If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. John 14:7
We were made in His image. The lamb slain before the foundation of the World. 

Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? John 14:9

Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. John 14:10
They understood that He was all God yet all man. 

They also understood the name of the God that chose to manifest himself in several ways.

 I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. John 5:43
The name of the father is Jesus.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26
The name of the Holy Ghost is Jesus.

In Matthew 28:19 Jesus told the people present when He ascended to baptize in the name of the father, son, and holy ghost. 

The disciples who new Him and had a revelation of who He was were there and heard what He said yet every one baptized in the name of Jesus. If there was anyone who would understand Him by His word it was the disciples He personally trained through His ministry. 

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.

JESUS NAME!!! 

The Oneness position on baptism goes something like this:

A. Jesus said to be baptized in the NAME of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
B. “Father”, “Son”, and “Holy Ghost” are not NAMES, they are TITLES
C. Also, NAME is singular, not plural
———-
Therefore, a person should be baptized in the name of Jesus, since that is what Peter commanded, and how the apostles baptized in Acts.

If you or anyone else visiting this site expects me to argue that point then you’ll be disappointed :). You would be surprised how many non-Oneness churches incorporate the Name of Jesus into their baptismal formula. For example, one of the largest churches in my town–a southern baptist church with several thousand members–incorporates “the Name of Jesus” into their baptismal formula.

If I ever baptize then I plan to incorporate “the Name of Jesus,” or “in the authority of our Lord Jesus,” or something similar, into the baptismal formula.

However, I don’t think a person has to have “the Name of Jesus” said over them in order to be saved. Here’s why:

1. The name of Jesus isn’t Jesus. It’s ’Ιησοῦς (Greek) or “Yēshū‛a” (Hebrew). So Peter never told people to be baptized in the “Name of Jesus.” He told them to be baptized in the “Name of ’Ιησοῦς.” So is everyone who has been baptized in anything other than the “Name of ’Ιησοῦς” going to hell? I think not.

Yet that is the logical outcome of the Oneness Pentecostal argument. Think about it carefully: If the Name of Jesus HAS to be said over a person in baptism, then we aren’t even saying His Name! We’re saying an English transliteration of His Name. So the logical outcome of the Oneness Pentecostal position on baptism is that everyone, including Oneness Pentecostals, are baptizing incorrectly!

(This is what happens when an entire theological system is based off an English translation of the Bible, by the way. Many denominations have made the same mistake–they forget that the English language did not even exist until several hundred years ago, and that if we want to get to the “root” of an issue we have to go to the Hebrew or Greek.)

(To the history buffs reading this: I do understand that the spoken language of Palestine was Aramaic, but I’m keeping this simple for the sake of brevity.)

2. Jesus said to be baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. To say that those are “names” and not a “name” is incorrect because it denies the Oneness of God. God is the Father, God is the Son, and God is the Holy Ghost. Oneness Pentecostals and Trinitarians agree on that point. Therefore, God’s Name can be “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” To say that His Name can’t be that is to apply our common perception of Anglo-Saxon names to God. Just because we wouldn’t name ourselves “Father, Son, and Spirit” doesn’t mean that God wouldn’t.

3. By the same token, the Oneness position that “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” are “titles” and not “names” is equally fallacious. God can name Himself whatever He wants to. For example, the first Name that we know for God is “I AM.” Would you name yourself that? No. But God did. A name in the ancient world often served as a description of a person, not just as an identifier of them. So for God to name Himself “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” is just one more way for Him to identify who He is.

I could go on, but I hope this answers your question. To recap: I don’t have a problem with churches baptizing in the Name of Jesus. I actually encourage it. But I do have a problem with any group that says if a person does not have “the Name of Jesus” said over them in baptism, then they are going to hell. “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” is the way that Jesus commanded people to be baptized, and I do not think that Jesus will send anyone to hell for taking Him literally =)

I hope that answers your question,
In Christ,
- Josh S.

I have written on baptism in other sections of this Web site (see my comments on Mat. 28:18-20 in the Misinterpreted Scriptures section, for example) so I will not repeat all of that here. All I will do is make one simple statement that I believe sums up the essence of the whole debate: Jesus will not send people to hell for obeying Him.

Period.

I will hold that view to my dying breath.

Jesus said for people to be baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and people will not be sent to hell for taking him literally. He’s not a trickster who will tell people at judgment, “Oh, I didn’t *really* mean that.”

I know that my statement is bold and that it could even appear harsh to those who disagree. I ask you to forgive me for any harshness, and to understand that my boldness is not directed at you. No, my boldness is directed at those who twist the words of our Lord and Savior to the point of claiming people will go to hell for doing what He commanded.

Thank you for your concern for me and for your questions, sister. I do consider Oneness folks brothers and sisters in Christ, just like I always have. I also consider Trinitarian folks brothers and sisters in Christ :).

All of what I just said might lead a person to think that I am now a Trinitarian, or that I am anti-Oneness. The truth is that right now, as of this writing, I am neither. I confess that I simply don’t understand the nature of God. From my studies of church history I have decided that the doctrine of the Trinity is a more accurate description of God than the doctrine of Oneness, but I do not think it is a perfect description.

(Speaking of church history, the doctrine of “Oneness” [I.e. modalism or Sabellianism] was never widely held at any point in church history. Contrary to what Oneness theologians such as Dr. Bernard say, there was never any great “falling away” from modalist [Oneness] theology. The reason there was no great falling away from modalist theology is because there was nothing to fall away from!)

About baptism: I believe with all of my heart that being baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is equivalent to being baptized in the Name of Jesus. I also believe that being baptized in the Name of Jesus is equivalent to being baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. It is not a “magic formula” that saves a person (if it were, then we need to be speaking in Aramaic and/or Koine Greek when we baptize people, since that’s what Jesus and the disciples spoke). No, it is not a magic formula. It is the applied blood of Christ to a person’s life.

Thank you again for your concerns. I hope I’ve answered your questions. Please feel free to write any time. God bless, and Merry Christmas!

~ Josh S.