"You Have Our Baptism"

In October of 1962, Pope John XIII called the Vatican II Ecumenical Council. The leaders of the major protestant denominations were invited. His address to that body of Catholic and Protestant leaders included an appeal for all denominations to unite under Rome. Pope John included the following persuasive thought. He said you might as well join us, "you have our baptism."

Did you know that almost every (there are some exceptions) major protestant denomination, including the Evangelicals, Pentecostals and even most Charismatics, .... have the Roman Catholic baptism?

Ask yourself this question : ..... Do I have the Pope's baptism as he stated?

You can answer that question by simply comparing your baptismal experience with Roman Catholicism's. Some denominations sprinkle, some pour, and some immerse. Although the ceremonies differ in some aspects, there is one aspect in which most all agree; .... they use words similar to ... "I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

If your minister stated a phrase similar to this one by acknowledging the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, ....then YES! it appears that you do have the Pope's Roman Catholic Baptism.

However, if your minister acknowledged the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ during your baptismal, (rather than the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost), .....then you do not have the Catholic Baptism; but, ...you have Baptism as it appears in the New Testament. A scriptural baptism.

Which do you have?

Catholic Baptism, .... honoring the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost,

.....OR .....

Scriptural Baptism, .... honoring our Lord Jesus Christ.

"What Did He Know That I Don't"

Pope John XIII knew :: Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, page 263, acknowledges that the words of the baptismal ceremony were changed by the Catholic church.

: Britannica Encyclopedia, 11th ed., Vol. 3, p. 365, states that baptism was changed from the name of Jesus to the words of Father, Son & Holy Ghost in the 2nd century.

: Hastings Encyclopedia of Religion, Vol. 2, p. 377, 389, says Christian baptism was always administered using the words, "in the name of Jesus", ....until the time of Justin Martyr.

: Schaff - Herzog Religious Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 263, reads that the New Testament knows only the baptism in the name of Jesus.

:Hastings Dictionary of the Bible, p. 88, acknowledges "the primitive church baptized 'in' or 'into' the name of Jesus, Jesus Christ or Lord Jesus."

:A History of Christian Thought; Otto Hieck; Vol. 1, p.53 says " at first baptism was administered in the name of Jesus, but gradually in the name of the Triune God."

: New Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 59, states "..baptism in the name of Jesus was still accepted in the age of scholasticism. An explicit reference to the Trinitarian formula (Father, Son & Holy Ghost) cannot be found in the first centuries."

The Pope's comment "you have our baptism" reveals that he understood that the church leaders of the early centuries changed the baptismal ceremonies words of invocation from honoring Jesus to honoring Father, Son & Holy Ghost. Historians know this, ..... Catholic priests know this; .....did you?

New Testament References to Water Baptism

Notice how each Bible reference refers to Jesus with the exception of Matthew 28:19.

Matthew 28:19 (to the Apostles) ... "baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

Acts 2:38 (to the Jews)....."be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins ..."

Acts 8:12,16 (to the Samaritans) ..: "only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus."

Acts 10:48 (to the Gentiles) .... "And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord."

Acts 19:5 (to the Ephesians) .... "when they hear this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus"

Acts 9:18, 22:16 (to Paul) .... "arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord"

Romans 6:3 (to the Romans) ..... "that so many of us were baptized into Jesus Christ"

Galatians 3:27 (to the Galatians) ...." For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ "

Colossians 2:11,12 (to the Colossians) ...."by the circumcision of Christ : buried with him in baptism "

Colossians 3:16 ...."whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do

all in the name of the Lord Jesus". Since baptism is words and a deed, ...then this verse applies to baptism.

"What about Matthew 28:19 ?"

Why do they all refer to the Lord Jesus Christ with the exception of Matthew 28:19? I'm not 100 % sure; but, here are several explanations. Which one can you accept?

One explanation for the common man about why Matthew 28:19 differs is that ...

