THE TRUE BIBLICAL CHRISTIAN BAPTISM.

BAPTISM: The word “Baptism” in the biblical context means to be wholly immersed into a body of water. This could be a river, [Jn.1:28], as at Jordan; a pool, as at the desert with Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch [Acts 8:36-38] or some place with much water as at AENON, [Jn.3:22-23] or at the jailors house, [Acts 16:33] that very night, which could have been a swimming pool a bath tub or whatever it was. It could have been one of the same at Cornelius house [Acts 10:47-48].

(1). Baptism in the New Testament was performed according to the prescribed formula recorded for us in Acts 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.”

(2)The purpose for the New Testament baptism is for REMISSION OF SIN. That in turn prepares you for God to come and dwell in you in the form of The Holy Spirit.

(3). REPENTANCE, is a requirement before baptism. We must acknowledge we are sinners and need God`s mercy and accept his pardon: [ROMANS 3:10-12]

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

This being the case as illustrated, it rules out three things:

(i). “Sprinkling on the head.” Many theological explanations and justification attempts have been written from the several theological points of views out there. But the Bible explicitly tells us to know this, according to [II PETER 1:20-21]

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake [as they were]  moved by the Holy Ghost.” Therefore, we do it as prescribed for us in the Bible.

 

(ii). Infants’ baptism. The biblical requirement for baptism is repentance. [Acts 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.”

Infants are innocent of sin. They have done nothing of their own that wilfully contradicts God’s word. They are not accountable to God for anything.

Don’t we see even in the laws of man, children under certain age cannot be charged for offences they make, because of their age? God does not require infants to be baptized. Infant baptism is a denominational way of booking denominational membership from infancy. That is why they introduced sprinkling, because infants could drown at baptism if they did. This is not God- ordained therefore it is false baptism, and has no life-changing effect at all.

Another reason was that, some Kings, nobles, princes and aristocrats saw themselves to be too dignatarian to go into rivers and public pools for baptism. So some Denominational leaders made a compromise and introduced sprinkling to cater for this “class” of humans. By being sprinkled instead of being baptized, they bypass God’s way of remission of sin. It doesn’t matter how much you are sprinkled, your sins can only be remitted God’s provided way at the age of accountability.

What about, Presidents of countries and organizations, Emperors, Kings, Prime Ministers, Governors, MPs, Mayors, Lawyers, Magistrates, Bishops, Pastors and Pastoress of today who have not been baptized in the name of Lord Jesus and yet go to church on Sundays? Are you too dignified to be baptized by imersion for the remission of your sins?

 

(iii). “Baptism in any other name” except in the “NAME OF JESUS CHRIST” This is the only name used in  every Baptism recorded in the entire bible, in fulfilment of the commission given by Jesus Christ as recorded in all the four Gospels:

 

(a). [MATTHEW 28:19-20]

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.”

(b). [MARK 16:15-16]

“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.”

(c). [LUKE 24:46-47]

“And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day:

And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

(d). [JOHN 20:21-23]

“Then said Jesus to them again, Peace [be] unto you: as [my] Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

And when he had said this, he breathed on [them], and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; [and] whose soever [sins] ye retain, they are retained.”

The Apostle Luke says in [Acts 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.”

To change this instruction would be liken to a Pharmacist who takes the Doctor’s prescription and alters the dosage making it less effective. It would either be and over dose or an under dose. That could kill the patient or make the medicine of none effect.

[I CORINTHIANS 1:13-17]

“Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.”

The Apostle Paul, further warns in this manner: [GALATIANS 1:6-9]

“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

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.”

There are over 8,000 people recorded in the Book of Acts who were baptized IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST:

[Acts 2: 38-41]3000 Souls.

[Acts 8: 12] 4 In Samaria, taking a minimum of 2 men & 2 women.

[Acts 8: 35-38] 1 The Ethiopian Eunuch.

[Acts 9: 18] / [ACTS 22:16] 1The Apostle Paul, “calling on the NAME OF THE LORD.”

[Acts 10: 7] 3 Minimum in Cornelius house; The devout soldier & household.

[Acts 10: 24] 2 Kinsmen, just a minimum of 2.

[Acts 10: 24]1Cornelius himself.

[Acts 10: 24] 2 Near Friends of Cornelius, just a minimum of 2.

[Acts 19: 5, 7] 12 Men, certain disciples Paul met at Ephesus with Apollos.

[Acts 4: 4] 5,000 men who heard Peter and other disciples and believed.

Approximately: 8,026 Souls altogether.

 

This is an indisputable matter of fact truth, on record in the bible about men and women who were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by Peter, by Ananias, by Philip, by Paul and other early church disciples of Jesus Christ. They had the same revelation and understanding of what the NAME OF FATHER, SON and Holy Ghost is.

WHOSE DOES THE NAME JESUS BELONG?

The bible has this answer to give:

1.[Phil. 2:9-9-11]:

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:”

2.[Lk.1:30-31]

”And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.”

3.[Phil. 2:9-11]

“Wherefore God also has 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.”

4.[Acts 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.”

5.[John 5:43]

Jesus himself revealed and said: “I am come in my Father’s Name... “

6.[John 10:25]

Jesus said: “... the works that I do in my Father’s Name, they bear witness of me”

7.[John 17:6]

In his prayer to the Father Jesus made the following statements:

“I have manifested thy Name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world.”

8.[John 17:11]

“... Holy Father, keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me... “

9.[John 17:12]

“... while I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy Name... “

10.[John 17:26]

“And I have declared unto them thy Name, and will declare it.

