Baptism, Lord's Supper, Foot Washing
/ Ewald Frank
Langue: anglais
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2. BAPTISM
First we shall deal briefly with the water baptism. The Lord commissioned us to baptise, and therefore, baptism is being administered in the Christian denominations. The church history, of course, shows forth the deviations from the original teaching and practice of the same. In the first church, there was only one form of baptism. Today we have various ways by which baptism is being practised.
The Word addressed to the believers in Ephesus is still valid for any believer at any place today, “One Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph. 4:5). In reality, there is only one Lord, namely God, only one true faith, the scriptural faith, only one baptism – that was practised by the apostles.
In this exposition, we wish to answer the following questions: What does baptism mean? Why is it administered? Who can be baptised? and finally: How is it practically done?
At the beginning of the New Testament, John the Baptist preached, “saying, Repent; for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt. 3:2). Our Lord repeatedly mentioned John and his ministry. In Lk. 7:29-30 He says, “and all the people that heard him, and the tax collectors, justified God, being baptised with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptised by him.” Even Jesus Christ went to the River Jordan to be baptised by John the Baptist, saying, “Permit it to be so now; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness” (Mt. 3:15).
Right in the first sermon, Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, he told the inquiring multitude, “Repent, and be baptised, every one of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Baptism is not left at the discretion of the individual, but rather is necessary to show the obedience of the believer. Whosoever acknowledges the redemption work and accepts Christ by faith and thereby receives justification, will have to become a follower of Jesus Christ.
The apostle Peter shows the necessity of the baptism in the example of the ark of Noah, as it is found in 1 Pet. 3:20-21, “… when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, in which few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water; the like figure unto which even baptism doth also now save us …” The flood destroyed all except those who were in the ark. There were only a few who took heed to the preaching of Noah. Only a handful believed the message of that prophet and went in with him.
We could ask why Peter uses the example of the ark in connection with the baptism of the believers. If one truly believes, he will do what the Lord had said and will be baptised into Christ. He is our ark, the only place of refuge and safety. In Him alone, we will escape the pending judgements of God. Salvation comes to us by believing in Jesus Christ. The believers then act in obedience to the Word and are being baptised in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. If anyone does not follow according to the divine order, he or she manifests openly unbelief and disobedience towards God and His Word, and in such a case one does not come into Christ, who is the ark of safety. When the great flood comes, many who claim to be Christians will find themselves outside and be lost.
Surely the people might have asked before the flood, “Why must we go into the ark? Where is the water? We believe in God; that should be enough. Everything continues as it was. We don’t need to listen to this preacher.” They did not recognise Noah to be a prophet with a direct commission from the Lord. The countdown was on then, and it is on now. In spite of all the warnings, the people went their own ways and did not heed. Suddenly, the day arrived, the predicted catastrophe broke in upon the human race. Suddenly, the door was shut. Those who were outside perished. Even now, it might look as though everything remains as it was (2 Pet. 3:4), but in the very near future, at the return of Christ, the difference will be made known. God’s hour comes suddenly. The time of grace will be over, and the door will be shut. Those who are inside, will be safe for ever.
In this connection, we can only repeat what was said in the days of old, “Wherefore, as the Holy Spirit saith, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation” (Heb. 3:7-8). Right to the end the promise is valid, “He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved” (Mk. 16:16). Who is willing to obey? Real faith is shown in obedience to the Word of God. Faith without the works which are required, is dead in itself and useless. In such a case, it is only a religious confession which has not saved a single person yet. All the Christian teachings amount to nothing. They have to be scriptural and connected with the experiences of the individuals. Our connection with God is through the Word and by the Spirit who brings it to life. Only what comes from Him, takes us back to Him. Hence, the obedience to water baptism is not a ‘may’, but a ‘must’ for every true believer.
Baptism is just an act by which one is led to identify oneself with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. There is no forgiveness of sins in baptism. The person requesting to be baptised rather shows to have received the forgiveness of sins by the shed blood on the cross of Calvary. The Apostle Peter writes like this, “… The like figure unto which 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 …” (1Pet. 3:21). The one who is being baptised identifies himself with Christ, realising to be crucified with Him.
