William Branham's Teachings on Water Baptism: Difference between revisions

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==Scriptures referring to how baptism was conducted in the New Testament==
==Scriptures referring to how baptism was conducted in the New Testament==


Acts 2:38
In Matthew 28, Jesus told his disciples:
:''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 8:16
:''Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, '''baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,''' teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” <ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Mt 28:19–20.</ref>
:''For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were '''baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus'''.
 
Acts 10:48
:''And he commanded them to be '''baptized in the name of the Lord'''. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
 
Acts 19:5
:''When they heard this, they were '''baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus'''.  


Romans 6:3
But surprisingly, there is no biblical record that anyone was baptized using this formula.  Rather we read the following:
:''Know ye not, that so many of us as were '''baptized into Jesus Christ''' were baptized into his death?


Galatians 3:27
:Acts 2:38
:''For has many of you as have been '''baptized into Christ''' have put on Christ.
::''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.


So we have certainly found multiple scriptures that show people begin baptized in a form other than the three-part Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
:Acts 8:16
::''For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were '''baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus'''.


It is clear from the Bible that there did not appear to be an emphasis on the exact formula of baptism, thereby proving one of the fundamental doctrines of William Branham's message to be flawed.
:Acts 10:48
::''And he commanded them to be '''baptized in the name of the Lord'''. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.


===Titles versus Name===
:Acts 19:5
::''When they heard this, they were '''baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus'''.


Oneness Pentecostals believe that "Jesus" is the name of God revealed in the New Testament and that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three manifestations or titles of the one God.
:Romans 6:3
::''Know ye not, that so many of us as were '''baptized into Jesus Christ''' were baptized into his death?


In Matthew 28, Jesus told his disciples:
:Galatians 3:27
::''For has many of you as have been '''baptized into Christ''' have put on Christ.


:''Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, '''baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,''' teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” <ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Mt 28:19–20.</ref>
What is clear is that, from the historical record, there did not appear to be an emphasis on the exact formula of baptism.  


Oneness Pentecostals explain that the command in Matthew 28:19 is correctly fulfilled by baptizing "in the name of Jesus Christ".
===Oneness Theology - Titles versus Name===


Holders of the Jesus' Name doctrine assert that baptism in the name of Jesus is the proper method, and most (not all) feel that baptism "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" is invalid because Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are not names but titles.  Alternatively, the name of the Son is Jesus, so it is argued the actual name Jesus should be used; Jesus is the name of the Son, and arguably also the name of the Father and Holy Ghost.
Oneness Pentecostals believe that "Jesus" is the name of God revealed in the New Testament and that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three manifestations or titles of the one God.  They explain that the command in Matthew 28:19 is correctly fulfilled by baptizing "in the name of Jesus Christ". They also believe that baptism "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" is invalid because Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are not names but titles.  Alternatively, the name of the Son is Jesus, so it is argued the actual name Jesus should be used; Jesus is the name of the Son, and arguably also the name of the Father and Holy Ghost.


William Branham stated:
William Branham stated: