Goyetherefore,andteachallnations,baptizingtheminthenameoftheFather,andoftheSon,and oftheHolyGhost:Matthew28:19.WhydidJesusinstructustobaptizeinthenameoftheFather, andoftheSon,andoftheHolyGhost" Ifthetrinityiswrong,doesn'tthisverseprovethattherearethreepersonsintheGodhead?

Answer:
Beforeweanswertheaboveverse,wewouldliketoposesomequestionsforthereader's contemplation: *WasJesusaddressingtheidentityofGodinthatverseordiscourse? *DoestheversementionthewordGod? *DoestheversetellusthatGodismadeofthreebeingsorpersons? *Doestheversetellusanythingaboutthenatureofthesethree? *DoestheversetelluswhotheHolySpiritis? *Doestheversetellusthattherearethreenames? Thehonestanswertotheabovequestionsisno.TheverseisnotdealingwithwhoGodisanddoes nottellusthenatureoftheFather,theSonortheHolySpirit.Yetitdoesconfirmforusthatthereis aFather,thereisaSonandthereisaSpirit.Thereisnodoubtabouttheexistenceofanyofthem. TherelationshipbetweenFatherandSonandSpiritisnotdefinedinthistext.Toinsistthatitmeans therearethreepersonsintheGodheadgoesbeyondtheinformationprovidedinthepassage.To definetherelationshipasthreecoequal,coeternalbeingscannotbeprovedfromthispassage. Whatdoesthepassagemean?HowwasitunderstoodbythosewhoheardChristgivingthat instruction?TheansweriseasilyfoundwhenwestudythebookofActs.Wefindthatallthe baptismsrecordedtherewereperformedinthenameofJesusandnotinthenameoftheFather,Son andHolyGhost(Acts2:38;8:16;10:48;19:5). Thisbegsthequestion:didthedisciplesmisunderstandthecommandofJesus?Weretheywrongin baptizingpeopleinthenameoftheLordonly?Wedonotbelieveso.Webelievethatthedisciples hadabetterunderstandingofJesus'commandthanmanydotoday.Thereasontheysawno differencebetweenbaptizinginthenameoftheLordorinthenameoftheFather,SonandHoly Ghostisasfollows: Theword"name"means"authority"(John5:43).Whenwearebaptized,wearecomeunderthe authority&poweroftheFather,theSon,andtheHolySpirit.Theuseofthesingular"name" confirmsthisfact.Wearenowprofessingtobestampedwiththeauthorityandcharacterofthe Father,Son&Spirit. Jesuswasgivenallpowerinheavenandinearth(Matt28:18;John5:27;John5:43).Hehasthe authorityoftheFather,hastheauthorityoftheSon(Himself)andwiththecorrectunderstandingof theHolySpirit(thatitisHisownSpirit,ChristHimselfandnotsomeoneelse),Hehastheauthority oftheHolySpirit.ChristhasthisauthoritybyvirtueofHisrelationtotheFather(beingHisonly begottenSon).ThisisHisdivineinheritance(Hebrews1:4). Therefore,sinceJesushastheauthorityoftheFather(HisFather),theSon(Himself)andtheHoly Spirit(HisownSpirit),thebaptismsrecordedinthebookofActs(inthenameoftheLordorinthe authorityoftheLord)arearecognitionoftheauthorityoftheFather,Son,andHolySpirit;the highestauthorityinheavenandearth.Christistheonlymediumwherebywecancomeunderthat authority(John14:6). SpiritofProphecy: TheSpiritofProphecyhasthistosayaboutit:"ChristhasmadebaptismthesignofentrancetoHis spiritualkingdom.Hehasmadethisapositiveconditionwithwhichallmustcomplywhowishto