Baptism is an act of obedience by a believer following his confession of personal faith upon his Saviour and Lord. As we also read about Philip and the eunuch, that both went into the water. In this manner it is being done in all the Bible believing churches even today. Both, those who baptise and the ones who are being baptised go into the water about to the loins. Before baptising, the one who baptises would say something like, “Brother So-and-so, Sister So-and-so, upon the confession of your faith I baptise you according to the Word of God in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” The baptism itself is compared with a burial. Thus the person is being laid backwards into the water and is totally immersed, and then lifted up again. The rising out of the water signifies that the same has risen to a new life with Christ. But the new life, of course, does not come by baptism but by the new birth through the Word and the Spirit of God. In any case, if some water is just being sprinkled or poured on the forehead, it should not even be called “baptism”, because it’s not.
The apostle writes in Col. 2:12, “… buried with him in baptism, in which also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” The Scripture does not teach that an infant is born again by the act of pouring or sprinkling – in the contrary: the clear teaching is that people first must hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, receive the Word as the seed into their soul, and have new life brought forth by the Spirit of God. Only then, they should be baptised. The baptism in water does also not automatically signify the receiving of the Holy Spirit. The baptism by the Spirit is a separate experience. It is God’s answer to the believer who was obedient in water baptism. In such a case, the person receives the assurance to belong to God.
In Rom. 6:4-5, the apostle summarises the baptism with the following words, “Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death, that as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.” A similar thought is being expressed in his letter to the Galatians, chapter 3:26-27, “For ye are all the sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ.” It is not a dry sinner who walks into the water in order that a wet should come out of the water again, no, we are speaking of people who have found grace with God, who are reconciled with Him, who have received the assurance that their sins are forgiven, who are certain that God has accepted them.
The fundamental condition for a person to be baptised is the personal faith in the Saviour. Just before His ascension to heaven, the Lord gave a very clear commission, “And he said unto them, ‘Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved” (Mk. 16:15-16). As we see, first comes the proclamation of the Gospel and not a religious act.
Through the preaching of our reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ, people are brought to accept God’s offer of salvation. As it is written, “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17). Such faith wrought by the Holy Spirit in the hearts of the listeners must come forth first. There must be an inward “yes” towards God and the acceptance of God’s divine grace in our hearts. A person must first have an experience of salvation, through which one becomes a believer. According to Rom. 8:16 “the Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” That is the assurance which everyone receives who is justified before God through faith in the finished work of redemption.
After this simply comes the next step, which is baptism. In Acts 2:41 we read, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptised.” This happened right after Peter preached the first sermon on the day of Pentecost. It was an overwhelming result. About 3,000 people accepted the divine message, believed God’s Word that was preached to them and took baptism right away. This scriptural pattern existed, as far as the third century went after Christ.
The apostles and other men endued with the power of the Holy Spirit, went out to preach the Gospel. One of them was Philip who had a mighty ministry, which caused a marvellous revival in Samaria. It was there where people also came to belief and were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 8:16).
The evangelist left the revival and was led by the Holy Spirit to join the Ethiopian gentleman who was just reading in the prophet Isaiah 53 (Acts 8:26-39). “Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus” (v. 35). The preaching was based on the prophetic word in which the salvation which God would give to humanity was foretold.
In the midst of the sermon the listener interrupted the man of God and said, “See, here is water. What doth hinder me to be baptised?” (v 36). The condition was met. Philip acted in full agreement with the Word of the Lord and the apostles, and he asked, “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest” (v. 37). The answer was spontaneously, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God!” What a marvellous conversion!
“And he commanded the chariot to stand still; and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptised him” (v. 38). Faith came through the preaching, and the preaching from the Word of God. The Spirit moved into the heart of the listener who expressed his desire to be baptised.
Peter was led by a special revelation into the house of the Roman centurion Cornelius who lived in Caesarea. His preaching showed scriptural results as it was in the beginning. We find it recorded like this, “While Peter yet spoke these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them who heard the word” (Acts 10:44). We see that the Spirit moves where the Word is being preached. For the believers it behoves to fulfil all righteousness and to do whatever the Lord commanded. The apostle then said, “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptised, who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptised in the name of the Lord” (v. 47-48). Every true minister today will follow the same pattern and every believer will desire to be baptised scripturally, even if they have received the Holy Spirit already. Everything that originates with God remains in continuity without the slightest change.
In the Holy Scriptures, there is not the slightest hint for any infant baptism or the sprinkling of the children. Whoever tries to justify such unscriptural practices, referring to Lk. 18:15-17, should also read the parallel scriptures in Mt. 19:13-15 and Mk. 10:13-16. Without any shadow of doubt, it is clear that our Lord Jesus only blessed the children who were brought to Him. He laid His hands upon them and took them into His arms. No reference is ever made about any baptising or sprinkling in that connection. Even today, believing parents bring children into a biblical church to be presented and dedicated to Lord and to be blessed in His Name.
