04.2.10. The Baptismal Formula
Chapter 10 - THE BAPTISMAL FORMULA Is John’s baptism, which was the baptism of repentance, for the assembly of Jesus Christ today? What is the baptismal formula for the New Testament assembly today? If there were no repentance for this dispensation of grace, there would be no reference to repentance subsequent to the time the assembly began. Since there are recorded instances of repentance subsequent to the beginning of the assembly, the concept of no repentance for this dispensation of grace is destroyed. If there is no spirit of repentance, God did not give repentance; and those who claim there is no repentance for this age are in error.
John’s baptism was the baptism of repentance, because it identified baptism with repentance. He said, “I am now baptizing you in [en, locative of sphere] water because of [eis, accusative of cause] your repentance...” (Matthew 3:11—translation). John had warned the Jews that a physical descent from Abraham and an outward conformity to the Jewish ceremonies would not suffice to justify them before God.
God’s gift of repentance is more than a change of mind. It is also an act of the will. John’s baptism because of (eis) repentance was not in the name of the Godhead, as we are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit. It was not in the name of the Lord Jesus, but it was through faith in their Messiah who was about to be manifested. It was not without some knowledge of the Holy Spirit, because John preached that the Messiah would baptize them in the Holy Spirit. Not until the Acts of the Apostles do we find the statement about being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38; Acts 8:16; Acts 10:48; Acts 19:5). Three Greek prepositions are used to express “in” the name. The preposition epi, the dative of reference, which means “on” is used in Acts 2:38. It means be baptized on the confession of which the name implies. The preposition eis, the accusative of reference, which means “with reference to” is used in Acts 8:16; Acts 19:5. It means baptized with reference to the authority of Jesus Christ, which denotes that the one being baptized is united with Jesus Christ. The preposition en, the locative of sphere, which means “the sphere” in which true baptism is accomplished is used in Acts 10:48. In the great commission, the name in which believers are to be baptized is the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). In Acts, believers were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, the Lord Jesus, and the Lord. Nevertheless, it was baptism, because all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:9). All that is known about the Father and the Holy Spirit is known through Jesus Christ and His redemptive work. The disciples of Acts 19:5 were baptized because they had never been baptized in the manner prescribed by the Lord Jesus in the great commission. Was John’s baptism Christian baptism? Was Apollos’ baptism, which was only John’s baptism, Christian baptism? Was Apollos baptized with Christian baptism with a number of people in Corinth who believed? Apollos was a native of Alexandria (Acts 18:24). Alexandria was noted for its library. One-third of the population was Jewish. Apollos was a learned man, powerful in the Scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord and was boiling with enthusiasm in the Spirit, speaking and teaching accurately concerning Jesus Christ. But he lacked information pertaining to the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. Aquila and Priscilla, having heard him, took him and explained to him the way of God more accurately. When Apollos passed through Achaia, he assisted ones who had believed through grace. There is no operative faith except through grace. Faith does not operate and bring grace to an individual, but one believes through grace.
Although Apollos needed further instruction in Acts 18:1-28, there is no record of his being rebaptized in Acts 19:1-41. Furthermore, the apostles had received only the baptism of John. There is no record of the Lord’s disciples being rebaptized at Pentecost, as some believe. The message at Pentecost was “repent” with reference to initial repentance, but the disciples had already experienced initial repentance. John’s baptism was sufficient for them. It was the only baptism the Lord Jesus had. He was baptized with John’s baptism, but for a different purpose. He was not baptized with reference to His repentance, because He had no sin of which to repent. But He was baptized because that was the beginning of His public ministry when He was made known (John 1:29-34).
John’s baptism was from God and not from man: “The baptism of John, from where [pothen, an interrogative adverb] was it? from [ek, ablative of source] heaven, or from men? And they were reasoning [imperfect middle indicative of dialogidzomai] among themselves saying if we may say from heaven he will say to us, why then did you not believe him? But if we may say from men, we fear the crowd. For all regard John as a prophet” (Matthew 21:25-26—translation). They answered Christ by saying, “We have not known [perfect active indicative of oida, which means have known, perceived, or understood], and he said to them, neither am I telling you by what authority I am doing these things” (Matthew 21:27—translation). Christ would not repeat the truth He had already displayed by submitting to John’s baptism. He would not tell them explicitly what He had demonstrated implicitly by His submission to John’s baptism. If they had acknowledged John as a prophet, they would have not only accepted his message, but would have also submitted to his baptism. They did not accept him as a prophet; therefore, they did not accept his message. Because of that, they did not submit themselves to baptism. Therefore, they rejected the counsel of God.
All the people having heard John were submitting themselves to baptism, having acknowledged God’s justice (Luke 7:29). “But the Pharisees and the lawyers set aside God’s plan as being for the purpose of themselves, not having been baptized by him” (Luke 7:30—translation). Those who submitted to baptism were acknowledging God’s justice. Those who set aside baptism were rejecting the truth of God; therefore, they were not acknowledging God’s justice. The baptismal formula for Christians cannot be baptism with reference to Moses (1 Corinthians 10:1-2). The Israelites were baptized with reference “to [eis, accusative of reference]” (1 Corinthians 10:2) their relation to Moses. Galatians 3:27 is a companion passage for us—"For all of you who were baptized with reference to [eis, accusative of reference] Christ put on [enedusasthe, aorist middle indicative of enduo] Christ for yourselves" (translation). We have nothing to do with our getting into Christ; but we do participate in the action of putting on Christ in our daily lives; and this is proved by the middle voice of enduo. The formula for baptism was given by the Head of the assembly, Jesus Christ Himself: “Go into the world preaching the gospel, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19—translation). There is no contradiction between baptism into the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ as taught in Acts. We have access to the Father by the Son through the agency of the Holy Spirit. One who denies any one Person in the Godhead does not have access to the Father. The Father chose us, the Son redeemed us, and the Holy Spirit quickened us. All the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Jesus Christ.