God had it written that way so that even in water baptism, the Spirit of Revelation must operate. The Spirit of Revelation is the Rock upon which the church is built. (Matt. 16:17,18) Look at the reference list again. Notice how over and over the phrase "in the name" appears. It even appears in Matthew 28:19, too. What name? Whose Name? There is only 1 name for the Christian. It is the name of Jesus. There is no other name with any power or authority, but the name of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is ..... the blood name (1 Pet 1:9), ...the baptizing name (Acts 8:16), ...the devil casting out name (Mrk 16:17), ... Emmanuel's name (Mat 1:23), ... the Father-Son-Holy Ghost name (Mat 28:19), ...the family name (Eph 3:15), ... God's name (Isa 9:6), ...the healing name (Acts 3:16), ...the knee-bowing name (Philp 2:10), ...the Lord's name (Lk 2:11), ...the none other name (Acts 4:12), ...the One name (Zech 14:9), ...the preaching name (Acts 8:12), ...the repentance name (Lk 24:47), ...the remission of sin name (Acts10:43), ...the salvation name (Acts 4:12), ...the speaking with new tongues name (Mark 16:17), ...the name above every name (Phil 2:9), ...the what so ever you do name (Col 3:17), ...the washed, sanctified, justified name (1Cor 6:11), ...the Word made flesh name (Joh 1:14,17), ... Our LORD JESUS CHRIST!

The Revelation is ...... that the ONE NAME which applies to the phrase "in the name of the Father, Son & Holy Ghost" is the name of Jesus.

That is why there is NOT one scriptural example or practice in the New Testament of baptizing; ....except in the name of our Lord Jesus. You should check it out.

Another explanation for the scholarly about why Matthew 28:19 differs is that ....

The historical works of the church historian Eusebius who lived in 300 AD. gives rise to speculation of scripture tampering.

Eusebius was Bishop of Caesarea, and inherited the care of the sacred writings and manuscripts of the Library of Pamphilus at Caesarea in Palestine. During the Roman Emperor Diocletian's persecution the sacred scripture manuscripts were burned. Eusebius said, "I saw with mine own eyes the houses of prayer thrown down and razed to their foundations, and the sacred scriptures consigned to the fire in the open Marketplace." Thus the most ancient copies of scripture are copies of copies, ---none are originals. "Eusebius is of great weight for us. To him we owe a large part of our knowledge of the first three centuries of Christianity."

F. C. Conybeare stated in 1902, "I have, after a moderate search in the works of Eusebuis, found eighteen citations of Matthew 28:19 and always in the following form, "Go ye and make disciples of all nations in my name, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded them." (Textual Criticism of the New Testament; Three Early Doctrinal Modifications of the Text of the Gospels, Hibbert Journal, 1902, Conybeare)

Eusebuis was also one of the bishops who attended the Nicene Council of 325 AD. who at first refused to sign the councils adopted creed; but later was persuaded to do so. Quotes by Eusebuis of Matthew 28:19 after the Nicene Council include the Roman Catholic baptism of "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," ...as Matthew 28:19 reads today. (A little library and history research into the impact of the Nicene Council would be enlightening.)

Jehovah has different means to blind his people religiously when their traditions become exalted above His Word. God mentions this in Isaiah 6:9-10 when He sent Isaiah to prophecy to the people making them "Hear ye indeed, but understand not,; and see ye indeed, but perceive not." God said shut their eyes, ears, and heart so they will not understand with their heart and be converted and healed.

Of course, the revelation of Jesus Christ and God's will for our lives is not based upon theology or scholarship. It is based upon the Rock of Revelation.

A few facts you may not know.

1>Being Baptized where a minister says "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" is Non-Scriptural. It never happened in the Bible. Not even once. It only happens outside of Scripture.

2>ALL recorded baptisms in the New Testament use words which give honor to Only the Lord Jesus Christ. Never to the Father. Never to the Holy Ghost.

If you have any objections to baptism as presented in this study; ..and do not object to the act of baptism; .....then maybe your objection is to the name of Jesus.

If we reject honoring Jesus Christ in water baptism,

....it follows that: The Word of God is indeed contradictory (as some claim) --- Matthew 28:19 is in direct contradiction of Luke 24:47 and Acts 2:38.

....it follows that: The Lord's statement that He opened the Apostles understanding in Luke 24:45 is not true. If that is so, then they were just as confused afterward as they were before he opened their understanding. I can not believe that.

....it follows that: Christ's breathing upon the Apostles in John 20:28 to receive the Holy Ghost and his 40 days of instruction after his resurrection did not open the apostles understanding to Jesus' instructions.

DO YOU BELIEVE ANY OF THESE STATEMENTS?

I do not. And neither do I think that you do. If any of this information creates concern in you about TRUTH, then seek out a minister to baptize you in Christian Baptism, ...rather than Catholic Baptism. I realize this study treats this issue in a very simple manner. Yet maybe enough to provoke you to help pick up the" truth which has fallen in the streets." (Isa 59:14) It's harvest time. It is Time to return to the Original Seed, the Word of God as the apostles taught it, .... the Old LandMark!