Also the other scripture, which is being wrongly applied to support infant baptism, doesn’t say one word about it. When Paul and Silas were put into prison in the city of Philippi, something supernatural occurred. The keeper of the prison was frightened to death, and he came and asked those men of God, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:30-31). Right in the next verse we are told about the procedure “they spoke unto him the Word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.” We realise how precise the order was kept according to the original commission. Before baptism could be administered, the Word, the gospel of Jesus Christ, was preached first, and those listeners believed and after that they were baptised. Of the prison-keeper we read, “And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was baptised, he and all his, immediately” (v. 33). Please notice: First came the preaching, which was heard by all, then they believed, and only after that they were baptised. Nothing is said about infants in that connection.
The way baptism is generally administered today lacks every biblical foundation. That is also confirmed by the church history. This type of unscriptural baptism derives from the era when whole nations were Christianised by force. In such cases everyone in a family, including the infants, was touched by three drops of water on the forehead. Faith was substituted, and godfathers and godmothers were installed of whom the Bible does not speak at all. As we can see, from what we have already shown, the individual must make a personal decision before God. Sad to say that the preaching in the Christian churches of today does not compare with the apostolic pattern, and therefore, does not bring forth biblical results.
There is hardly another verse in the Scriptures that is so much misunderstood and misused as Mt. 28:19, which reads like this, “Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Incomprehensible but still true: in the third century these words were totally misunderstood, and a Trinitarian formula was brought into existence which is still being practised today. No one seems to notice that our Lord spoke about the Name. What is this Name in which we are to baptise? Father, Son and Holy Ghost express the various manifestations of God. But we are to know the Name before we can baptise. A person can be many things: a teacher, a lawyer, a judge, and so forth. One can be father, son, husband – many things. These are descriptions of the offices of that person and have their place, but must be used in the proper connection. But everyone, whether teacher or lawyer or judge, etc. has a name. So it is with God, who is many things and revealed Himself in the Old Testament with the covenant name Yahweh. In water baptism, we need to know His covenant name of the New Testament. In Mt. 28, only the commission was given to baptise in the name in which He revealed Himself as Father, Son and Holy Ghost. But the Name itself was not mentioned there.
Now we shall deal with a number of Scriptures where the Name is only referred to. This will be a great help to all those who search and seek for the Truth. In Lk. 10:17 we read, “And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject unto us through thy Name.” Don’t we understand automatically that they were referring to the power of the Name of Jesus, even if they didn’t speak out the Name? Certainly! At one occasion our Lord said, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt. 18:20). Who would doubt that He meant the Name of Jesus, even if He did not speak it out? In Lk. 24:47 we read “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations.” Everyone knows which Name is meant while reading such passages. In Jn. 2:23 we find the statement, “… many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.” It is very strange that everyone knows what name is meant while reading such scriptures, except when reading Mt. 28:19! That is strange within itself. It is necessary to seriously think about this.
In the scriptures mentioned so far, reference was made to the Name of the Son, but in the following we shall refer to the Name of the Father. Now we are treading on special ground of God’s revelations. The Lord taught us to pray, “Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name” (Mt. 6:9). This prayer is repeated by millions every Sunday without anyone even to think or to ask about the Name of the Father which is to be hallowed. In Jn. 12:28 the Son said, “Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” What Name was He speaking about? What is the Name of God, who has glorified His Name and will glorify it again? There is only one Name through which we can approach God, that is His own Name.
In His prayer, the Son made again reference to the Father and said, “I have manifested thy name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world” (Jn. 17:6). Does this refer to any Old Testament Name of God? Certainly not! Whoever paid attention while reading this should have noticed that the Name of the Father is revealed to those who were given to our Lord by redemption out of this world. They are the true Sons and daughters of God. God knows them, and they know God. Now we must bring the matter unto a common denominator. “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are” (Jn. 17:11). It cannot be made any plainer: The Name of the Son is the Name of the Father! Thus we read in verse 26, “And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it.” We only deal with one God who has one Name.
