The answer is found in Acts 10:48, "And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord."
Does it matter how I am baptized?
Acts 19:2-5, "He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. (v. 3) And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. (v. 4) Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. (v. 5) When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." If John's disciples had to be re-baptized, it surely must make a difference.
Does this not conflict with Matthew 28:19?
No. In Matthew 28:19 Jesus said, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Nowhere in the Holy Scripture was anyone baptized using the words Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The reason is quite simple. Jesus said, "Baptizing them in the NAME of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are not names but titles of positions.
Any male parent is a father and a son; so the only way one can baptize in the Father's name is to first find out what is the Father's name. To find out the Father's name, we have only to find out the Son's name and how He obtained it. Let us read Hebrews 1:4, "Being made so much better than the angles, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." If the Son obtained His name by inheritance, the possibility from who He inherited it is limited to one: HIS FATHER. For further proof, let us read the words of Jesus in St. John 5:43, "I am come in my Father's name…" If Jesus inherited his name as Hebrews 1:4 states, can there be any doubt that the name of the son has to be the same as the Father?
But what about the name of the Holy Ghost?
The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of God. In St. John 14:26, Jesus said, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name…" so we see he Holy Ghost was sent in the name of Jesus. Now is it not understandable why all the apostles baptized in the name of Jesus rather than the titles? Also, if we consider the purpose of water baptism, we can understand why baptism can only be administered in the name of Jesus. Paul wrote in I Corinthians 1:13, "Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" The absurdity of Paul's questions was meant to amplify the importance of being baptized in the name of the One who was crucified for you. Romans 6:1-4, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? (v.2) God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (v.3) Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized in to his death? (v. 4) Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Baptism was emblematic of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. The death of Christ was a substitute death. He took our place on the cross, and we show our acceptance of His vicarious death by being buried in a watery grave in His name.
Since the Bible has no record of anyone being baptized using the words Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, how did this formula originate?
BRITANNICA ENCYCLOPEDIA
11 Edit., Vol. 3, pp. 365-366: The baptismal formula was changed from the name of Jesus Christ to the words Father, Son, and Holy Ghost by the Catholic Church in the Second Century.
BRITANNICA ENCYCLOPEDIA
Vol. 3., p. 82: Everywhere in the oldest sources it states the baptism took place in the name of Jesus Christ.
CANNEY ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELIGION
p. 53: The Early Church always baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus until development of Trinity Doctrine in the Second Century.
HASTINGS' ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELIGION
Vol. 2, p. 377: Christian baptism was administered using the words, "In the Name of Jesus."
Vol. 2. p. 378: The use of a Trinitarian Formula of any sort was not suggested in the early church history.
Vol. 2, p. 389: Baptism was always in the name of the Lord Jesus until time of Justin Martyr when Triune Formula was used.
What is the correct baptismal formula according to the Bible?
The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of God. In St. John 14:26, Jesus said, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,
whom the Father will send in my name" so we see he Holy Ghost was sent in the name of Jesus. Now is it not
understandable why all the apostles baptized in the name of Jesus rather than the titles? Also, if we consider
the purpose of water baptism, we can understand why baptism can only be administered in the name of Jesus.
Paul wrote in I Corinthians 1:13, "Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were ye baptized in the
name of Paul?"
The absurdity of Paul's questions was meant to amplify the importance of being baptized in the
name of the One who was crucified for you. Romans 6:1-4, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin,
that grace may abound? (v.2) God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (v.3)
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized in to his death? (v. 4)
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the
glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Baptism was emblematic of the death,
burial, and resurrection of Christ. The death of Christ was a substitute death. He took our place on the
cross, and we show our acceptance of His vicarious death by being buried in a watery grave in His name.
JESUS TAUGHT:
Luke 24:47, "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."
PETER OBEYED:
Acts 2:38-39, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins"
SAMARITANS:
Acts 8:16, "they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus."
GENTILES COMMANDED:
Acts 10:48, "and he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord"
PAUL REBAPTIZED:
Acts 19:3-5, "When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus."
NO OTHER NAME FOR SALVATION:
Acts 4:10-12, "there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
EVERYTHING DONE IN JESUS' NAME:
Col. 3:17, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus"
The previous scriptures are not given to refute Matthew 28:19 where Jesus told the Apostles to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. They merely show how the command was understood and obeyed by them.
The Apostles knew what most religious leaders of today fail to recognize. First, that the Lord Jesus Christ is the family name (Eph. 3:15). Second that the fullness of the godhead (Deity or God) dwelleth bodily in Christ (Colossians 2:9).
They knew the name of the Son was Jesus (Matthew 1:21); they knew that the Son came in the Father's name (John 5:43); they also knew that the Holy Ghost was the Spirit of Christ and would come in Jesus' name (John 14:26).
