Baptism In The Three Names

Question

Is baptism in the three names (Father, Son Holy Spirit) really necessary?

Answer

Yes!

Introduction

It is common practice to baptize in the three names of the godhead. Why? The following article by O. Davis gives some understanding as to why such a baptism is necessary. Though the naming of the three might be seen as a formality, or an obeying of Jesus, I would suggest baptism is a public and formal coming into covenant relationship with all three persons in the godhead. I only list a few quotes in this regard, following the article, however there are many.—Dan

Is Baptism In The Three Names Necessary For Gospel Baptism?  

by O. Davis

Signs of the Times, April, 29, 1897

As THE commission to go into the world and preach the Gospel to every creature, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, did not originate the ordinance of baptism, but only authorized its administration in the name of those three, perhaps we may get a clearer understanding of its significance by studying its introduction into the Gospel dispensation by the Father, in preparing the way of his Son.

We will take our stand upon what the Word of God calls "the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; . . . behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." Mark 1: 1-3. John the Baptist being that messenger, how did he prepare Christ's way? As this was the beginning of the Gospel in the fulness of its generating provisions and power, it must be on the Gospel plan. And as John was directed of the Father, the foundation must be. right.

What was the mission of Jesus into this world?—In brief, it was to save us from our sins (Matt. 1 : 21), to so fulfil all righteousness as would enable him to justify us from the claims of God's law in the court of heaven, as our high priest. As briefly expressed in Rom. 4:25: "Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification." His death and resurrection from the dead, were, then, the two great acts by which this would be accomplished. The,rest of his work here was collateral to these.

We will now examine the work of him who was sent to prepare the way of Jesus, remembering that this was the beginning of the Gospel, and must therefore have been strictly on the Gospel plan. John came preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3. Some came to John's baptism who had not repented of their sins, and he would not baptize them. But replies to them, "Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come." As this was the way at that time to escape the wrath to come, there must be a full surrender of all sins, in order for them to be remitted and the sinner saved from the wrath to come.

Now, were the sins remitted by the baptism itself? or by it as a figure of the acts of Jesus, who was to remit sins in fact, and thus his way be prepared? Let us follow John to his baptism. He takes his candidate out into the water. He immerses him completely under the water, where, if he were held, he would die,—a complete figure of death. His death would be just as much assured as though his blood were all taken, as in the case of the animal offered for sin. Paul says: "Baptized into his death;" "buried with him by baptism into death;" "planted together in the likeness of his death,"—all recognizing baptism as a figure of the death of Jesus. Rom. 6: 3, 4, 5. And this is also evident as a necessity, in order for sins to be remitted through it.

And a word here as to its being on the Gospel plan, since it is adapted to the world-wide field of the Gospel. In the previous remission of sin through a figurative offering; the life of a substitute bullock, goat, sheep, or a dove—must be taken, to show that the sinner's life had been forfeited, and that there was no way for him to regain it except through the promised Redeemer, the Lamb of God, who is to give his life for the world. This offering was to be made at the door of the sanctuary at Jerusalem, so that the sin might be transferred to the earthly sanctuary.

Now the Gospel being as broad as the world, its plan must be equally broad. Its provisions for the remission of sins must be adapted to any part of its field. Wherever the sinner may be that repents of his sin, he can be baptized for its remission. And thus we see that John's work was truly the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that he was, in reality, preparing the Lord's way, the complete fulness of the Gospel plan.

We left our candidate under the water—under a realistic figure of what death, the penalty of the law, is, of which, by his confession of sin, he acknowledges himself to be worthy. How shall we get the right to raise him from this condition of death? Without referring to other scriptures, we find it in these words of John, who says, as he sees Jesus passing, "Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world."

John knew he was preparing Christ's way. He knew that this figure of death took hold of the death of this offering from heaven of the Lamb of God, for the remission of sins, and that therefore the penalty of death was cancelled in the promise, and he, the candidate, could be raised up a free man, an accepted child of God. As Jesus, who gave his life for our sins, was raised from the dead, so, by this death of Jesus, we are raised from our merited condition of death, by being released from the claims of that law that held us under death. And thus, the baptism of John aptly prefigured Christ's death and resurrection,—the acts which the Father sent him into the world to perform for man.

Notice also how Jesus, when he commences his ministry, walks in the prepared way, and is baptized by John, saying, "Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." And the Father now endorses the work by a special manifestation, and says, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." In this we see the perfect harmony of the Father and the Son. The Father gives the Son for man's redemption, prepares his way by showing, in figure, the chief acts by which his work on earth is to be accomplished, and then the Son carries out in fact what has been shown in figure,—his death and resurrection. Baptism, thus far, shows the death and resurrection of the Saviour.

We now ask the question, Could the candidate for baptism be baptized by John's baptism, and not recognize his relation to both the Father and the Son? The first essential thing is repentance of sin,—repentance toward God. We all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. By going into a condition of death, under the water, we recognize the claims of God's law upon us. And now there is no way for us to be released from the claims of that law, but by the death of Jesus, to satisfy those claims. Hence this figure of death must also lay hold of, and appropriate, that death, to us, for the remission of our sins.