To the Jews our Lord said, “I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not” (Jn. 5:43). What about the Christians of today? Do they receive Him, acknowledging that the Name of the Father and the Son is the same? Blessed is the one who does believe that the Father was manifested in the Son and revealed unto us that Name which is above every name: Jesus – Immanuel – God with us! There is only one personal manifestation of God, which happened in Jesus Christ. There is only one Name of God, which must be revealed to us: that Name is the LORD JESUS CHRIST. In this Name, we have access to the Father and to the throne of grace. Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord! God met with us in Jesus Christ, and only in Jesus Christ we can meet with Him. In the light of these few examples, the problem of Mt. 28:19 should be solved. There it speaks about the Name without it being mentioned, and later the titles are left out which belong to this one Name, and only the Name is being used when water baptism is administered.
Now we shall consider the way baptism was performed in the first church. Peter was among those who heard the Lord give the great commission, as it is written in Mt. 28. He was the one to whom Jesus gave the keys of the Kingdom, which means and signifies that he had access to everything belonging to the Kingdom of God. Already before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, he stood up in the midst of the 120 and began to place those events according to the Scriptures (Acts 1:15). Right after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost he preached to the masses that had come together. “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). Wherever the same gospel and the same Christ is being preached today, the hearts will be touched, the same question arises, and the same answer must be given, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptised, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (v. 38). This was the first occasion where the great commission was put into practice. Those who believed were baptised precisely according to Mt. 28:19 into the Name of which the Lord spoke.
Anyone knows the difference between a title and a name. The argument that the words of Jesus are of greater importance and carry more weight than those of the apostles does not appeal to a God-fearing person. Anyone who is born of God will believe in the absolute inspiration and total infallibility of the entire Holy Scriptures. If anyone reads a contradiction into God’s Word, he should rather believe that this contradiction is in his own head, but not in God’s Word! We are so overwhelmed to see how the Spirit led the apostles to carry out the great commission.
We already mentioned previously that people believed in Samaria and were baptised. The news about this revival reached Jerusalem. In connection with this we read, “Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John, who when they were come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for as yet he was fallen upon none of them; only they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 8:14-16). The emphasis lies on the fact that they were baptised in the Name of the Lord Jesus. Is it very strange? Maybe not!
In the house of Cornelius, it was Peter who commanded those who believed to be baptised in the Name of the Lord (Acts 10:48). We can see the overwhelming continuity throughout the New Testament teaching about water baptism. There is no theologian who could deny this, because the Word of God itself testifies about it. Paul even went as far as to say, “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” (Gal. 1:8).
Everyone will have noticed that baptism in every case was administered in the Name of Jesus Christ. The apostles understood what the Lord had said and commissioned precisely. They did everything exactly according to the Master’s instruction. The commission must be read slowly, carefully, and also prayerfully, “Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Now, Father is not a name, neither is Son or Holy Ghost a name. These are the descriptions of the different manifestations of the same God. The apostles were taught by the Lord Himself, even throughout the forty days after His resurrection. He spoke about all the things belonging to the Kingdom of God, and of course, baptism is one of the main teachings. They recognised the Name in which God manifested Himself as Father, Son and Holy Ghost. That is the Name in which true believers are baptised. They did exactly what they were commissioned. At least they could differentiate between titles, which are in connection with the various manifestations, and the Name given for our salvation.
Now we shall turn to Paul whom the Lord had chosen as a special vessel by a direct revelation of Jesus Christ. How did he baptise? When he came to Ephesus he found twelve disciples who only knew about the baptism John administered. Then he instructed them in the plan of salvation and straightway there was a biblical result: “When they heard this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:5).
Everything should be established on at least two or three witnesses. We have taken into consideration what happened in Jerusalem, in Samaria, in the house of Cornelius and also in Ephesus; we realise, whether Jews, Samaritans, or Gentiles, whether Peter, Philip, or Paul were preaching, everywhere the baptism was administered in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
As we already mentioned, there cannot be a contradiction in the Holy Scriptures. The Spirit of God will never give two or three different revelations on the same subject. God chose His own men in that first generation. Whether it was Peter, Paul, or other men, they preached the same Gospel and baptised in the same way. This was done in complete harmony with the testimony of all the Scriptures. Who would dare to suggest that those men who were walking with Jesus and Paul who met the Lord in the bright shining light misunderstood the Lord and were baptising wrong and thereby introducing heresy into the New Testament church which was just inaugurated? Even such a thought is nothing short of blasphemy.
We shall hear Paul again, as he writes to the Romans, “Know ye not that, as many of us as were baptised into Jesus Christ were baptised into his death?” (chapter 6:3). Here he includes himself with those who were baptised in the Name of Jesus Christ. How were you baptised? There is not one incident recorded in the Holy Scriptures, where one person was ever baptised in a Trinitarian formula using the titles of Father, Son and Holy Ghost. This fact needs to be considered very seriously.
