BAPTISM
Oasis of peace The
baptism of John for Jesus. The Baptism
in the name of Jesus An
other
formulation and baptism of babies? Confession
of faith
Our green oasis in the middle of the desert is the place of
baptism, symbolising reconciliation with the Lord. After a long walk
through arid land, we rediscover one of the main components of the
human body: water. Flowing down from the heights, it regenerates us. We
can immerse ourselves completely, refresh ourselves, confess our faith
in the Lord, and glorify Him. We can also remember our first condition
of life, in our mother's womb, before we were born into the world.
Knowing the Creator in order to walk with Him is another birth; we must
be born of water and the Spirit to enter the kingdom of God. Knowing
the Creator is life.
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Today, we cannot minimise the importance of baptism; we cannot accept the Bible and remove the symbols taught by the Master and the first disciples. This symbol has stood the test of time because it still conveys a powerful spiritual idea for man: change and union with God. Indeed, a person who wishes to draw near to the Eternal opens himself to Him and sanctifies himself by abandoning the old man. Having good thoughts towards God and feeling guided by the Lord does not negate the practice of baptism; those who had received the ruach, the Holy Spirit, did not neglect to put it into practice. Being baptised is not old-fashioned.
Acts 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
Acts 10:45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 10:46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
Acts 10:47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
Acts 10:48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
Why should we stop celebrating the joy of a union between a man and a woman? And why should we stop celebrating our union with the Creator through His Anointed One?
A wedding ceremony is a time of sharing, witnessing, and blessing for the people. If sexual intercourse is the marriage between a man and a woman, then the celebration is its symbol. And if baptism truly comes from the will of the Eternal (Luke 20:4), then we have even greater reason to practise it in our lives. Water has several meanings in the Bible: it is a symbol of renewal, cleansing, change and consecration. Baptism is a commitment of good conscience to the Eternal.
1Peter 3:21 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:
Baptism is a union with Christ, the perfect and beloved man who fulfilled the will of the Creator, who wants us to be in his image (Genesis 1:25-26).
It is not limited to a moment in the life of Jesus, nor does it consist of believing that a god died for our sins. It is an awareness of who we are and our need to follow the path of Jesus Christ, who brings new information to the world: God loves us (John 17:22-23) and wants us to continue to live and grow with him. The baptism of Christ represents his ministry, his life, his death and his resurrection; it is a whole journey of faith. Baptism is the symbol of an earthly imprint, with elements of matter and our spirituality. God transforms human beings by sharing them his thoughts (John 14:16; 1 Peter 1:11; 1 Corinthians 10:4).
John 4:13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
Therefore, let us therefore preserve baptism, for it reminds us of our reconciliation with the Eternal One through Jesus Christ. Jesus bears the spiritual name Emmanuel, for he transmits the word of the Most High to humanity. Emmanuel means ‘God is with us’. We must not understand this to mean that Jesus is the uncreated God, but that YHWH (the One, the Eternal One, ‘I Am/I Will Be’ of Exodus 3:14) is with us (the man Jesus, the firstborn among many brothers who follow him). Baptism is the restoration of what was lost; man thus fulfils his purpose, in union with Christ, thanks to YHWH, the one and only Creator of heaven and earth.
Exodus 3:13-15 And Moses said to God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM. And he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: I AM hath sent me unto you.
His message to Israel, and Pharaoh, whose opposition is foretold and God said moreover to Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: ETERNAL, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you. This is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
¹ The christian text "the Didache" uses the formula of Matthew 28:19, chapter 7.
² Shem Tov, the Hebrew new covenant without the formula in Matthew 28:19.
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John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Today, we cannot minimise the importance of baptism; we cannot accept the Bible and remove the symbols taught by the Master and the first disciples. This symbol has stood the test of time because it still conveys a powerful spiritual idea for man: change and union with God. Indeed, a person who wishes to draw near to the Eternal opens himself to Him and sanctifies himself by abandoning the old man. Having good thoughts towards God and feeling guided by the Lord does not negate the practice of baptism; those who had received the ruach, the Holy Spirit, did not neglect to put it into practice. Being baptised is not old-fashioned.