11.It is further confirmed in various scriptures such as [Eph3:14-15]:

“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,”

1 2.[Col. 3:17], The Apostle Paul said:

1 3.“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.”

1 4.On the issue of Baptism in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, here is Jesus own clarification, [Luke 24:45-47]:

“THEN OPENED HE THEIR UNDERSTANDING, that THEY MIGHT UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES,

And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in HIS NAME among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

Here is what every Christian needs first, before trying to baptize anybody any way they think the scriptures say. “THEN OPENED HE THEIR UNDERSTANDING, that THEY MIGHT UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES.

 

Peter, Paul, Ananias, Philip, John, and James understood what baptism in the Name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Ghost meant. God opened their understanding of the scriptures first. Then they all baptised in the Name of The Lord Jesus Christ.

IS FATHER A NAME? IS SON A NAME? OR IS HOLY GHOST A NAME?

 

None of them is. This is plain common sense to anybody who understands English. “FATHER” is the title of relationship of the male parent to any of his children. “MOTHER” is also a title of relationship of the female parent to her offspring. If the offspring is a male, he is referred to as “SON”. If the offspring is female, she is called “DAUGHTER” All these are TITLES OF RELATIONSHIP. They are NOT NAMES. Let it first be clearly understood that FATHER is not a name. SON is not a name, and HOLY GHOST is not a name. They are different dispensational manifestations of the same God. “God is a SPIRIT”, “THE HOLY SPIRIT.”

Let us look at it in another way: WATER, in the language of a CHEMIST is: H2O. But H2O can exist in different forms under certain conditions. If we take 1000 cubic centimetres of water [H2O] and subject it to various atmospheric temperature conditions this is what will happen:

1.Under room temperature, H2O exists as fluid, ordinarily called WATER.

2.Under very cold temperatures, the same H2O turns into a solid form called ICE. It is still H2O.

3.When it is heated to 100 degrees Celsius it turns into steam and VAPOUR, but it is still H2O.

God, in His ordinary supernatural state is SPIRIT. [Jn. 4:24]. By means of His supernatural ability, He has been able to manifest Himself as FATHER. [LUKE 1:34-35]

“Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”

Mary the virgin was instructed by Gabriel the Angel that she was going to conceive and bear A SON and that she was to name him JESUS.

Joseph, who was betrothed, to Mary, was bothered and puzzled by the pregnancy of his bride. The Angel of the Lord clarified it to him that THE FATHER of the unborn baby in Mary’s womb was THE HOLY GHOST. [Mt. 1:19-20], through His creative power.

“Then Joseph her husband, being a just [man], and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is OF THE HOLY GHOST.”

Clearly, the scripture tells us that THE FATHER OF JESUS is THE HOLY GHOST”. Trinitarians who have made 3 persons from one God have made THE Father of Jesus Christ a 3^rd Person. Either you agree with the Bible that THE HOLY GHOST & THE FATHER are One and The Same Person or Jesus has two Fathers. This is impossible in every way conceivable. That is the reason TRINITY DOCTRINE IS WRONG. It makes Jesus to have two fathers. Here are a few O/T and N/T, Biblical emphasis on the ONENESS OF GOD.

[DEUTERONOMY 6:4]

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God [is] one LORD:”

[ISAIAH 43:10-11]

“Ye [are] my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I [am] he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me [there is] no saviour.”

[EPHESIANS 4:4-6]

“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

One God and Father of all, who [is] above all, and through all, and in you all.”

 

[REVELATION 1:8]

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”

 

[I TIMOTHY 3:16]

“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”

[Jn. 1:1]

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

JOHN 1:14

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Jesus puzzled the Pharisees. Jesus puzzled Saul the persecutor. Jesus is still a puzzle to very many who claim to be Christians and are serving him. Unless, He is revealed to you, you will remain in your ignorance. Here is what Jesus told the Pharisees about Himself and His Father:

[JOHN 8:55-58]

“Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it], and was glad.

Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”

The “I AM” of the Old Testament is the same “I AM” of the New Testament. When He revealed Himself to Moses as A BURNING BUSH, Moses asked for His Name, and He told Moses; [EXODUS 3:13-14]

“And Moses said unto God, Behold, [when] I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, what [is] his name? What shall I say unto them?

And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”

In the book of [Acts. 9:3-6], Jesus, in the form of BRIGHT LIGHT confronted Saul, the persecutor and knocked him off his horse. Saul, very much in astonishment, asked:

“And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

And he said, who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: [it is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.”

When Moses became of age, he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He had the revelation of Christ as far back as his days in Egypt. [Heb.11:26]

“Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.”

According to [1Pet. 1:11], the SPIRIT that was inspiring, the O/T prophets , was THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST:

“Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace [that should come] unto you:

Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.”

The same Christ in the Old Testament is the one Saul encountered on the way to Damascus.

Since Jesus has explicitly said that: “I am come in my Father’s Name ...” [Jn. 5:43], do we have any reason to doubt that the name Mary was told to name him by [JESUS], IS THE FATHER’S NAME?

So, if you have not been baptized in the Name of The Lord Jesus Christ, then you have not been baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, as Jesus commissioned. Is it necessary to be baptized again if you were baptized wrong? Well read what happened in Acts 19:1-5, and make up your mind. [ACTS 19:1-5]

“And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

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.”

 

THIS IS FOR THEM WHO LOVE THE TRUTH IN THE BIBLE AS REVEALED AND ACTED UPON BY OUR PENTECOSTAL FATHERS WHO MET GOD IN THE UPPER ROOM.

“God bless you” is my best wish for you who love the truth.

Pastor Martin Tombe.