beacknowledgedasundertheauthorityoftheFather,theSon,andtheHolySpirit.Beforemancan findahomeinthechurch,beforepassingthethresholdofGod'sspiritualkingdom,heistoreceive theimpressofthedivinename,"TheLordourRighteousness."Jer.23:6....Thosewhoarebaptized inthethreefoldnameoftheFather,theSon,andtheHolySpirit,attheveryentranceoftheir ChristianlifedeclarepubliclythattheyhaveforsakentheserviceofSatanandhavebecome membersoftheroyalfamily,childrenoftheheavenlyKing.Theyhaveobeyedthecommand: "Comeoutfromamongthem,andbeyeseparate,...andtouchnottheuncleanthing."Andtothem isfulfilledthepromise:"Iwillreceiveyou,andwillbeaFatheruntoyou,andyeshallbemysons anddaughters."2Cor.6:17,18.{FLB145.4} TobebaptizedinthethreefoldnamemeanstobeundertheauthorityoftheFather,theSon,andthe HolySpirit,whichmeansreceivingtheimpressofthedivinenametheLordourrighteousness. WebecomechildrenoftheheavenlyKing(singular). ThisiswhyMatthew28:19usesthesingularnameratherthannames. FurtherBiblicalpassagesshowthatMatthew28:19isnotteachingthetrinity.Forexample,those whoovercomewillreceivethispromise: HimthatovercomethwillImakeapillarinthetempleofmyGod,andheshallgonomoreout: andIwillwriteuponhimthenameofmyGod,andthenameofthecityofmyGod,whichisnew Jerusalem,whichcomethdownoutofheavenfrommyGod:andIwillwriteuponhimmynew name.Revelation3:12Thespecialgroupcalledthe144,000issealedwithonename,notthree: AndIlooked,and,lo,aLambstoodonthemountSion,andwithhimanhundredfortyandfour thousand,havinghisFather'snamewrittenintheirforeheads.Revelation14:1 ThesepassagesshedlightonthemeaningofthewordsofChristinMatthew28:19.Christwasnot teachingatrinityofgods.WearebaptizedinthenameoftheFather,SonandHolyGhost.Bythis weexpressourbeliefintheexistenceoftheonetrueGod,themediationofhisSon,andthe influenceoftheHolySpirit. Havingansweredthisverse,wewouldliketopointoutthatMatthew28:19,whichiswidelyusedby trinitarianstoprovethetrinity,wasinfactinstitutedbyourLordandSaviortoprotectthechurch fromreachingfalsedoctrinessuchasthetrinity. Beforewegoanyfurther,wemustunderstandwhatthetrinityteaches.Mosttrinitariansarenot awareofthisfact:onceyoubelieveinthetrinity,youautomaticallydenythetruththatGodthe FatherisarealFatherandJesusisarealSon.TheTrinitarianmindviewsthesetermsasmerely figures,allegoriesandmetaphors.TheFatherandSonareactuallycoeternaldivinebeings withoutarealFatherSonrelationship.Wewillquoteasampletodemonstratethisfact: AplanofsalvationwasencompassedinthecovenantmadebytheThreePersonsoftheGodhead whopossessedtheattributesofDeityequally.OneofthedivineBeingsacceptedandenteredinto theroleoftheFather,anothertheroleoftheSon(AdventistReviewOct.31,1996p.12,weekof prayer) TheFatherSonrelationshipintheGodheadshouldbeunderstoodinametaphoricalsense,notina literalsense.(MaxHatton,UnderstandingtheTrinity,p.97) Accordingly,abeliefinthetrinityisreallyadenialofthetrueFatherSonrelationship.Thisis accordingtotheteachersandleaderswhopromotethisideaaboutGod.Christ'sinstructionin Matthew28:19wastosafeguardHischurchagainstsuchnotionsandideasthatdestroythevery fabricoftheGospel.Thereasonwesaysoisasfollows: Goyetherefore,andteachallnations,baptizingtheminthenameoftheFather,andoftheSon, andoftheHolyGhost:Matthew28:19 Beforebaptizingwearecommandedtoteachallnations.Whatarewetoteachthem?

