Matthew 28:19 (Misinterpreted Scriptures)
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost…
Misinterpretation: The UPC points out that this Scripture says to baptize in the Name (singular). They go on to say that the Name is Jesus, and they quote Acts 2:38 as proof (because Peter instructed people to be baptized in the Name of Jesus). Unfortunately, the UPC believes that if a person was baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, then their baptism was invalid and they are not truly saved.
Facts: I will not open up a debate on Oneness vs. the Trinity here, or a debate on whether or not baptism is necessary for salvation. Instead, I will say that I really do not think that Jesus is going to send the majority of His followers to hell for obeying Him. Think about that for a moment. Is Jesus really going to take a person who love Him and faithfully served Him, but was baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost and send them to hell—especially when He was the one who told them to be baptized that way? Is that really the kind of God that we serve?
Furthermore, if the UPC view is true then the majority of so-called Christians for the last 2,000 years have gone to hell. I find it hard to believe that Jesus came to Earth, suffered, died, was buried, and rose again, just so that He could trick almost all of His followers into going to hell.
Finally, the UPC often claims that Christians baptized in the Name of Jesus until the Roman Catholic church came on the scene. They believe that the Roman Catholic church corrupted Christianity with the doctrine of the Trinity (which the UPC equates with polytheism) and a false baptism. However, recent historical discoveries make it clear that the early Church was baptizing people in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost at a very early date. The Didache–written between c50-250 A.D.–instructs people to be baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost1. This means that it is very possible that the early Church was already baptizing people in the Titles when the Apostle John was still alive!
References:
- Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., Harrison, R. K., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. (1995). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible dictionary. Rev. ed. of: Nelson’s illustrated Bible dictionary.; Includes index ("Didache"). Nashville: T. Nelson. [↩]
May 19th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Josh,
During the days of Noah, there undoubtedly were other boats, yet, God chose only one boat to save Noah and his family. God chose to make only one plan for their salvation.
Was God unrighteous to those who would seek salvation by some other means? No. In each dispensation, God mercifully has provided mankind a way to escape impending judgment.
It is man’s responsibility to follow the plan of God.
I know some churches that batize in titles and in Jesus’ name as they are unsure of mode of baptism or are following the wishes of the “baptisee”.
Not to rush to the basics of scripture, but, we find in Ephesians 4:5 “One Lord, one faith, one baptism,”. One baptism means that there is only one baptism as there was only one ark.
Another interesting scripture is found in Romans 6:3
“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” How were these believers baptized into Jesus and into his death and not baptized in his name?
The believers were not baptized into the death of the Father or Holy Ghost, only into Jesus’ death. Galatians 3:27 goes further on this subject and states, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
Not to use a “candy-stick” of the UPCI, but we do see evidence of baptism in Jesus’ name in Acts 19:5 “When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
I trust that this information is received well.
Sincerely,
Leonard Rafferty
June 1st, 2008 at 10:53 am
Hi, Leonard. I don’t normally respond to comments on this Web site for two reasons: First, I want to avoid starting a thread of debates; Second, my desire is that people would formulate their opinions. Because I desire people to formulate their own opinions I am delighted when people write comments on things that I have written, even when they are disagreeing with me :). I would like to think that I am humble enough to admit when I am wrong, so I welcome responses.
With that said, I noticed today that you wrote three very good comments on three different articles. I am going to break with my own tradition and respond to them–not because I disagree with all or part of what you wrote, but because you took the courtesy to write three comments that were very well-thought, and I think that deserves the courtesy of a response!
In reference to your comments on this post, I would like to reiterate my original point. Is Jesus going to send His followers to hell for obeying Him? In other words, did He tell us to be baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, just to trick us? Was His goal to convolute the plan of salvation by telling us one thing when He really meant another?
If anyone thinks the answer to that question is “Yes,” then I think they serve a very different God than me.
So, why did the apostles baptize in the Name of Jesus and not in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost? Who knows. There have been many different theories advanced for that. The one that I hold to is that the phrase “In the Name of” meant “In the authority of.” If that is true then the apostles probably did not say anything over people when they baptized them. They may have even had people immerse themselves after a profession of faith, which is how the earliest post-New Testament writings describe baptism (I.e. the Didache and the writings of Hippolytus).
