" ... but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." (II Corinthians 4:2)
As we know, God was manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16) To wit, God was in the world reconciling the world unto Himself. (II Corinthians 5:19) God willingly became our Saviour so that we might have abundant life in Him. The I AM that was from the beginning -- He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. (John 1:10-11; John 1:1-14; Isaiah 42:13; Isaiah 9:6; Revelation 1:8)
Thus, we too (as believers in Jesus -- He is both Lord and Christ, the first man earthy, but the second, the Lord from heaven) are also instructed to renounce the hidden things of dishonesty and those who handle the Word of God deceitfully. To this end, there needs to be a renouncing of the mode of water baptism that emanated from Rome in the 3rd century. That is, how those who deceitfully handle the Word of God have changed the scriptural Name of the Lord Jesus baptism into the phrase used in Matthew 28:!9, which they willingly admit doing.
But what is the truth? Jesus said, "Thy Word is truth!" (John 17:17)
And therein, in Him we will find abundant life, when we (like the apostles) understand that Jesus is both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36) That Jesus is the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. But instead of using the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost's actual NAME in water baptism, some have distorted the scriptural Jesus' Name baptism and began using the phrase of Matthew 28:19. These ignore that every single person water baptized in the New Testament scriptures were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Instead, there has emerged a desire within the modern day religious community to accommodate Rome's 3rd Century development of the trinity (a multi-personality God), a triad, a one God in three persons false teaching that is not supported anywhere in the scriptures.
Nevertheless, if Thy Word is truth, then we need to seek His Truth in the scriptures. We need to stop just getting wet when we are water baptized, but rather, become clothed in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus, our consciences cleared because we have been buried with Jesus (into the water) and resurrected (rising up out of the water) according to Romans 6:3-4 and I Peter 3:21.
Further, the New Testament Church's baptism can be found in the Book of Acts. The point to remember also is that the same Matthew who is attributed as having wrote Matthew 28:19 is one of the same apostles who stood with Peter and the others when he delivered the Acts 2:38 message.
What is the Acts 2:38 message?
Then Peter said unto them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:36-41)
In other scriptures:
"They were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 8:16)
"They were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 19:5).
"And he commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord" (Acts 10:48).
"Be baptized...calling on the Name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16).
"So many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ..." (Galatians 3:27)
"Buried with Him [Christ] in baptism..." (Colossians 2:12).
Notably, not even one of these New Testament scriptures reflects a triune god, or God in three persons. If these did, the apostles would have clearly wrote "names -- plural" (and not singular) when it comes to the "Name" of the Lord God Almighty. But they did not, because these understood that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. (II Corinthians 5:19) That Jesus was God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16) That He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. (John 1:10-11)
What else doesn't align with the apostolic doctrine that we have been instructed to remain steadfast in? The fact that Rome's reliance on Matthew 28:19 was never adopted by the apostles who walked with Jesus (day in and day out for more than three years) in the New Testament Church. In fact, that deceitful development came centuries later during the dark ages and during the Reformation period in which religious denominations sprang out of her, taking with them her trinity doctrine.
It is no wonder we are instructed by the Lord to "come out of HER My people" so that we do not suffer their plagues. And sadly, over time, that trinitarian error that deceives people into thinking they know God (but not in the face of Jesus Christ, He being the visible image of the unseen God) has been adopted as truth in our modern day religious circles. And as a consequence, many who profess to believe are being deceived by those who walk in craftiness, not handling the Word of God as truth.
In this context, it is important for us to look at how water baptisms were being performed prior to the Dark Ages. Indeed, we should search the scriptures, as Jesus said, "for lo, the volume of the book is written of Me!"
Yes, look to the New Testament Church example, the Apostles who fully understood that Jesus is our Heavenly Father. Jesus said, "I and My Father are ONE!" (John 10:30) Jesus said, "If ye have seen Me, ye have seen the Father and know Him." (John 14:6-12) Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes unto the Father but by Me!" (John 14:6)
Indeed, the Apostles understood that Jesus is the Name the Father gave so that we might be saved from our sins. "And ye shall call His Name JESUS!" (Matthew 1:21-23) The apostles understood that the Name of the Son was JESUS, and this is why they preached Christ Jesus the Lord to one and all! And yes, the Apostles understood that Jesus is the Spirit within the believer -- the treasure within earthen vessels, regenerating us spiritually. The Holy Ghost, the Comforter, wherein Jesus said He would come, never leaving us nor forsaking us.
Even apostle Paul (who received His understanding of the gospel by revelation, as one born out of due time) understood that Jesus is the Spirit within the believer. "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you..." (II Corinthians 13:5)
This message the apostles received from Jesus in Matthew 28:19 is clearly reflected and acted upon in Peter's message on the day of Pentecost when the first 3,000 souls born again into the New Testament body of Christ Church (wherein Jesus is the Head of the Church) were saved. (Acts 2:38)
Therefore, don't be fooled by those who choose to handle the Word of God deceitfully. Don't be blinded by the god of this world which hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, "lest the Light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God should shine unto them." (Ii Corinthians 4:4)
Jesus said, "I am the Light of the world!"
And it is to Him that we look -- "Looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ ... who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works!" (Titus 2:13-14)
Stand in the offering plate.
Stand in the offering plate.
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