Reference: Acts 2:38, Acts 8:16, Acts 10:47-48, and Acts 19:5
There is much controversy concerning theway a person should be baptized in water. Some teach that you must be baptizedin the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, while others teachthat you must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. On the other hand, thereare some who say that it doesn't make any difference how you are baptized. Somego as far to say that water baptism is not necessary in the plan of salvation.If we will look into the word of God where all truth is found, then we caneasily understand the truth of the matter. The greatest majority of peopletoday believe the teaching that water baptism is to be done in the name of theFather, the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, but if these people would accept thefact that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is not a name, then many more peoplewould come to the truth of the matter. The command given to the disciples in Matthew 28:19 where they weretold to go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, theSon, and of the Holy Ghost, does not mean for them to go and baptize the peoplein water but rather this baptism is referring to the spiritual baptism into thebody of Christ. When you ask a person that believes one should be baptizedaccording to Matthew 28:19 if they canfind one convert that was baptized this way in the book of Acts, they cannotshow one scripture saying this.
All the scriptures in the book of Acts plainlyreveals that water baptism was done in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ andnot in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Not one person wasbaptized in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost usingthis formula, but yet most people believe that you must. To be baptized in thename of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost means to be baptized into thebody of Christ. This baptism is accomplished by the Spirit through the word oftruth. In I Corinthians12:13 we are toldthat by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body. The Spirit baptizes youinto Christ's body through the revealing of truth from the scriptures. Waterbaptism is a primary principal of the doctrine of Christ that must be obeyed.You must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ as the book of Acts veryplainly shows. Most people go to Matthew28:19 thinking this is the way to bebaptized in water, but Christ was not referring to water baptism here. The word"water" is not written in the scriptures of Matthew 28:19, but yet mostpeople say and believe that Christ meant to be baptized in water in the name ofthe Father, the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The Bible says in Acts 4:12 that there isnone other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is not a name. Father is a title of Godmeaning he is the Creator of all things. The word Father means that theindividual to whom it concerns is the beginner or the starter of something etc.If a man has a child by his wife he is called a father, which simply means thathe has given birth to a human child thus making him a father. GOD is referred toas being the Heavenly Father because he created all things in existence. A trueborn again child of GOD is called "sons of GOD" because they wereborn of GOD through and by a spiritual birth. Almighty GOD is called Fatherbecause he is the author and beginner of all things in creation. The word"Son" is called a title and not a name also. Jesus Christ was the Sonof God meaning he was the WORD (which was GOD) made flesh and dwelled among us.Christ was GOD in the flesh referred to as being the Son of GOD. The Son's namewas not Son but rather it was Jesus Christ. The Holy Ghost is also not a namebut rather it is the Spirit of Almighty God. God's name is not Holy Ghost butrather he is the Holy Ghost. The three titles of the Father, the Son, and theHoly Ghost all refer to the one GOD that became flesh and his name was JesusChrist. In John 1:1 we are told that "in the beginning was the WORD, andthe WORD was with GOD, and the WORD was GOD, and in John 1:14 it says that theWORD was made flesh. The WORD which was GOD became flesh and his name was JesusChrist. The name of Jesus Christ is the one name under heaven givenamong men whereby we must be saved. We are told in Mark 16:17 that the signswould follow the believer. The signs are casting out devils, healing the sick,speaking in new tongues, and the drinking of deadly things. All these greatmiracles are done through and by the name of Jesus. Jesus Christ said in hisname the signs would follow the believer. All things must be done in the nameof Jesus Christ and water baptism is no exception. We are told in Colossians 3:17 thatwhatsoever we do in word or deed, to do all in the name of Jesus Christ... Since there is only one name under heavengiven among men whereby we must be saved, then it is easy to see that Father,Son and Holy Ghost is not a name. You must be baptized in water by someone inthe name of Jesus Christ or else the baptism is void. There is only power inthe name of Jesus Christ. Nearly everybody believes that in the name of JesusChrist great miracles can be done, but when it comes to being baptized in hisname the greatest majority of people will not consent to it and obey the truth.If we fail to obey truth then we are told in the word of GOD that he will sendus strong delusions that will cause us to believe lies to be damned. (read II Thessalonians 2:8-12) How anyone can deny the scriptures of Acts 2:38, 8:16, 10:47-48, 19:5 is beyond myimagination and yet claim to be a christian and love GOD. How can you love GODand fail to receive and believe in the word of truth when it plainly reveals inthe Bible that GOD is the WORD? Can you show me in the Bible where anybody wasbaptized in water using the formula of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost?I will tell you that you cannot, but I can show you at least four differentplaces saying to be baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ. What are yougoing to do about this fact my friend? If you want sound scriptual advice then,Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins, andyou shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost that will lead you into all truth.