brother Paul
Member
I would like here to make a case for baptism in Jesus' Name.
First I want to show that scripturally baptism has the power to save.
1Pe 3:20, 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.
1Pe 3:21, 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:
In verse 20, it makes it clear that the baptism being spoken of in verse 21 is water baptism.
Now, I know that a case can be made that we are saved by grace through faith; as though this excluded being saved through the grace of baptism. In this post I will not argue that a person can only be saved through baptism in Jesus' Name (except in part); but that baptism in Jesus' Name has the power to save a soul;
And that therefore, if you have any doubts about your salvation, being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth for the remission of sins may be something that you might want to try.
For it is written,
Deu 4:29, But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
and,
Jer 29:13, And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
It should be clear that there is a conditional promise in holy scripture, that we can receive the gift of the Holy Ghost...
The condition being that we repent and are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth for the remission of sins:
Act 2:38, 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.
Act 2:39, For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
I would say, also, that if baptism does indeed save, that this salvation is in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth:
Act 4:10, Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
Act 4:11, This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
Act 4:12, Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Now, here I will make a case for the exclusivisity in salvation of being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth for the remission of sins.
For the promise of Acts 2:38 is a conditional promise.
Act 2:39, For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
And it is given to as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Consider.
Rom 8:30, Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
If you are not among the called, then you were never predestinated unto salvation; and will not be justified.
Nevertheless, in Mark 16:16, it is those who believe not who will be damned; baptism isn't mentioned (as concerning condemnation for lack of it) except as a guarantee for salvation wherein it says, "whosoever believeth and is baptized shall be saved."
This indicates to me that, whereas in John 3:16, if you believe only, you "should" not perish, that if you believe and are baptized, you have an absolute promise of salvation...the word "shall" is an absolute one...whereas the word "should" is rather iffy.
So, I will not here preach that you must be baptized in Jesus' Name or else you will not be saved (I will allow the word of God to do that preaching for me, in verses already quoted); but I will say that if you want absolute assurance of salvation, the next step is to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth for the remission of sins.
Then, you shall receive remission of sins (1 John 3:9) and the gift of the Holy Ghost.
I would just like to add that the post-Constantine church has at some point lost the idea of what the ancoient Hebrews meant when the said "in the name of". This has nothing to do with a gluttural utterance ( like saying a name, like Ieesha, Fred, or even JESUS) it is about the SHEM (the concept translated "name")
So when we read that His name shall be called "wonderful" (pele' a worker of wonders) we KNOW that it is not HIS NAME, or Immanu-El (God with us) it is not speaking of what we think of when use the word "name". It is a conveyance of who that being is in essence. Their power and authority. Like when a decree was sent forth "in the name of the King" the person or persons delivering that decree have the authority to act as the King and have the power and authority to carry out that decree and punish all who rebel. In our place and time we might hear "Stop, in the name of the Law!" And should we hear that, we ought to stop, because that person or persons is/are as the Law itself and has the power and authority to carry out that Law and stop anyone who has acted rebelliously against that Law (with maximum force if necessary).
Now this idea is not only true in what is meant in scripture (because all the writers and early Apostles were Hebrew thinkers) but also with it is the idea that when one is associated with that name one is then identified with that personage and their position or essence.
So having said that one can certainly (or should be able to) be Baptized in the Shem of Jesus of Nazareth because of who He is in essence (John 1:1 and more) and through this at that time it made the hearers and witnesses comprehend that these were now identified with Him in HIS power and authority. Baptism in the shem (name) of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit is also fine and in effect equals the exact same thing The literal name of all three being YHVH).
The problem however arises because SOME who emphasize the NEED or REQUIREMENT of using this name, go on later, in total error, trying to say "Jesus" IS the Father and IS the Holy Spirit, so we must be careful. Jesus (Y'shua) is a human baby of the house of David born of a human mother in Bethleham in whom YHVH (as the Son or Word) became incarnate (in dwelt - skeenoo, to pitch tent) therefore after we hear and read in Hebrews 1 all about the Son who is he creator the King who all the angels worship and so on (hence YHVH) in Hebrews 2 we hear of Jesus being MADE a little lower than the angels.
So INHO baptism in His name is fine, and in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is fine, and even just in the name of Yah'hoveh is fine, so long as in recognition of our need for a Savior and redemption we have accepted what Jesus has done for us and that He has risen from the dead. In other words as long as we have placed true faith (we believe Him not just in Him) in the promised redemption.