"...Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures." (1Cor 15:22)
"Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God..." (Col 2:12)
"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)
The Plan of Salvation is found in Acts 2:38. There is no other plan given in the New Testament.
Salvation is by Christ alone (as purchased by His own blood), by faith alone, and by grace alone, as continued in Acts 2:38.
In Acts 2:38, the faith of the convert is in Jesus Christ alone. Repentence is by faith alone and the grace of forgiveness of sins is given; water baptism is by faith alone and the grace of remission of sins is given; the baptism of the Holy Ghost is by faith alone with the evidence of speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance. The grace of eternal life is thus given and sealed to the born again son or daughter of God. Salvation is thus by grace through faith as found in Ephesians 2:8.
Acts 2:38 does not contain the works of man. Nothing in Acts 2:38 is the works of man. Repentence is not the works of man but it is faith in the love of God; water baptism is not the works of man but it is faith in the blood of Jesus; and Spirit baptism is not the works of man but it is faith in God that He will give the gift of eternal life. All of Acts 2:38 is faith, faith, faith. Three acts of faith which is one salvation.
As stated above the Scriptures decree that Christ in providing salvation:
1. Died
2. He was buried
3. He rose again from the dead
In Acts 2:38 converts identify with Christ in His death, buriel and resurrection in receiving salvation:
1. Repentance - a type of death to the Adam nature
2. Water baptism - a type of buriel which is for the remission sins
3. Spirit baptism - a type of resurrection
Therefore as Christ experienced death, buriel and resurrection in providing salvation, converts experience a type of death, buriel and resurrection in receiving salvation. It is that simple. Notice in Colossians 2:12 it clearly states that Believers are buried with Christ in baptism and also are risen (resurrected in the Spirit) with Him through the faith of the operation of God. Therefore the terms of the Gospel as found in Acts 2:38 is the operation of God and is obeyed through faith. And the operation of God it is not optional. One must obey the terms of the Gospel for the blood of Jesus to be applied. However ancient heretics such as Augustine claimed that salvation is by mental acceptance, and called this mind set, "the true Faith" ; as do many today. As a result multitudes of sincere Believers in the Lord have been deceived into thinking they do not need to follow this Plan of Salvation. But I will prove once and for all that the early Church practised the Plan of Salvation in Acts 2:38 according to the Scriptural record and to the historical record below.
The Scriptural Record:
Every time the Bible records the name or formula associated with an actual baptism in the New Testament Church, it describes the name of Jesus. All such accounts I quote occur in the Book of Acts which is the history of the early Church. It records that the following people were baptized in Jesus' name.
1. The Jews - "Then Peter said unto them, 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)
2. The Samaritans - "They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus."
(Acts 8:16)
3. The Gentiles - " And he commanded them to be baptized in the
name of the Lord." (Acts 10:48). (The earliest Greek
manuscripts say, "In the name of Jesus Christ", as do
most versions today) Also note they were COMMANDED
to be baptized - it was not optional!
4. The Disciples of John - (They were re-baptized) "They were baptized in
the name of the Lord Jesus." (Acts 19:5)
5. Apostle Paul said: "Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins,
calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts 22:16)
Moreover, the Epistles contain a number of references or allusions to baptism in Jesus' name. See: Romans 6:3,4; 1Cor 1:13; 16:11; Gal 3:27; Col 2:12; James 2:7.
The only verse of Scripture that anyone could appeal to in support of a threefold baptismal formula is Matthew 28:19, in which Jesus commanded baptism, "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." The word "name" is singular in this verse, however, indicating that the phrase describes one supreme name by which the one God is revealed, not the names of three distinct persons. Moreover, this does not imply the shared name(s) of "Yahweh" or "Jehovah" for the three titles. "Yahweh" and "Jehovah" are not Hebrew names but are false tetragrammations from the Babylonian Aramaic language which were superimposed over the correct Hebrew "Ehyeh"; from which is derived the title "Lord" in English. The only name that fits here is JESUS. If you look at Luke 24:47 which is a parallel verse to Matthew 28:19, it describes Jesus as saying that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name - not the titles of "Yahweh" or "Jehovah".
