Baptisms

LESSON EIGHT: Baptism in Water
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We learned in a previous study that Christian baptism originated with the Great Commission given in Matt 28: 19 and Mark 16:16. We want to consider now a very important word relative to the way the apostles obeyed this commission.

I. HOW THE APOSTLES OBEYED THE DIVINE COMMISSION TO BAPTIZE. In each of the following cases, how were the people baptized?

A. Acts 2:38 ______________________________________________________

B. Acts 8:16 ______________________________________________________

C. Acts 10: 48 _____________________________________________________

D. Acts 19:5 ______________________________________________________

II. WHY DID THE APOSTLES BAPTIZE IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IN SEEMING CONTRAST TO THE COMMAND TO BAPTIZE IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON AND HOLY GHOST?

Our Lord commissioned His disciples to baptize in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matt 28:19). They obeyed and fulfilled this command by baptizing into the name of Jesus. To say that it does not matter how we baptize is to ignore and miss the vital truths revealed to the apostles for our blessing, protection, and growth. There was a reason why the disciples baptized INTO THE NAME OF JESUS.

A. OUR LORD HAD PROMISED HIS DISCIPLES THERE WOULD BE NEW AND MORE COMPLETE REVELATION.

1. John 16:12, 13a: "I have yet _______________________to say unto you, but

_____________________________________. Howbeit WHEN He, the Spirit of truth is come,

___________________________________..."  

2. What did Jesus promise the Comforter would do? John 14: 26 ________

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When Jesus states, "I have many things to say to you, " He clearly shows that the later revelations (which were going to be deposited in written form in Acts, the Epistles, and the book of Revelation) were from Him. Therefore, the manner in which the disciples baptized was the result of the promised revelation of Jesus through the newly given Holy Spirit. We do despite to God’s will and purpose in revelation if we treat this lightly or carelessly.

B. THE APOSTLES BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST FULLY AWARE THAT BY DOING SO THEY HAD FULFILLED THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DIVINE COMMISSION. (Matt 28: 19, 20)

This leads us to a study of God’s Name.

1. GOD’S NAME IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

There is no question but what God’s name in the Old Testament was Jehovah. But the name of God was considered too holy to be uttered by the people of God in Old Testament times. Therefore, they substituted for it the word "Lord," which is "Adonahy" or "Adonai." The American Standard Version, which is one of the best translations, translated the incommunicable name "Jehovah," instead of the usual practice of using the English word LORD. When one reads other versions and he comes across the term LORD (spelled out in capital letters), he can know that the word used in the Hebrew is "Jehovah."

a. (Exodus 6: 2, 3) "And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am JEHOVAH: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, as God Almighty; but by MY NAME JEHOVAH I was not known to them.

b. (Psalm 83: 18) "That they may know that Thou, Whose Name alone is JEHOVAH, art the Most High over all the earth."

c. (Isa 42: 8) "I am JEHOVAH THAT IS MY NAME, And My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise unto graven images."

d. (Isa 47:8) "Our Redeemer, JEHOVAH of hosts IS HIS NAME, the Holy One of Israel." 

2. THE JEHOVAH OF THE OLD TESTAMENT IS THE JESUS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

a. The Name of the Son of God was to be ___________________________ Matt 1: 21

b. Matt 1: 23 tells us that God had spoken through an Old Testament prophet telling of the birth of Christ and that His Name

would be called___________________ which being interpreted is, __________________

c. II Cor 5: 19a: "... ______________ was in ___________, ____________the

world________________________________..."

d. Hebrews 1: 1, 2a, 4b: "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake ___________________________ unto

the fathers by the prophets, hath in ________________________ spoken unto us

________________________________________________________ than they (the angels)."

Peter, on the day of Pentecost at the direction of and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit stated clearly that the Lord Jesus Christ had, through His victorious resurrection and ascension, entered into the full meaning and manifestation of His Name. He said in Acts 2: 36 that all the house of Israel is to "KNOW ASSUREDLY THAT GOD HATH MADE THAT SAME JESUS, BOTH ________________________________________."

According to the Scriptures, the Spirit of Truth had revealed to the apostles and to the early church this great fact, that THE REDEMPTIVE NAME OF GOD is the "LORD Jesus Christ!" This is why we baptize in the "name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit and INTO THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST." When we include the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ in water baptism, we identify ourselves with Him and we declare our faith in the fact that in the Lord Jesus Christ dwelleth ALL THE FULLNESS OF THE GODHEAD BODILY (Col 2: 9).

3. IN THE LORD JESUS DWELLETH ALL THE FULLNESS OF THE GOD-HEAD BODILY.

a. What do these verses show about the relationship between the Father and His Son?

(1) John 14:9 ______________________________________________

(2) John 5:43 ______________________________________________

b. What is the connection between the Name of the Son and the Holy Spirit?

John 14:26 __________________________________________________

c. When we in truth call Jesus Lord and Christ, we identify ourselves with Him and declare our faith that in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. The Lord Jesus Christ is God, and JESUS CHRIST IS LORD.

4. THE IMPORTANCE OF HIS NAME

What does Acts 4:12 tell us about His Name? _______________________

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5. How are we to be baptized? Romans 6:3 _____________________________

IN CONCLUSION, the baptismal "formula" in which we believe is "in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and into the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ." Although this is our practice, we likewise what the student of this workbook to realize that we are by no means denying the traditional doctrine of the Trinity held by the church throughout her history.