Acts 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
Acts 10:45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 10:46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
Acts 10:47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
Acts 10:48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
Why should we stop celebrating the joy of a union between a man and a woman? And why should we stop celebrating our union with the Creator through His Anointed One?
A wedding ceremony is a time of sharing, witnessing, and blessing for the people. If sexual intercourse is the marriage between a man and a woman, then the celebration is its symbol. And if baptism truly comes from the will of the Eternal (Luke 20:4), then we have even greater reason to practise it in our lives. Water has several meanings in the Bible: it is a symbol of renewal, cleansing, change and consecration. Baptism is a commitment of good conscience to the Eternal.
1Peter 3:21 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:
Baptism is a union with Christ, the perfect and beloved man who fulfilled the will of the Creator, who wants us to be in his image (Genesis 1:25-26).
It is not limited to a moment in the life of Jesus, nor does it consist of believing that a god died for our sins. It is an awareness of who we are and our need to follow the path of Jesus Christ, who brings new information to the world: God loves us (John 17:22-23) and wants us to continue to live and grow with him. The baptism of Christ represents his ministry, his life, his death and his resurrection; it is a whole journey of faith. Baptism is the symbol of an earthly imprint, with elements of matter and our spirituality. God transforms human beings by sharing them his thoughts (John 14:16; 1 Peter 1:11; 1 Corinthians 10:4).
John 4:13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
Therefore, let us therefore preserve baptism, for it reminds us of our reconciliation with the Eternal One through Jesus Christ. Jesus bears the spiritual name Emmanuel, for he transmits the word of the Most High to humanity. Emmanuel means ‘God is with us’. We must not understand this to mean that Jesus is the uncreated God, but that YHWH (the One, the Eternal One, ‘I Am/I Will Be’ of Exodus 3:14) is with us (the man Jesus, the firstborn among many brothers who follow him). Baptism is the restoration of what was lost; man thus fulfils his purpose, in union with Christ, thanks to YHWH, the one and only Creator of heaven and earth.
Exodus 3:13-15 And Moses said to God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM. And he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: I AM hath sent me unto you.
His message to Israel, and Pharaoh, whose opposition is foretold and God said moreover to Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: ETERNAL, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you. This is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
In the Gospels, the practice of baptism does not seem to shock
anyone, so it cannot have been invented by John the Baptist, a priest
of the tribe of Levi.
The Mosaic covenant already included different baptisms and ablutions for various reasons. John gives baptism a new meaning: he invites repentance to prepare for the arrival of the promised Messiah. The Greek word for "ablution" is the same as the word for "baptism"; both refer to the action of immersing. The Greek word "baptizein" is "tabal" in Hebrew and appears in the story of Naaman immersing himself in water under the prophet Elisha's orders. Interestingly, Yehuchanan-Tebilah was the spirit of the prophet Elijah, present in Elisha in a double portion! How great is the spirit of the prophet John the Baptist.
Hebrews 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. (Numbers 19:18, 2 King 7:14 for example).
The Gospels tell us that John's baptism is a baptism of repentance only; we find no other meaning for it in the New Covenant (Matthew 3:11; Acts 19:4). If Jesus appeared before John the Baptist at the Jordan River, it was because he truly needed to receive this baptism. This truth may disturb Christianity, which presents us with a Jesus who did not need this baptism of repentance. Jesus did not pretend to be baptised in order to set an example for sinners. He had to be made perfect, for he was not perfect, much like Job, who opened his eyes to the immeasurable perfection of the Eternal One. Although he was a man of integrity, he had to be washed in the water of baptism in order to present himself to the people and later become the great high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptise you with water to repentance, but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not fit to bear; he shall baptise you with the holy spirit and fire
Jesus is the spotless lamb who pays the price for the sins of the people. However, this should not be understood to mean that he takes sins upon himself, as many religious denominations teach. He does not become impure by receiving sins upon himself, which would be contrary to the law. In the sacrifices of the Law, the word ‘sin’ can be read in the sense of ‘wages of sin’. This is how we can translate 2 Corinthians 5:21: ‘He made him the wages of sin for us.’ The true sacrifice is to give one's life for one's friends, and it is sinners who believe in his words, repent and change, who can become sons of the Most High God.