Why is water baptism in the name of Jesus so important?
Because without water baptism in His name there is no remission of sins. And no one can go to heaven without their sins remitted. The "water" itself does not wash away sins. Only the blood of Jesus washes away the sins. What happens then when one is baptized is in the natural they are immersed in water but in the spiritual realm they are soaked in the precious blood of Jesus. Only at that moment is the blood applied.
The Bible says in the mouth of two or three witnesseses every word shall be established so here they are:
1. Jesus : "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached
in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem".
(Luke 24:47)
2. Peter : "Repent, and be baptized every one 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)
3. Paul: "And now why tarriest (wait) thou? Arise, and be baptized, and
wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."
(Acts 22:16)
The Apostles understood Christ's words as a description of His own name, for they fulfilled His command in the great commision by baptizing in the name of Jesus. There is only one God (Deut. 6:4), and He has one supreme name today (Zachariah 14:9). Jesus is the incarnation of all the fulness of the Godhead (Col 2:9). Jesus is the name of the Son (Math 1:21), Jesus is the name by which the Father is revealed to us (John 5:43; 10:30; 14:9-11), and Jesus is the name in which the Holy Ghost comes (John 14:16-18,26).
Therefore Jesus is the ONLY SAVING NAME, the name in which one receives remission of sins, the highest name made known to us, and the name which we are to say and do all things (Acts2:38; 4:12; 10:43; Phil 2:9-11; Col 3:17)
Now The Historical Record:
Respectful historical sources verify that the early Christian Church did not use a threefold baptismal formula but invoked the name of Jesus at baptism.
1. Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics (1951). II, 384,389: "The formula used was "'in the name of the Lord Jesus"' or some synonymous phrase; there is no evidence for the use of the triune name...The earliest form, represented in the Acts, was simple immersion...in water, the use of the name of the Lord, and laying on of hands. To these were added, at various times and places which cannot be safely identified, (a) the triune name..."
2. Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible (1962), I, 351: "The evidence...suggests that baptism in early Christianity was administered, not in the threefold name, but "'in the name of Jesus Christ"' or "'in the name of the Lord Jesus."'
3. Otto Heick, A History of Christian Thought (1965), I, 53: "At first baptism was administered in the name of Jesus, but gradually in the name of the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."
4. Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible (1898), I, 241: "[One explanation is that] the original form of the words was ""into the name of Jesus Christ" or "'the Lord Jesus"', Baptism into the name of the Trinity was a later developement."
5. Williston Walker, A History of the Christian Church (1947), p.58: "The trinitarian baptismal formula...was displacing the older baptism in the name of Christ."
6. The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge (1957), I,435: "The New Testament knows only the baptism in the name of Jesus...which still occurs even in the second and third centuries."
7. Canney's Encyclopedia of Religions (1970), p.53: "Persons were baptized at first "'in the name of Jesus Christ"'...or "'in the name of the Lord Jesus''...Afterwards, with the developement of the doctrine of the Trinity, they were baptized "'in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost."'
So there is the evidence both Scriptural and historical. This is what Apostolic Christianity is all about. Not apostate Christianity or some other watered-down version. Will you ignore the evidence? Do not let any one rob you of the glorious heritage in the name of Jesus Christ. Will you obey His command in Acts 2:38?
"But they have not all OBEYED the gospel." (Romans 10:16)
"Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein FEW, that is, eight souls were saved BY WATER."
"The like figure whereunto EVEN BAPTISM DOTH ALSO NOW SAVE US (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." (1Peter 3:20,21)
Can you now see the comparison of the days of Noah when only a few were saved by water and how baptism in the name of Jesus is the like figure as Noah was saved by water. In other words, not every one will obey God as what happened in Noah's day. It takes faith to obey God so will you be like Noah and exercise your faith? As Paul said, "Why wait (tarriest) thou?"
"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" - Jesus (Mark 16:17)
"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of the water (water baptism) and of the Spirit (evidenced by speaking in tongues), he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." - Jesus (John 3:5)