The Proclaimer

Baptized Into The Name Of Christ

I was once criticized for baptizing an individual “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19).  Well, actually I was criticized for using these words at the time I performed the baptism.  The individual insisted that I should be baptizing “in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 2:38).  This brother failed to understand several important points of truth.

First of all, these passages do not teach some formalized word-formula that must be stated at the time of baptism in order to validate the action taken.  Nowhere does the New Testament require a particular phrase used in connection with baptism, even in terms of what is being done.  In fact, if nothing were said at all by the one doing the baptism the validity of the action would not be affected one way or another.  It is not what the one doing the baptizing believes or says that determines the validity of baptism, but rather the faith of the one being baptized.

Second, the phrase “in the name of” is a phrase that indicates the authority by which the action is taken.  “In the Hebrew way for thinking ‘name’ stood for the whole character, honor and personality of an individual.  The term represented or stood for who a person is in himself.  It included everything behind and involving the person referred to by the word” (Philippians, Weaver, p. 100).  Is there a difference in the authority of Jesus Christ and the authority of the Father or the Holy Spirit?

While it is true that Jesus Christ was exalted “far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and ever name that is named” (Eph. 1:21), we must remember who it was that exalted Him to this position of preeminence.  “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name” (Phil. 2:9).  We must be careful about separating the godhead in such ways.  Certainly all three persons of the Godhead accepted different roles relative to the scheme of redemption, but in matters of authority or revelation such distinctions should not be made.  The word or authority of Jesus Christ is that of the Father and the Holy Spirit. All are Deity.  It is by God’s authority that one is baptized for the remission of sins.

Last of all, if the expression “in the name of” expresses an audible verbal pattern that must be said to validate an action we would have to repeat that phrase every time we did any thing, for Paul said, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Col. 3:17).

                                                                                                    -- Clark Dugger

The Proclaimer