Andhesaiduntothem,Goyeintoalltheworld,andpreachthegospeltoeverycreature.Hethat believethandisbaptizedshallbesaved;buthethatbelievethnotshallbedamned.Mark16:15,16 AccordingtoJesusHimself,wearetoteachthemtheGospel.WellwhatistheGospel?Weallknow thebestversethesummarizestheGospel: ForGodsolovedtheworld,thathegavehisonlybegottenSon,thatwhosoeverbelievethinhim shouldnotperish,buthaveeverlastinglife.John3:16 WhenJesussaidinMatthew28:19teachallnationsHecommissionedustoteachallpeoplethat GodsolovedtheworldthatHegaveHisonlybegottenSon. ButwesawtheTrinitarianviewactuallydeniesthetrueSonshipofChristandtrueFatherhoodof GodtheFather.Theyadmitted,asquotedabove,thatthisrelationshipismerelyametaphoranda roleplaying. Thisaloneisenoughtoshowusthatbelievinginthetrinitytotallycontradictsthecommissionthat JesusgaveusinMatthew28:19 Furthermore,ifwegotoMark16:16,wereadHethatbelievethandisbaptizedshallbesaved,but hethatbelievethnotshallbedamned. Whatisitthatmustbebelievedbeforebaptism?Onestoryanswersthequestionsveryplainly.The EunuchwhowasbaptizedbytheApostlePhilipansweredthisquestioninActs8:37.(Pleaseread theverseincontext.)Philip,movedbytheSpiritofGodhadtomakesurethattheEunuchbelieved somethingwithallhisheartbeforehecouldbaptizehim: AndPhilipsaid,Ifthoubelievestwithallthineheart,thoumayest.Andheansweredandsaid,I believethatJesusChrististheSonofGod. Thisfurnishesuswithpositiveproofthatafundamentalinstructionthatmustprecedebaptismisthe teachingregardingtheSonofGod.JesuscommissionedHisfollowers,inordertoprotectHis churchfromfalsebeliefs,toteachallpeoplethegospelandmakesurethattheybelievewithall theirheartsthefactthatHeistheSonofGod. Dearreader,thisisserious.OurLordandMastersaidplainlythathethatbelievethnotshallbe damnedMark16:16. Infact,whilepreachingthegospeltoNicodemus,Jesussaid: Hethatbelievethonhimisnotcondemned:buthethatbelievethnotiscondemnedalready, becausehehathnotbelievedinthenameoftheonlybegottenSonofGod.John3:18 WedenythedivinesonshipofChristwhenwereduceittoameremetaphororaroleplay.Christ gaveaveryseriousandsolemnwarningtoallthosewhomightbetemptedtoquestionHisdivine sonship. LetalltakeheedtothewordsoftheMaster. HethatbelievethontheSonofGodhaththewitnessinhimself:hethatbelievethnotGodhath madehimaliar;becausehebelievethnottherecordthatGodgaveofhisSon.Andthisisthe record,thatGodhathgiventouseternallife,andthislifeisinhisSon.HethathaththeSonhath life;andhethathathnottheSonofGodhathnotlife.ThesethingshaveIwrittenuntoyouthat believeonthenameoftheSonofGod;thatyemayknowthatyehaveeternallife,andthatyemay believeonthenameoftheSonofGod.1John5:1013: Dearreader,todenythetruerelationshipbetweentheFatherandtheSonbycallingitametaphor,to denythetrueFatherhoodofGodtheFather,andthetrueSonshipofJesusChristbycallingitarole play,isconsidereddenyingtheFatherandtheSon.ThisiswhyJesustoldHisfollowerstoteach peoplethetruthbeforebaptizingthem. FalseideasaboutGodoriginatefromtheenemyofGod:

WhoisaliarbuthethatdenieththatJesusistheChrist?Heisantichrist,thatdenieththeFather andtheSon.1John2:22 TheSaviourhasgiventhepromiseofHispresencetoallwholaborinthespiritoftrueservice. "AllpowerisgivenuntoMeinheavenandinearth,"Hesays;"goyetherefore,andteachall nations,baptizingtheminthenameoftheFather,andoftheSon,andoftheHoly,Ghost:teaching themtoobserveallthingswhatsoeverIhavecommandedyou:and,lo,Iamwithyoualway,even untotheendoftheworld."AsyoupresenttheWordtoyourhearers,claimthispromiseofChrist's presence.Thereisnoday,nohouroftheday,whenHewillnotbenearyoubyHisHolySpirit.He isineverymeetingthatisheldinHisname.Hispromiseisgivenforaslongastimeshalllast. {AUCR,December30,1907par.3}