Mateus 3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
Mateus 3:14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
Mateus 3:15 And Jesus answering said unto him, suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
The idea is simple, but perhaps difficult to accept due to what we are taught in religious denominations. Jesus is a man who perfects himself by growing spiritually (Luke 2:40, Hebrews 5:7), who loves to walk in the ways of the Eternal and becomes the most beautiful of the sons of men. He is dependent on the Most High, the only one who possesses immortality and perfection by essence and nature. Jesus is not eternal; he was born with a tendency towards good and evil, for he is first and foremost the soul of Adam (see his genealogy) before being the only Son of God. Jesus humbly received the baptism of repentance, for even the most righteous of men knows that the Lord alone is perfectly pure. The Lord will never be a man born of a woman, and human nature is not that of God (Job 15:14). Yeshua ha Machiah (Jesus the Messiah) becomes perfect through God; he becomes good through the One who is Good; he becomes spiritual through God, who is the Spirit of life.
1 Timothy 6:13-16 I enjoin thee before God who preserves all things in life, and Christ Jesus who witnessed before Pontius Pilate the good confession, that thou keep the commandment spotless, irreproachable, until the appearing of our lord Jesus Christ; which in its own time the blessed and only Ruler shall shew, the King of those that reign, and Lord of those that exercise lordship; who only has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen, nor is able to see; to whom be honour and eternal might. Amen.
1 Corinthians 15:45-47 Thus also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul; the last Adam a quickening spirit. But that which is spiritual was not first, but that which is natural, then that which is spiritual: the first man out of the earth, made of dust; the second man, out of heaven.
The man Jesus was a servant (Matthew 12:18) and he knew that he was not perfect (Mark 10:18). He depended on God (John 5:30; John 8:28) and had to learn to overcome his inclination towards evil perfectly. Jesus is ‘without blemish and without spot’ because he committed no errors against the precepts of the Eternal, having been able to choose between good and evil (Isaiah 7:15). The Book of Job portrays a man of integrity who is perfecting himself; both Jesus and Job recognised the perfection of the Eternal.
Job 9:1 Then Job answered and said,
Job 9:2 I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? (See Job chapter 25 and 26).
The Mosaic covenant already included different baptisms and ablutions for various reasons. John gives baptism a new meaning: he invites repentance to prepare for the arrival of the promised Messiah. The Greek word for "ablution" is the same as the word for "baptism"; both refer to the action of immersing. The Greek word "baptizein" is "tabal" in Hebrew and appears in the story of Naaman immersing himself in water under the prophet Elisha's orders. Interestingly, Yehuchanan-Tebilah was the spirit of the prophet Elijah, present in Elisha in a double portion! How great is the spirit of the prophet John the Baptist.
Hebrews 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. (Numbers 19:18, 2 King 7:14 for example).
The Gospels tell us that John's baptism is a baptism of repentance only; we find no other meaning for it in the New Covenant (Matthew 3:11; Acts 19:4). If Jesus appeared before John the Baptist at the Jordan River, it was because he truly needed to receive this baptism. This truth may disturb Christianity, which presents us with a Jesus who did not need this baptism of repentance. Jesus did not pretend to be baptised in order to set an example for sinners. He had to be made perfect, for he was not perfect, much like Job, who opened his eyes to the immeasurable perfection of the Eternal One. Although he was a man of integrity, he had to be washed in the water of baptism in order to present himself to the people and later become the great high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptise you with water to repentance, but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not fit to bear; he shall baptise you with the holy spirit and fire
Jesus is the spotless lamb who pays the price for the sins of the people. However, this should not be understood to mean that he takes sins upon himself, as many religious denominations teach. He does not become impure by receiving sins upon himself, which would be contrary to the law. In the sacrifices of the Law, the word ‘sin’ can be read in the sense of ‘wages of sin’. This is how we can translate 2 Corinthians 5:21: ‘He made him the wages of sin for us.’ The true sacrifice is to give one's life for one's friends, and it is sinners who believe in his words, repent and change, who can become sons of the Most High God.
