A Letter on the Formula of Baptism

My Beloved Brother: —

I also have met with the teaching that the formula of baptism given in Matthew 28:19 was suspended in the Acts. So far as it has come to my notice it is associated with the teaching that Matthew 13 was interrupted to be resumed after the rapture. Of course both notions are unfounded.

A careful consideration of the prepositions used in the different passages where baptism is mentioned will make the matter very clear.

In Matthew 28:19 we have the risen Lord conferring authority upon his disciples to baptize. He authorizes them to baptize “to (eis) the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” This is the only place where the authorization is mentioned. The authority for Christian baptism is found here, and here alone. The risen Lord in issuing a commission to the eleven to go and disciple all the nations, authorizes them to formally identify the disciples of Christ with the confession of “the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.” It is thus plain that baptism is a token, or mark, or badge, of discipleship to Christ. The badge of discipleship is put on by the baptism. The baptism signifies that the one baptized is connected with the profession of “the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.” Hence the formula “to,” (or “unto”) the name, and so forth.

Now in Acts 2, Peter, as one who had received authority to give the token or badge of discipleship to Christ, counsels the Jews (convicted of, and realizing their guilt in, having rejected and crucified Jesus the Christ) to accept the badge which he has authority to give them. He says, “Be baptized for (epi) the name of Jesus Christ.” This he urges, too, as the one only door open to them for forgiveness. Hence he goes on to say, “with a view to (eis) the remission of sins.” The One they have rejected is the only One who can forgive them. It plainly is not a question of the formula used in the act of baptizing, for as yet no one had been baptized. They were under conviction and had asked, “What shall we do?” They are told, “Take shelter under the name of Jesus Christ.” Peter and his fellow-apostles stood ready to put that name upon them. Subsequently the name of Jesus Christ was put on a great number of them. In baptizing them the apostles acted in the name of the risen Lord; He having authorized them to do so. This authorization we have seen was given in Matthew 28:19. Matthew 28:19 was not suspended, but carried out. They were baptized “to the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.” The apostles in so baptizing them were doing what they had authority for, and doing it by the authority of risen Lord: they acted in His name. For these conscience-stricken Jews, it was being authoritatively put under the shelter of the name of Jesus Christ with a view to the remission of their sins.

In Acts 8:16 and 19:5 we have the expression, when rightly rendered, “baptized to the name of the Lord Jesus.” But it is not a substitution of another formula. It is simply the fact that Christian baptism is to the name of the Lord Jesus, and it is necessarily so, since He is the One by whom the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, were fully revealed. Baptism “to the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost,” is necessarily baptism to Him by whom the three persons of the Godhead were distinctly revealed. The expression, “baptized to the name of the Lord Jesus” cannot then be a new formula substituted in place of that of Matthew 28:19.

There is yet another expression in Acts 10:48, “And he commanded them to be baptized in (en) the name of the Lord.” This clearly is not the substitution of a new formula, for Peter is plainly appealing to the authority by which he commands that the Gentile converts should be baptized. He is acting here under authority conferred in Matthew 28:19. He saw to it that Cornelius was baptized. In doing this he was acting by the authority of the risen Lord, or, in other words, in His name.

There is absolutely no ground for the teaching that the book of the Acts indicates the substitution of a different formula from that of Matthew 28:19.

To sum it up. Baptism in Christian times is to the name of the Trinity. It is by the authority of the risen Lord Jesus. Those who baptize therefore do so in His name. Baptism in His name may be spoken of, either as to the name of the Lord Jesus, or to the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

C.Crain