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Baptism
is a very important step in salvation. It is absolutely essential for candidates
to be baptized by immersion in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission
of sins in order to be saved. The Bible clearly states, "He that believeth
and is baptized shall be saved." Mark 16:16)
The
proper "mode" or method of baptism is important, too. The word baptism
comes from a Greek word, baptizo which means "to dip, plunge, immerse,
or to be overwhelmed." It is clear from this definition that the word baptism
means "immersion." Only by immersion can one be identified with Jesus Christ
in burial. (Romans 6:4 and Colossians 2:12)
Why
must candidates be baptized in the name of Jesus'? Because we are
obeying Jesus Christ's commandment in the Great Commission, which said,
"Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved. "(Mark 16:15,16) Notice also
Jesus
words, "Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." (Matthew
28:19) Notice this word "name" is singular. What is the name? There is
only one name given under heaven whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)
That name is Jesus. Jesus is the NAME of the Father, the Son, and Holy
Ghost. The terms Father, Son, Holy Ghost are not names, but are only titles.
There is only One name: Jesus! How wonderful to know He was God manifested
in flesh and clothed in humanity. How wonderful that this God-man became
personally acquainted with our grief and sorrows. He experienced,
first hand, our frail human emotions, and He understands our problems.
He sacrificed His life so that all men everywhere might know they have
a chance of eternal life.
In
every instance in which a convert was baptized in the Book of Acts, we
find he was baptized in the name of Jesus. In Acts 8:16," Only they were
baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." Acts 10:48, "And he commanded
them to be baptized in the name of the Lord." Acts 19:5, "When they heard
this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Even at Ephesus,
when Paul arrived on the scene and found disciples of John, he asked,
Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? They had not even
heard of the Holy Ghost but when they heard, they gladly received his words
and were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. " (Acts 19:1-6)
John's converts were converted to Christ and baptized in Jesus name! This
doctrine of water baptism in Jesus name is fully documented throughout
the Scriptures. If the Apostles never performed a baptism using any other
formula, then surely it would be presumptuous & sinful for any mortal
to deliberately formulate his ways and means of baptizing his candidates.
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