[MawMaw]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

Baptism and Discipleship...

Baptism is part of a teacher's discipleship.

Mat 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

We can see this in the gospels

Joh 4:1 Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John
Joh 4:2 (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples),

That this baptism was done in water is evident

Joh 3:22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing.
Joh 3:23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized

And we can see baptism was linked to discipleship in Acts

Act 19:1 And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples.
Act 19:2 And he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."
Act 19:3 And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They said, "Into John's baptism."
Act 19:4 And Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus."
Act 19:5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

You can see that they taught AND baptized disciples.

Furthermore, Jesus commissioned the church to go out and make people disciples unto Jesus, so we are authorized to do that.

Baptism in "Jesus name" both signifies by what authority we do such things but also signifies whose Disciple we are.

I believe this was part of Paul's point in 1Cor

1Co 1:12 But I say this, that each of you says, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ.
1Co 1:13 Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?
1Co 1:14 I give thanks to God that I did not baptize any one of you, except Crispus and Gaius,
1Co 1:15 that not anyone should say that you were baptized in my name.

Notice some believed they were "of" Paul or Apollos or Cephas and then Paul connects that to baptism? Futher more Paul seems to connect some claiming to be "of Paul" with whether or not they were baptized "In the name of Paul" or that Paul himself had baptized others..

This is why we baptize "In the name of Jesus", because we are not making disciples to ourselves but unto Him. We are the body of Christ so we are His proxy here on earth to make people HIS disciples for Him.

Mat 28 speaks of discipleship but it also emphasizes AUTHORITY. All Authority in heaven and earth is given to Christ, so therefore ALL authority is His.

The terms "Father, Son and Spirit" represents God's work in heaven and on earth. The Father's throne is heaven. The Son redeemed man here on earth and rules on the throne of David and the Spirit completes and continues the work of God in and through the Church here on earth (I believe Holy Spirit is a sort of circumlocution for the Shekina Glory).

"Name" refers to a Persons authority. "Name" also refers to the Person Himself. "Name" is often used as an idiomatic way of saying "Person".

So all the authority of Heaven and Earth is His. All the authority and domain of the Father, Son and Spirit is also His.

That is why we baptize in HIS name. That is why and how the Apostoles understood His words and baptized in HIS Name. Because all the authority is HIS and we are making people disciples unto HIM.

Further understanding of Name/Person and Authority can be learned from other texts

Act 4:12 And there is salvation in no other One; for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

Mat 1:21 And she shall bear a son, and you shall call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins.

Act 3:16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, this one whom you see and know, His name made firm. And the faith which came through Him has given him this perfect soundness before you.

Act 10:43 All the Prophets give witness to Him, that through His name whoever believes in Him shall receive remission of sins.

Act 15:14 Even as Simon has declared how God at the first visited the nations to take out of them a people for His name.

Php 2:9 Therefore God has highly exalted Him, and has given Him a name which is above every name,
Php 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of heavenly ones, and of earthly ones, and of ones under the earth;
Php 2:11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father

Excellent study on baptism and discipleship!
Thank you for sharing!!