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Real Conversations On TheOneness of God vs. TrinityAbout Matthew 28:19 ((Is it your contention that Matt misquoted Jesus ?)) No, I believe it could have been quoted correctly. Though there are some scholars that have offered some evidence that it was a later interpolation, I don't think that is necessarily so. It is entirely conducive to the Oneness message the way it stands. So why do I preach and follow baptism exclusively in Jesus' name? First- Notice some of the words Jesus uses- "All power is given unto ME... go ye therefore... in THE name of..." Jesus did not say all power is given "unto the three of us." It would not make sense to say, "All power is given unto ME, therefore go and baptize in the name of me and two other people." Second, Jesus said "in THE (singular) name." So we must ask ourselves "What is THE name?" What is the name of the Father? "Jesus...lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father... I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world... And I have declared unto them thy name..." -John 17:1,6,26. "I am come in my Father's name..." -John 5:43. "...The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me..." -John 10:25. "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called...the Everlasting Father..." -Isaiah 9:6. See also Zech.14:9. What is the name of the Holy Ghost? Jesus said "The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name..." -John 14:26. "The mystery which hath been hid... but now is made manifest... is Christ in you..." -Colossians 1:26-27. "Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you..." -1 Corinthians 6:19. "Now the Lord is that Spirit..." -2 Corinthians 3:17. "...The Spirit of Jesus Christ" -Philippians 1:19. "For as the body is one... so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body... and have been all made to drink into one Spirit" -1 Cor.12:12-13. What is the name above every name? "...A name which is above every name:... the name of Jesus..." -Philippians 2:9-11. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" -Acts 4:12. "And whatsoever ye do in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus" -Colossians 3:17. ((It seems to me that if Jesus said it - He meant it.)) I agree. It also seems to me that the apostles felt the same way. Which is reason number three. The apostles NEVER ONCE in the Bible, nor recorded history, EVER baptized while invoking the titles Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Without exception, they ALWAYS baptized using some form of "the Lord Jesus Christ." That alone, if nothing else, should settle the question- "...Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them... then OPENED HE THEIR UNDERSTANDING, THAT THEY MIGHT UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer... And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name..."!!! Luke 24:36,45-46. "And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and CONFIRMING THE WORD with signs following" -Mark 16:20. "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word" -John 17:20. Does baptizing in the name of Jesus mean by His authority? ((Baptizing in the name of Jesus means by his authority.)) This is purely a tradition of man which is not new to me. I challenge anyone to produce scripture for this statement. Number four, then- There are three very specific PURPOSES for being baptized INTO the name of Jesus, and none of them have anything to do with "by His authority." Nor do those purposes have anything to do with any "name" of the Father, or the Holy Ghost if that name is not Jesus- According to the scriptures, why are we baptized? 1. Remission of Sins- "It behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead... And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations" -Luke 24:47. ("Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins..." -Acts 2:38). "And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." -Acts 22:16. 2. To Put on Jesus Christ- "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" -Galatians 3:26-27 3. Salvation- "He that believeth AND is baptized shall be saved. But he that believeth not shall be damned" -Mark 16:16. ("Be it known unto you all...the name of Jesus Christ... This is the stone...which is become the head... Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." -Acts 4:10-12. "God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein... 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.) -1 Peter 3:20-21. ("By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house..." -Hebrews 11:7). Didn't Jesus say in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost? ((If He said in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost- why the problem?)) If the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is Jesus, and we are commanded to have faith in that name, the problem is hearing the commandment to baptize in THE NAME and then to use the titles. It's like getting a check from work signed by your boss. Does he sign the check- "The Boss," or does he sign the check with his name? Will the bank cash it if it says "The Boss" if they know the boss' name is Joe Bossmanova? "All power is given unto me at the jobsite, and at the bank. Therefore, go and cash your check in the name of the boss, and of the person whose name is on the bank account, and of the guy who handed you the check." So why do people assume these titles must mean three separate persons? It is because certain individuals in history didn't realize that Jesus wasn't ONLY the Son, but He is also THE BOSSMAN- THE FATHER. THE GREAT I AM, THE FIRST AND THE LAST! You see, some people don't really believe ALL power is in Jesus' name. They don't believe that whatsoever they do should be done in the name of Jesus. And unfortunately, they've taught a lot of people to do as their man made traditions dictate. "And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE Lord..." - Mark 12:29. "Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel (Jesus!), and (Israel's) redeemer the LORD of hosts (Jesus is the only Redeemer); I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me (Jesus) there is no God" -Isaiah 44:6. "...I AM THE FIRST AND THE LAST: I AM HE THAT LIVETH, AND WAS DEAD (Jesus); and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen" Revelation 1:17-18. "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM" John 8:58 "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I AM..., ye shall die in your sins" -John 8:24. Please continue with the real conversations on the subject of Oneness vs. Trinity. Different Persons in the body of Christ Definition of Oneness Pentecostal Satan's Greatest Hoax (226 Questions Disproving the Trinitarian Doctrine) Return to the preface for the studies on the doctrine of the Oneness of God in the name of Jesus Christ. |