Mateus 3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
Mateus 3:14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
Mateus 3:15 And Jesus answering said unto him, suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
The idea is simple, but perhaps difficult to accept due to what we are taught in religious denominations. Jesus is a man who perfects himself by growing spiritually (Luke 2:40, Hebrews 5:7), who loves to walk in the ways of the Eternal and becomes the most beautiful of the sons of men. He is dependent on the Most High, the only one who possesses immortality and perfection by essence and nature. Jesus is not eternal; he was born with a tendency towards good and evil, for he is first and foremost the soul of Adam (see his genealogy) before being the only Son of God. Jesus humbly received the baptism of repentance, for even the most righteous of men knows that the Lord alone is perfectly pure. The Lord will never be a man born of a woman, and human nature is not that of God (Job 15:14). Yeshua ha Machiah (Jesus the Messiah) becomes perfect through God; he becomes good through the One who is Good; he becomes spiritual through God, who is the Spirit of life.
1 Timothy 6:13-16 I enjoin thee before God who preserves all things in life, and Christ Jesus who witnessed before Pontius Pilate the good confession, that thou keep the commandment spotless, irreproachable, until the appearing of our lord Jesus Christ; which in its own time the blessed and only Ruler shall shew, the King of those that reign, and Lord of those that exercise lordship; who only has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen, nor is able to see; to whom be honour and eternal might. Amen.
1 Corinthians 15:45-47 Thus also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul; the last Adam a quickening spirit. But that which is spiritual was not first, but that which is natural, then that which is spiritual: the first man out of the earth, made of dust; the second man, out of heaven.
The man Jesus was a servant (Matthew 12:18) and he knew that he was not perfect (Mark 10:18). He depended on God (John 5:30; John 8:28) and had to learn to overcome his inclination towards evil perfectly. Jesus is ‘without blemish and without spot’ because he committed no errors against the precepts of the Eternal, having been able to choose between good and evil (Isaiah 7:15). The Book of Job portrays a man of integrity who is perfecting himself; both Jesus and Job recognised the perfection of the Eternal.
Job 9:1 Then Job answered and said,
Job 9:2 I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? (See Job chapter 25 and 26).
John the Baptist's baptism for repentance evolved when combined with
the ministry of Jesus, who died and obtained eternal life through
resurrection. This is the complete baptism in the name of the lord and
savior Jesus. After repenting, we are invited to follow a new spirit
that sanctifies us. The holy breath (Holy Spirit) gives us freedom
because we take pleasure in following God. To confirm the necessity of
perfect baptism, believers were baptized a second time in the name of
Yeshua. Therefore, baptism in the name of Jesus therefore encompasses
the baptism of water given by Yehuhanan-Tebilah (John the Baptist) and
the path of resurrection through the powerful spirit of God.
Acts 19:3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
Acts 19:4 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.
Acts 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the lord Jesus.
The person administering baptism should understand the message of the Bible and the ministry of Jesus. In the last chapter of this topic, I present key points of faith for baptism. While the person performing the baptism does not need to be part of a high religious hierarchy within an organization of this world, but must understand the Bible well, know the Father (the creator God) and the Son (the man Jesus who is not God), the prophets and the law. Authority is first given to Christ, then to the messengers (apostolic ministry), and to the other ministries that share the same spirit and sound doctrine. Philip was an apostle who explained who Jesus was.
Acts 8:35-38 : And Philip, opening his mouth and beginning from that scripture, announced the glad tidings of Jesus to him. And as they went along the way, they came upon a certain water, and the eunuch says, Behold water; what hinders my being baptised? and he commanded the chariot to stop. And they went down both to the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptised him.
The water of baptism represents the cleansing power of God that washes away our sins and buries our old selves, giving birth to new beings who live by faith and hope for resurrection. If God gave life to man, why would He not continue to give him life after death? This is the Good New of the resurrection. Water carries evil away into the depths, and it quenches our thirst (John 4:14). Note that our bodies are largely composed of water, and we constantly absorb and expel large quantities of it. The Spirit of the Lord is the true water of life for our spirit, and it is through the Messiah that we obtain eternal life.
Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the holy spirit, and with fire:
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.
