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The God Who Is
Baptism "in Jesus' Name"
Apostolic people who follow William Branham, teach that "the Father, Son and Holy Ghost" are not names, but are offices; and that the "name" of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost is "Jesus." They point out that in the book of Acts, the apostles always baptized "in the name of Jesus."
We have already seen that a name is a description. And, this is the manner in which Jesus told us to baptize. Jesus did not give the Baptismal Formula in the book of Acts, and it is important for us to realize the early church was comprised of converted Jews. Baptism in the "name of Jesus" distinguished Christian baptism from Jewish baptisms. It was not a formula to be used in baptism.
Baptism With the Word of God
The Great Commission concludes, "teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." The Great Commission begins with teaching and it ends with teaching. We have not fulfilled the Great Commission until we have taught "every creature" to observe "all things" the Lord has commanded. A well-known Presbyterian minister has written that this passage teaches us that we ought to baptize the world with the Word of God.
The Baptismal Formula teaches the doctrine of the Trinity.
The Unity of the Old and New Testaments
In II Corinthians chapter 13, in verse 14, Paul closed out this second epistle to the church at Corinth by saying, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen." Each person in the Godhead has His duty. The work of the Son is distinct from the work of the Father and that of the Holy Spirit.
Paul tells us in the first chapter of the book of Ephesians that the Father elects men to salvation (verse 4); the Son redeems them (verse 7); and the Holy Spirit seals them (verse 13).
The doctrinal teachings of the Old Testament are the same as the doctrinal teachings in the New Testament. In Deuteronomy chapter 6 in verse 4, we find "The Shema," or the creed of Israel: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: and thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." Note its New Testament counterpart.
In I Corinthians chapter 8, in verse 4, we read, "As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one." There is only one God in the Old Testament, and we worship only one God in the New Testament.
In Isaiah chapter 44, note verse 6: "Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; `I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.'" In verse 8, we read, "Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any." There is a bit of humor in that, for if God does not know any other God we can be well assured there is no other God.
In the New Testament, in I Timothy chapter 1, the apostle Paul declares, "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen" (verse 17). The text does not mean there are other gods which do not have much intelligence: it means God is the only God who is, and therefore, He is the only one who knows anything. All other gods are dumb idols. They are no gods.
In Isaiah chapter 45, note verse 5. "I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me." What a sad commentary upon men who after God has guided them, and fed them, and clothed them, yet they will not acknowledge Him!
In the New Testament, in I Timothy chapter 6, in verse 15, we read, "...which in his times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen."
Unity and Individuality in the Godhead
The Bible teaches that the only Lord God exists in three Persons. This is consistent with the unity of the Godhead as seen both in the Old and in the New Testaments.
The unity within the Godhead in no way destroys individuality within the Godhead. For instance, in Genesis chapter 2, and in verse 24, Moses wrote, "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh."
The word "cleave" means that a husband is to be "firmly cemented" to his wife. They shall be "one flesh." There is unity in marriage, hence the meaning of the words "one flesh," yet in marriage, a husband and a wife do not lose their individual personalities. And, when they stand before the bar of God, they will be judged as individuals. Unity does not destroy individuality in marriage, and neither does it destroy individuality in the Godhead.
Moses wrote, "And the LORD God said, `Behold the man is become as one of us to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever" (Genesis 3:22). Note the word "us." We know from the Scriptures there is only one God. The use of the plural pronoun allows for the doctrine of the Trinity.
There is no other place in God's Word where the Lord is so broken-hearted, that He does not finish His sentence. He never completes the sentence. The use of the plural pronoun shows the unity in the Godhead, as well as the plurality of Persons in the Godhead.
The first place where God used the plural pronoun is found in Genesis chapter l, in verse 26. "And God said, `Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." "Let us"—Who is going to help Him? Not the angels, for they are themselves created. It refers to the Godhead, to "Elohim," "the Strong and Mighty One." His name ends in "im" which is the plural ending in the Hebrew, yet we know beyond any doubt there is only one God. Therefore, although the context is not a dissertation upon the doctrine of the Trinity, it certainly allows it.