural references is that there was no "magic formula" for water baptism.



    Footnotes

    1. ↑ New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Mt 28:18–20.
    2. ↑ New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ac 2:38.
    3. ↑ New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ac 8:14–16.
    4. ↑ New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ac 10:48.
    5. ↑ The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ac 19:5.
    6. ↑ New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ro 6:3.


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