And thus it is absolutely essential to John's baptism for the remission of sins, that both Father and Son be recognized. Then when both Father and Son are recognized in their relations to that baptism, what can you be baptized a second time for? It must be for something outside of what was at that time required.

We want to keep in mind that the time had not come for the Holy Spirit in its various gifts to be given in connection with baptism. That could not be given until the work of Jesus here on earth was completed, and he was thereby qualified to become our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary. Immediately on the commencement of that work he receives from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, and it is poured upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost.

A few more thoughts touching John's baptism. It went as far as man can go in the work of redemption. He could prepare Christ's way. He could baptize the candidate, thus prefiguring these acts of Jesus which he would have to do for us, that man might be prepared to receive the Holy Spirit. That must come through the Father, and that brings us to the full Gospel commission of baptism: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Matt 28:19. Mark adds (16:16-18), "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. . . . And these signs shall follow them that believe: . . . They shall speak with new tongues," etc. Luke adds (24: 47), "Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name." In the Gospel commission of baptism, the Holy Spirit is added to what was recognized in the baptism of John,—the Father and the Son. This Holy Spirit was what Jesus promised to send when he went away (John 14: 16, 26): "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter." "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name." Again (John 16:7), "If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you."

This Side Of The Cross.

We have now passed the cross. Jesus has carried out in fact what John's baptism for the remission of sins showed in figure,—his death and resurrection. We find in the commission by Mark this statement: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." We are, then, through belief and baptism, brought into covenant relations with God, a fully accepted child of his. The institution must, then, show the full grounds of our acceptance, and thereby become the figure through which we express our acceptance of these grounds.

Now notice the first introduction of baptism into the Gospel dispensation this side of the cross. As the Lord's commission includes the Holy Spirit in its varied gifts in addition to what John's baptism recognized, we find its introduction to be in connection with the gift of the Spirit. When the Holy Ghost was poured out on the day of Pentecost, and some were convicted of their sins, and asked what they should do, Peter replies (Acts 2:38), "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

The Gospel work is now fully prepared, and as he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, baptism must now have its full significance of redemption,—must be a complete memorial of it. John's baptism looked forward to the cross. As introduced by Peter under the Lord's command, it looks back to the cross, yet still including the remission of sins and looking forward to the resurrection. As our sins against God were remitted by John's baptism, pointing us forward to the Saviour, as we have seen, so baptism, as introduced by Peter, remits our sins, by pointing us back to the acts ("this is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you for the remission of sins") of the same Saviour.

As we have found in John's baptism that it prepared the way of the Son of God, being on the Gospel plan, that it recognized both Father and Son, and could not be administered without that recognition, and that therefore there was no place for a second baptism, so here we find that the work is the same, only one points forward to the cross, and the other points back to the same, with the exception that this has the promise of the Holy Ghost. (As long as Jesus was personally present with his disciples, they could not receive the Holy Spirit. Their faith did not grasp the life and power of God in Jesus Christ, apart from his personal presence. Therefore he said, "It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you.")

Now where comes in the necessity of the second baptism, to entitle us to this additional blessing? We want this blessing; it is provided for us, and we need it to successfully carry on the work of God. It is the gift of the Spirit. It can strengthen us to overcome all sin, and perfect a character in the image of God, through Jesus Christ. What says the declaration of the apostle when speaking under the power of this same Spirit?—"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Now here is the statement made that if we comply with the conditions of baptism for the remission of sins, we shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. There is no question about it; we are not instructed to be baptized again, but to be baptized for the remission of sins.

This is where the apostle locates the efficiency. Have we really been baptized for the remission of sins? Have all our sins been confessed to God? Have they all been forsaken? And have we made a full surrender to God? Did we accept of Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world? Did we accept him as the one who died on the cross for the remission of our sins? Did we remember that the Father, when Jesus ratified the ordinance of baptism, by which the Father prepared his way, said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased"? If we have been baptized under these conditions, the Father will accept the purchase of his Son's blood, and we shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. This is witnessed to in Col. 2:12, "Buried with him in baptism." We read in Rom. 6:4, "Buried with him by baptism into death." And as we are baptized for the remission of sins, we must be buried into death, "planted in the likeness of his death." Now, having accepted the death of Jesus for our sins, by God's appointed figure of his death, we will notice the rest of Col. 2 : 12: "Wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." As the claim of sin was canceled when we accepted Christ's death for sin in the figure, God accepts the purchase of his Son's blood, and raises us up, as he raised him from the dead, if we have faith in the operation of God. The thirteenth verse witnesses to this: "And you, being dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh [we were both dead by our own sins, and dead under the fallen nature of Adam], hath he quickened together with him [as he raised him from the dead by the power of the Spirit, so he will raise us], having forgiven you all trespasses."

Now if we have faith in the operation of God, he will bring us up a new creature, having the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above." "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." Col. 3:1, 3.

You have now, by your baptism, associated with faith, all that it can give you. Now if you are baptized again, it must be for something outside of the Gospel. And does it not show a lack of faith in God that he will not do just as he says he will? Does it not indicate that we feel wiser and wish an opportunity to help him a little by being baptized a second or third time, or giving it some other form, as our wisdom may suggest?

This is not intended to touch the question of rebaptism, in departing from first love.—O. DAVIS.