All who were called to the ministry and filled with the Holy Spirit had the same understanding, the same doctrine, the same faith, the same baptism, etc. All were in perfect harmony with the Lord, His Word, and each other. Not one of them has recited Mt. 28. They knew that it was said in the singular and not in the plural, “... baptising them in the name (not in the names, but in the name) of the Father ...” Our Lord did not continue to say, “and in the Name of the Son, and in the Name of the Holy Ghost.” There is only one mentioning of the Name, and that is in the singular. They believed that God manifested Himself as Father, Son and Holy Ghost. And they recognised the Name which goes with these three manifestations. They were men who lived in direct fellowship with God. They were under no theological influence, nor did they give their own interpretations. They had the divine revelation.
If anyone will only take the letter of Mt. 28 without the revelation, then verse 19 will just be repeated without understanding what the object of the commission actually is. Mt. 28 and Mk. 16 refer to the last and great commission of the Lord, which we find carried out in the Book of Acts. That is the forever valid standard and the only scriptural pattern, as long as the church of the living God exists.
For example, if a teacher would set a problem before the pupils, he certainly would expect the answer, the result, and not the repetition of the mathematical problem. Should a teacher say, “How much is 3 x 3?” and the answer would be, “3 x 3 = 3 x 3”, then anyone would know that something is wrong, because the answer was not given. When it comes to baptism even teachers repeat the problem and don’t give the answer. Instead of doing what the Lord said, they repeat verbally what He said. Only if we do as the apostles did, we have the confirmation that the same Lord has called us to preach the same gospel. The apostles and teachers of the early church understood the commission and carried it out according to the perfect revelation of Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God that we do have the written testimony with us. We only need the same illumination by the same Holy Spirit that we could see how the apostles saw, teach what they taught, and baptise the way they baptised.
This exposition is clearly outlined in the Holy Scriptures. Everyone should take it seriously. Often two things look alike, but they are not the same. They might seem to be close together, at the same time they could be as far from each other, as heaven is from earth. We must not deny the Name of the Lord. To the church of Philadelphia it was said, “... for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my Word, and hast not denied my name” (Rev. 3:8). What about all the believers who sing so lovely about the Name of Jesus, who use that Name in their prayers, who preach about that Name so mightily, and then when it really comes to the showdown, they deny that Name and do not want to be associated with it in baptism? Common understanding will tell us that something is wrong somewhere in such a case.
What about all the big evangelists who use the Name of Jesus to cast out devils, to pray for the sick, to perform miracles in that mighty Name, and then when it comes for them to decide to be baptised in that Name which they use so much then they reject and they even fight against it? With their lips they testify how wonderful the Name of Jesus is, and in reality they have not recognised the Name themselves, and they are not ready to bear the reproach of the Name of Jesus. Of such people the Lord already spoke in Mt. 7:22-23, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out demons? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
This scripture speaks of people believing the full Gospel. In one way they are participating of the blessings promised and given to the church, on the other hand they remain in the unscriptural and traditional teachings. They are not ready to consider a scriptural correction. Should not everyone be willing to accept whatever the Bible says? But it needs courage to take a stand on God’s Word and rather deny the traditional, denominational and unscriptural baptism practice. We have to identify ourselves in baptism with the death of Christ, if we wish to be identified with Him in the resurrection of a new life (Rom. 6:3).
It is necessary to touch on something very important. In the traditional churches of today we hardly find the teaching about a true conversion and a new birth. Even though this terminology is being used, the experience itself is lacking. But also in the circles of those claiming to believe the full Gospel, the fundamental teachings are not being carefully checked. How is it possible that Bible teachers and trained theologians missed to see how the real scriptural baptism should be administered? If no person was ever baptised therein using the formula of Father, Son and Holy Ghost, why don’t the servants of God take correction? They practise a baptism which was invented and introduced when the Roman Catholic Church came into existence. Sad but true, even since the days of the reformation, all the churches which came into existence began to use the same unscriptural baptism right down to this time.
Most people may be surprised to know that the same formula in the “Western World” is being used in occult, spiritistic practices, as it is being called the three high names or the sacred formula which is even used in witchcraft by the mediums who make contact with the spirits of the dead. The same formula is used when the oath is taken to join some of the lodges. Those who are in doubt while participating in them, feel a little better when they hear the formula “in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Even while practising witchcraft they think it must be of God, because this formula is so well-known by them, as they heard it used so much in the church. Whether in black or white magic, whether by using the so-called “Sixth and Seventh Book of Moses” everywhere the same formula is being used.