Therefore, I recommend a second baptism for those who have been misled by false teachings. This includes those who have been baptized in the name of an archangel, such as Jehova's Witnesses, or in the name of an unknown god in heaven (Jesus God the Father, God the Son/Logos with God...) that does not correspond to the reality taught by the Bible. Baptism is a testimony on earth as it is in heaven. The Apostle Paul did not really have a the role in baptizing people, because the communities and their pastors were much closer to the truth than today's religious denominations. Join the oasis of the Desert assembly to be baptized in the name of Yeshua, the man united with God. At Messianism baptism (Christianism baptism), believers enter into the spiritual body of Christ; they die and are resurrected in him.
We baptize in the name of Yeshua, the one who established the covenant, identifying ourselves with him (1 Corinthians 10:2, 1 Corinthians 6:11, Ephesians 5:20, etc.).
Romans 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Romans 6:4 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.
Acts 19:3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
Acts 19:4 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.
Acts 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the lord Jesus.
The person administering baptism should understand the message of the Bible and the ministry of Jesus. In the last chapter of this topic, I present key points of faith for baptism. While the person performing the baptism does not need to be part of a high religious hierarchy within an organization of this world, but must understand the Bible well, know the Father (the creator God) and the Son (the man Jesus who is not God), the prophets and the law. Authority is first given to Christ, then to the messengers (apostolic ministry), and to the other ministries that share the same spirit and sound doctrine. Philip was an apostle who explained who Jesus was.
Acts 8:35-38 : And Philip, opening his mouth and beginning from that scripture, announced the glad tidings of Jesus to him. And as they went along the way, they came upon a certain water, and the eunuch says, Behold water; what hinders my being baptised? and he commanded the chariot to stop. And they went down both to the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptised him.
The water of baptism represents the cleansing power of God that washes away our sins and buries our old selves, giving birth to new beings who live by faith and hope for resurrection. If God gave life to man, why would He not continue to give him life after death? This is the Good New of the resurrection. Water carries evil away into the depths, and it quenches our thirst (John 4:14). Note that our bodies are largely composed of water, and we constantly absorb and expel large quantities of it. The Spirit of the Lord is the true water of life for our spirit, and it is through the Messiah that we obtain eternal life.
Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the holy spirit, and with fire:
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.
Therefore, I recommend a second baptism for those who have been misled by false teachings. This includes those who have been baptized in the name of an archangel, such as Jehova's Witnesses, or in the name of an unknown god in heaven (Jesus God the Father, God the Son/Logos with God...) that does not correspond to the reality taught by the Bible. Baptism is a testimony on earth as it is in heaven. The Apostle Paul did not really have a the role in baptizing people, because the communities and their pastors were much closer to the truth than today's religious denominations. Join the oasis of the Desert assembly to be baptized in the name of Yeshua, the man united with God. At Messianism baptism (Christianism baptism), believers enter into the spiritual body of Christ; they die and are resurrected in him.
We baptize in the name of Yeshua, the one who established the covenant, identifying ourselves with him (1 Corinthians 10:2, 1 Corinthians 6:11, Ephesians 5:20, etc.).
Romans 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Romans 6:4 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.
The baptismal formula ‘in the name of the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit’, found in chapter 28 of the Gospel according to
Matthew, was used quite early in the practice of baptism. It is often
used to support the dogma of the Trinity. However, even if the formula
is authentic, it does not prove that it refers to a single God
manifested in three persons. We are not obliged to adopt this triune
conception, as we have no clue as to the nature of the relationship
between the three names.
Apologists of the second and third centuries, such as Justin of Nablus, formulated different conceptions of an early Trinity before it took its definitive form through the councils of the Catholic Church in the 4th century CE. The incomprehension of the relationship between the Father (the one God YHWH) and the Son (the man Jesus) gave rise to various conceptions that became ingrained in the minds of Christians, sometimes referred to as a mystery. These differences still exist today: some religious groups put forward a trinity of subordination, while others speak of a Son who stands between God and a super-creature. Others reject the trinity and the idea that the Holy Spirit is a person. One such group is the Jehovah's Witnesses, who teach that Jesus was an archangel, the first creature created in heaven.
