Topic(s): Baptism, Salvation

Bob Prichard

Paul said, “Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17). Everything that we do as Christians, especially our worship and our obedience to the commands of the gospel must be done “in the name of,” or by the authority of Jesus Christ. To do things in the name of someone is to do them with the full approval and authority of that person. We may do this whether or not we actually say anything. For clarity to observers, it might be good to say something, but if the Lord approves of what we are doing, and knows what we are doing, we certainly do not have to tell him what we are doing.

In the great commission of Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” When Jesus commanded to “teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,” He was saying that we must teach and baptize by the authority of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. He did not give a formula that we must say when baptizing.

In Acts chapter 2, the apostles first carried out the commands of the great commission. As the people responded to the message of salvation that Peter and the other apostles preached, “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). Peter’s response was “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” (Acts 2:38). We know that Peter was carrying out the command of the great commission. The people were to be baptized by the authority of Jesus Christ, and the stated purpose was for the remission, or forgiveness of sins. There was no special formula stated, either “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost,” or “In the name of Jesus” only.

When Paul rebuked the Corinthians for their divisions, he asked, “Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Corinthians 1:13). He asked them by whose authority they had been baptized. Surely there were no Corinthians that were proclaiming some sort of baptismal formula such as, “I baptize you in the name of Paul.” What they were doing was engaging in a sectarian and divisive spirit by claiming that the one who had baptized them meant they were somehow better than others.

“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are three distinct personalities, with distinct functions, but all part of the Godhead, and in full agreement. If we act in the name of, or by the authority of one member of the Godhead, we act in the name of all three.