If one speaks to those people about such practices, their answer is, “This cannot be wrong, because it’s done in the Name of God.” No, never! Only that which is done in the Name of Jesus, is actually done in the Name of God. All the other things are of Satan, who is the god of this world. Our Lord has nothing to do with all the evil practices like table tipping, fortune-telling with cards and so on, divination, palmistry etc. They are forbidden in His Word. But because they are done under the religious cloak with that formula, people are being deceived into it. What parts have the occult practices, spiritism, etc. with the true act required in God’s Word in common? Since when do servants of God and instruments of Satan say the same? Since when is Satan’s kingdom coming in the midst of the Kingdom of God?
All must face the question whether it is the same when two do the same. Some are astonished, perhaps even dumb-founded when they hear of people using this formula, doing all sorts of things. But when the same formula is being used for a so-called “baptism” and other religious practices, they find it all right. In the New Testament, everything that we receive from God and everything that happens takes place through the power of God in the Name of Jesus. Therefore we read in Col 3:17, “And whatever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Now we know that no prophet and no apostle ever used any formula, but the Name of which the Saviour spoke in baptism. In my brochure “God and His Plan with Humanity” it is clearly shown that the one true God was manifested as Father, Son and Holy Ghost with the one Name Lord Jesus Christ. Mt. 28:19 is the absolute truth and so is Acts 2:38 and all the other scriptures. We only need to understand God’s Word the right way. Satan has misused and misinterpreted the Word of God, right from the beginning. He succeeded in deceiving the people in a most religious way through a wrong baptism. It is actually a deception. When he came to the Lord he said, “It is written …” But our Lord replied, “It is also written …” Satan just took the Scriptures out of context and applied it falsely. The same is being done with the commission to teach and baptise. Satan has blinded the people, that they should not see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:4-6). The name of which the Saviour spoke remains hidden to them.
The whole Christian world is kept in darkness and ignorance. Where do we find true scriptural faith today? Who heeds to the call according to Rev. 18:4 to come out of the religious Babylon of this time? Who has eyes to see, and ears to hear, and a heart to understand? Who can differentiate and discern between the true Word of God and all the man-made interpretations? God always separates light from darkness. Who has the courage to take instructions, to believe, and practise what God’s Word says? All the spiritual things cannot be made known by flesh and blood. One cannot teach the other. Everyone is personally responsible towards God and has to make his own decision.
Finally, a word of admonition. All who wish to be in glory should know this, that God has overlooked the time of ignorance, but now reveals His perfect will through His perfect Word. He expects everyone to believe in Him and to act according to His Word. We must forsake all unscriptural doctrines, even if we lose our popularity and our friends. We must be willing to return to the original Bible teaching, pattern and practice.
In Acts 3 we read about the promise that God would send a time of refreshing and also that Christ would remain in heaven until the time of restoration of all things would come. In verse 19-21 we read, “… when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and he shall send Jesus Christ, who before was preached unto you, whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the age began.” Very clearly it states here that Christ remains in glory until the time of refreshment and the time of the restoration comes. In plain language, this means that now at the end, before the second coming of Christ, all things must be restored in the church of the living God to its original state.
All Christians who believe in the second coming of Christ have heard the preachings about this subject. In fact, many do expect the return of Christ to be imminent. Why then don’t they realise that this should be the time in which God wishes to restore all things and give a time of refreshing from His presence? The Lord and Saviour has only one interest, and that would be His concern for His people, the redeemed who make up the body of Christ. The church of Jesus Christ must be founded on God’s Word. The biblical baptism and all the other teachings and practices, as they were done by the apostles, are part of the restoration. Paul writes in Eph. 2:20, “… and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone …” The Lord will build His church until she is completed and He can return to take her home. But first we must be brought back to the original teachings and practices. Then the Lord will come and take us to glory.
No one should take this exposition concerning the baptism lightly. If God is merciful to us, we will see the necessity to adjust to whatever God requires in His Word, and voluntarily we shall desire to be baptised in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. In that way, we break that old yoke that was placed upon all denominations and was spiritually binding all who are baptised into a triune formula. Whosoever is of God will hear and do according to the Word of God. Blessed is he that takes this advice seriously, because it is necessary for our preparation to be ready when Christ comes. He will give the promise and He will also fulfil the same.