The Didache¹ is an ancient text that is ofen used to show how early Christians practised baptism at the beginning of the Common Era. Some believe that the text was written in the 1st century AD, while others believe it dates from the 2nd century. Personally, I believe that either that the text is later or that additions were made to it over the centuries to reinforce the Trinitarian formula of baptism. While this is difficult to prove, but we can hypothesise this because the earliest surviving copy of the Didache dates from the 11th century AD, some 900 years after the supposed date of its writing. Historians such as Eusebius of Caesarea, as well as Catholic researchers in biblical dictionaries and encyclopaedias, have questioned the authenticity of this formula, as has the Shem Tov version². Let us mention three examples:
- Canney's Encyclopedia of Religion, page 53:
"The early church always baptized in the name of the lord Jesus until the doctrine of the trinity was developed in the second century".
- Hastings' Bilical Dictionary, volume 2, page 377 and page 378:
"Christian baptism was administered using the words "in the name of Jesus".
"The use of the Trinitarian formula is not found in the history of the early church".
- Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 2, page 263:
"Catholics admit that baptism was changed by the Catholic Church".
In conformity with the Gospel of Mark, here is how the verse according to Eusebius should be read:
"Matthew 28:19 Come, make disciples of all nations, and teach them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you every day, even unto the end of the world".
And in case of doubt, let us remember that the disciples always baptized in the name of the man Yeshua. Another verse indicates the way we must do things:
Colosians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Before concluding the chapter, let us briefly discuss the baptism of babies. We have written that there were several baptisms or ablutions in the Mosaic covenant (Hebrews 6:2; 9:10). They were used in different circumstances, for specific reasons. The baptism of John the Baptist was exclusively for repentance and was part of the baptism of disciples in the name of Yeshua, therefore, it cannot be applied to the repentance of babies by immersion or sprinkling. We can conclude that this baptism is unnecessary and detracts from the logic of baptism. Therefore, we cannot ask babies to repent and believe in God. When it is written that the whole household (oikos) should be baptised (Acts 16:31), this refers to people who are capable of expressing their faith (wife, cousin, grandmother, widows, etc.). Newborns are under the protection of the Lord and the head of the family, and it is therefore unnecessary to baptise them before they can make their own decision.
Conclusion: I recommend baptism in the manner of the apostles, as described in the rest of the Bible, in the name of the Lord Jesus (Yeshua), the man united with God. If the formula "in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit" truly came from Jesus, which I doubt, perhaps it was his way of making the authority of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit known to the nations. At Jesus' baptism, we hear the voice of God and see the dove manifest itself in relation to the Son, Jesus Christ, the true man.
It is necessary to make these essential points known in order to receive the apostolic baptism of the Good News:
1) There is only one Creator, unique and uncreated, at the origin of life, movement and being. God loves humanity and all men are equal in his eyes.
2) Before the creation of the world, the Son of God was not literally in heaven alongside the Creator.
Jesus Christ was neither God the Father, nor God the Son/Logos, nor a divine creature in heaven, nor a human soul before the creation of man.
3) The Son of God and the promised Messiah is a True Man united with God; he has no pre-existence.
In the first century AD, he became the lord and saviour of the people. We are called to become sons of God in his image, his brothers.
5) The Holy Spirit is not a person who was present at the beginning of creation with the Creator; it is the spirit of the Eternel, his sacred breath.
6) Those who are baptised receive forgiveness for their sins; they repent sincerely and change radically. They immerse themselves in Christ, death and the hope of resurrection.
The righteous will receive eternal life at the resurrection in the world to come.
7) The Eternal asks us to walk in his ways; it is easy to obey his commandments. The commandments are not all the laws of the Law of Moses.
May the Eternal guide us.
Apologists of the second and third centuries, such as Justin of Nablus, formulated different conceptions of an early Trinity before it took its definitive form through the councils of the Catholic Church in the 4th century CE. The incomprehension of the relationship between the Father (the one God YHWH) and the Son (the man Jesus) gave rise to various conceptions that became ingrained in the minds of Christians, sometimes referred to as a mystery. These differences still exist today: some religious groups put forward a trinity of subordination, while others speak of a Son who stands between God and a super-creature. Others reject the trinity and the idea that the Holy Spirit is a person. One such group is the Jehovah's Witnesses, who teach that Jesus was an archangel, the first creature created in heaven.
