There is a religious class of people that teach and practise three immersions; one in the name of the Father, one in the name of the Son, and one in the name of the Holy Ghost. Such teaching is based upon the construction of Mat. 28:19. Only a little unprejudiced consideration will enable you to see the fallacy of such an interpretation. These three are one. If they were separate and distinct so we could act in the name of the one to the exclusion of the others then we could better understand such an interpretation of the above text. The apostles well understood that to act in the name of one was to act in the name of the whole trinity; therefore Peter says, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ.” Acts 2:38. Why did not Peter use the formula of Mat. 28:19? Because to act in the name of one is to act in the name of all. “And [pg 161] he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.” Acts 10:48. “They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Acts 8:16. “When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Acts 19:5.
Nowhere in the Acts of the Apostles is the triune name used in baptism. Pages could be written showing the absurdity of the teachings of trine immersionists, but we consider that what has been written is clear enough to convince candid, unbiased minds, and any amount of argument will not convince those who defiantly set themselves against any reasonings contrary to their established notions.
The Object Of Baptism.
There is a baptism taught in the Scriptures that is not water baptism. There is a baptism of the Spirit. See 1 Cor. 12:13; Mat. 3:11. Some not being able to rightly divide the Word of God have taken some texts that teach the baptism of the Spirit to be the baptism of water, and thus confused the true object of water baptism. We will frankly admit that there are some texts which if taken alone and interpreted literally do apparently teach that baptism is a saving ordinance. We will refer the reader to a few of these texts. Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16. These texts seem to plainly teach that water baptism does wash away or remit sins. I always prefer to give each text the simplest, plainest rendering when it [pg 162] does not conflict with some other text. Now to teach that baptism by water is a saving ordinance, and so interpret these texts, we place ourselves in direct opposition to other plain teaching. Some do teach that there is none righteous and base such teaching upon Rom. 3:10. We would ask such teachers to interpret Titus 2:12; 1 John 3:7, 10; 1 John 2:29; Luke 1:75. By such texts they are brought to confusion.
Elsewhere in this work we quote the scriptures teaching salvation from sin to be by the grace of God. Then to teach that water baptism saves us from sin makes the Word of God contradict itself. All is beauteous harmony in the Scriptures when all is correctly interpreted. Water baptism represents a burial. A burial must of course be preceded by death. We die or separate ourselves from a life of sin and accept Christ; he accepts us. The real death to, and destruction of sin and resurrection to life is performed by the power of God's grace, while baptism expresses in a figure the burial and resurrection to spiritual life. This is the true object of baptism.
Proper Applicants For Baptism.
Water baptism is the answer of a good conscience toward God. 1 Pet. 3:19-21. We must obtain a good or “undefiled conscience” before we are a Scriptural candidate for baptism. How can defilement be purged from the conscience? By the blood of Jesus. Heb. 9:14. We are taught in Mat. 3:8 that we must bear [pg 163] fruits of repentance to be worthy applicants for baptism. The man of Ethiopia was asked to profess faith in Christ before Philip considered him to be a proper subject for baptism.
Infants can not profess faith in Christ, therefore their baptism is unscriptural. We are aware that there are many who teach “infant baptism,” and use a few texts of Scripture and by their misapplication make it look as plausible as possible. The commission of the Lord to his ministry is to “preach the gospel to every creature; he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” Faith precedes baptism in the commission. Infants have not faith. Peter says, “Repent and be baptized.” Acts 2:38. Repentance, therefore, precedes baptism. John understood it thus. Mat. 3:8. Infants need no repentance. There is not a case recorded in the New Testament of infant baptism. After one has reached the years of accountability and repents of his sins and is born of the Spirit he is then, and not until then, a proper candidate for baptism.
The Lord's Supper.
In the teachings of the holy inspired and unblamed apostle Paul, the expression, “The Lord's Supper” is to be found. In reproving the Corinthians for corrupting the sacred communion service, he says, “When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper,” 1 Cor. 11:20. In the preceding chapter he uses the word communion [pg 164] when speaking of the same divinely originated ordinance. “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?” 1 Cor. 10:16.