IN WHOSE NAME DO YOU BAPTIZE?

 

At Calvary Chapel, we follow the pattern put forth for us by Christ in the gospel of Matthew:

 

(Matthew 28:19 NKJV)  "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

 

There are groups that believe that the church should baptize in the name of Jesus, alone, based on what we read in the following verse:

 

(Acts 2:38 NKJV)  Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

 

But it should be noted that Peter's admonition here doesn't necessarily exclude the Father and the Spirit.  In fact, just as there is always 1 where there is 3, Jesus is always present in the Triune Godhead.  Peter's point was that Jesus must be present in baptism, not that the Father and Spirit must be absent!  We know that this is true because if it weren't, Jesus wouldn't have commanded us to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit in Matthew 28:19