The Didache¹ is an ancient text that is ofen used to show how early Christians practised baptism at the beginning of the Common Era. Some believe that the text was written in the 1st century AD, while others believe it dates from the 2nd century. Personally, I believe that either that the text is later or that additions were made to it over the centuries to reinforce the Trinitarian formula of baptism. While this is difficult to prove, but we can hypothesise this because the earliest surviving copy of the Didache dates from the 11th century AD, some 900 years after the supposed date of its writing. Historians such as Eusebius of Caesarea, as well as Catholic researchers in biblical dictionaries and encyclopaedias, have questioned the authenticity of this formula, as has the Shem Tov version². Let us mention three examples:
- Canney's Encyclopedia of Religion, page 53:
"The early church always baptized in the name of the lord Jesus until the doctrine of the trinity was developed in the second century".
- Hastings' Bilical Dictionary, volume 2, page 377 and page 378:
"Christian baptism was administered using the words "in the name of Jesus".
"The use of the Trinitarian formula is not found in the history of the early church".
- Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 2, page 263:
"Catholics admit that baptism was changed by the Catholic Church".
In conformity with the Gospel of Mark, here is how the verse according to Eusebius should be read:
"Matthew 28:19 Come, make disciples of all nations, and teach them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you every day, even unto the end of the world".
And in case of doubt, let us remember that the disciples always baptized in the name of the man Yeshua. Another verse indicates the way we must do things:
Colosians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Before concluding the chapter, let us briefly discuss the baptism of babies. We have written that there were several baptisms or ablutions in the Mosaic covenant (Hebrews 6:2; 9:10). They were used in different circumstances, for specific reasons. The baptism of John the Baptist was exclusively for repentance and was part of the baptism of disciples in the name of Yeshua, therefore, it cannot be applied to the repentance of babies by immersion or sprinkling. We can conclude that this baptism is unnecessary and detracts from the logic of baptism. Therefore, we cannot ask babies to repent and believe in God. When it is written that the whole household (oikos) should be baptised (Acts 16:31), this refers to people who are capable of expressing their faith (wife, cousin, grandmother, widows, etc.). Newborns are under the protection of the Lord and the head of the family, and it is therefore unnecessary to baptise them before they can make their own decision.
Conclusion: I recommend baptism in the manner of the apostles, as described in the rest of the Bible, in the name of the Lord Jesus (Yeshua), the man united with God. If the formula "in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit" truly came from Jesus, which I doubt, perhaps it was his way of making the authority of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit known to the nations. At Jesus' baptism, we hear the voice of God and see the dove manifest itself in relation to the Son, Jesus Christ, the true man.
It is necessary to make these essential points known in order to receive the apostolic baptism of the Good News:
1) There is only one Creator, unique and uncreated, at the origin of life, movement and being. God loves humanity and all men are equal in his eyes.
2) Before the creation of the world, the Son of God was not literally in heaven alongside the Creator.
Jesus Christ was neither God the Father, nor God the Son/Logos, nor a divine creature in heaven, nor a human soul before the creation of man.
3) The Son of God and the promised Messiah is a True Man united with God; he has no pre-existence.
In the first century AD, he became the lord and saviour of the people. We are called to become sons of God in his image, his brothers.
5) The Holy Spirit is not a person who was present at the beginning of creation with the Creator; it is the spirit of the Eternel, his sacred breath.
6) Those who are baptised receive forgiveness for their sins; they repent sincerely and change radically. They immerse themselves in Christ, death and the hope of resurrection.
The righteous will receive eternal life at the resurrection in the world to come.
7) The Eternal asks us to walk in his ways; it is easy to obey his commandments. The commandments are not all the laws of the Law of Moses.
May the Eternal guide us.
Update:
- Rewording of the last chapter, July 2025
- Addition of a paragraph in the penultimate chapter, February 2026
- Rewording of the last chapter, July 2025
- Addition of a paragraph in the penultimate chapter, February 2026
¹ The christian text "the Didache" uses the formula of Matthew 28:19, chapter 7.
² Shem Tov, the Hebrew new covenant without the formula in Matthew 28:19.
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Kevin
Fouquere, also
surnamed Yohanan
July 2017
July 2017