In short, the New Testament says *that* baptism was done, but it does not say *how* baptism was done. To find out exactly how baptism was done we have to turn to the earliest church writings, and, interestingly, those writings describe baptism being done by immersion, in the presence of two or more witnesses, after a person answered a series of questions professing their faith.
Be that as it may, my original point is still the same. Even if I am wrong about how the early church performed baptism, one thing is clear: I don’t think Jesus is going to send people to hell for obeying Him.
To reverse that point, think of it this way: Did Jesus know the future? He obviously did. So did He know that for 2,000 years people would baptize in the Titles? Obviously. Did He realize that He could have stopped that by just saying “be baptized in the Name of Jesus” instead of “be baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost”? I am sure that He did.
So if being baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, is going to send you to hell, then why did He tell people to do it?
I’ll leave that question up to the reader to answer.
August 6th, 2008 at 10:46 am
Thank you,
My husband were just discussing this yesterday and came to the same basic conclusion. God LOVES us! We left UPC in the spring, and are So glad. God has been blessing us with truth and love. I feel blessed to believe that millions of believers are Not going to hell for being baptized in the titles, I might even see my beloved Grandmother in Heaven!
What a deliverance from such a condemning belief system. Thanks again for your site.
August 9th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Ephesians 4:5- One Lord, One Faith and One Baptism. What a popular verse among apostolic ministers. I use to misquote this verse also. That is true this verse. There is One Lord. One Faith and One Baptism and the same write of the letter to the Ephesians wrote also that among the many teachings of the church there were 6 foundational doctrines of the church as found in Hebrews 6:1-3 and in that He Paul mentions the doctrine of baptisms (Plural).
John the baptist came baptizing in water unto repentance for the remission of sins but Jesus Christ came to baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire( Luke 3:16).
Jesus made and baptized more disciples then John, though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples(John 4:1-2). Does this verse mean he baptized his disciples or they baptized believers for the Lord? The way the verse reads is stating Jesus didnt baptize with water but His discisple did. Why? he would baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire.
The same writer Paul who wrote by inspiration Eph 4:5 also wrote by inspiration in ( 1 Cor 12:13) For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free: and have been made all to drink into one Spirit.
So the verse found in Eph 4:5-One Lord. One Faith. One Baptism is correct in that we are baptized into one (1) body by one (1) Spirit.
I hope this has edified and been a help.
In His Grip,
Rev. Josh Sparks.
September 16th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
We should also relize that the first church did not have the Gosspels of Mattew, Mark, Luke, and John in written form for almost 100 years after the Acts 2:38 message.
How did this first church get baptized?
We should be careful brethren, just because the UPCI uses baptism as a “Sugar Stick” doesn’t make it wrong.
We should also relize that the Word we use to prove and disprove our salvation is very adament about Jesus name baptism.
Lets not judge people by sending them to hell, but also not sending them to heaven either. God is the judge of the quick and the dead so we should building and dismanteling the apostles doctrine just on the fact that a majority of peoples have gone so long in disagreeing with it.
Were some of us bound by the laws and traditions of men? Didn’t we think we were saved while were justified by the law. We found the revelations of so many errors in the UPC by rightly dividing the Word of truth.
Now we need to ask the hard question, the Apostles were fervent for Jesus name baptism, shouldn’t we be also?
These men walked hand and hand with Christ, Matt 28:19 was directed at them then at us. What did the do with this commandment? Acts 2:38 is still the answer to this question
September 22nd, 2008 at 7:44 pm
I say yes Baptism in Jesus name was the formula used in Water Baptism in every instance in the book of Acts. I personally do baptism in Jesus name and believe it is important. I wanted to clarify this. I have never left the Apostolic Teachings or Apostles Doctrine just the approach of the UPCI. I dont have to preach it in any way other then preaching it as absolute truth as found on the pages of God’s Word.
Good Post Brother.