Combo baptism in the titles and in Jesus' name

[Bro Flame]

I'm sure many of you that have been in the church much longer than I have come across something similar to what I am about to share, but there may be some here that this might be foreign to.

There is a small, rural church not far from us called Hebron Holiness Church. It's a church I've known about since I was a kid. It's right beside the interstate we drove past to my Granny's house all the time.

After entering the Apostolic faith, I knew more about this church, but still not a lot. Based on their fellowship, I assumed they were Oneness and baptized in Jesus' name.

Well, I was wrong. My dad (who suffered two, possibly three, strokes back in December 2021) has an old running buddy he's trying to get in church. My dad asked me what I knew about this little holiness church that isn't too far from where his friend lives.

It just so happens I know a lady whose brother and wife were founders of said church. In response to my question about the church being Jesus Name, she said, "They're not Jesus Name like you mean," continuing, "if something had changed, my brother would've told me." The husband and wife that founded the church have both already passed.

Anyway, I've been told this church baptizes as follows: "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost in Jesus' name."

Has anyone else heard of something like this before?

It makes me wonder what the Brother and Sister that founded the church must've saw about the gospel before passing.

[Amanah]

The Assembly of God Pastor near me, who has UPCI family, baptizes in the titles and the name of Jesus.

Something like:

I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in Jesus' name, Amen.

[Tithesmeister]

Originally Posted by Bro Flame

I'm sure many of you that have been in the church much longer than I have come across something similar to what I am about to share, but there may be some here that this might be foreign to.

There is a small, rural church not far from us called Hebron Holiness Church. It's a church I've known about since I was a kid. It's right beside the interstate we drove past to my Granny's house all the time.

After entering the Apostolic faith, I knew more about this church, but still not a lot. Based on their fellowship, I assumed they were Oneness and baptized in Jesus' name.

Well, I was wrong. My dad (who suffered two, possibly three, strokes back in December 2021) has an old running buddy he's trying to get in church. My dad asked me what I knew about this little holiness church that isn't too far from where his friend lives.

It just so happens I know a lady whose brother and wife were founders of said church. In response to my question about the church being Jesus Name, she said, "They're not Jesus Name like you mean," continuing, "if something had changed, my brother would've told me." The husband and wife that founded the church have both already passed.

Anyway, I've been told this church baptizes as follows: "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost in Jesus' name."

Has anyone else heard of something like this before?

It makes me wonder what the Brother and Sister that founded the church must've saw about the gospel before passing.

I don’t see anything wrong with that.

[Esaias]

A lot of charismatic churches do this, especially ones that have a pastoral or ministerial history of contact with Oneness people. It's basically a compromise meant to appeal to the masses, because if you baptise with the Name ONLY you are considered heretical. As long as you include the catholic trinitarian formula you get to slide by. Which shows that, to them, the NAME is optional, but the CATHOLIC FORMULA is not.

[Bro Flame]

I know the Brother and Sister that started the church (some 50+ years ago, I assume) both have Oneness people in their family.

I'm a little off on the family tree, but the Brother's mother and sister belonged to another rural church that started Trinitarian. That changed when the leadership there was shown Jesus Name by another pastor. They corrected their doctrine and began teaching One God and baptism in Jesus' name.

The Sister, as I understand it, has a brother or a cousin that is an Apostolic pastor, and was one for decades. However, to put it nicely, this pastor had the right doctrine but with a hard spirit. He is well-known in our area for being hard about Oneness, baptism in Jesus' name, the Holy Ghost, and modesty, but without showing any love. I know people that have left his church because they were called "Jezebels" and "Delilahs" from the pulpit because they had public jobs and social media. There was one instance where this pastor told a young girl in the church that she was developing breasts early because she was playing with them.

So, yeah, this man wouldn't have won this late Sister to the Oneness doctrine. If anything, he probably pushed her from it, or at least made her unsure about it.

But, in saying that, these people had definite connections with Oneness people. They knew about and probably had heard teaching on baptism in Jesus' name on multiple occasions. But, for some reason, they didn't fully move forward with it.

As I said, this Brother and Sister have both passed away now, and I'm unsure who is in leadership at the church now. The only daughter I know of them having is also passed and she had backslidden from their church years ago. I don't know where said church is now on the Godhead or baptism.

But I have told my dad to encourage his friend to just come to our church. "A church alive is worth the drive."

[Bro Flame]

There is a Church of God preacher (well, he's non-denominational now, I guess) that my aunts and cousins used to sit under that has a church not far from where we live. We've been there for family reunions (using their fellowship hall) and my Granny's funeral was held there, primarily because of the location, but specifically because of compromise between my dad and my aunt.

Anyway, this preacher once told my stepmom and I that he had a nephew say to him, "Uncle X we'd come to your church if you'd baptize in Jesus' name." This man, in a beating-around-the-bush kind-of-way, told us there in the hospice lobby where my Granny was passing away that he would never baptize in Jesus' name. This man has a lot of Apostolic people in his family, several of them preachers themselves, so you just know he knows about Oneness and baptism in Jesus' name. The way he spoke led me to believe he had seen it, but chose to reject it. But, as always, I could be wrong.

To add to that, at my Granny's funeral, my pastor spoke on how my Granny had repented, been baptized in Jesus' name, and received the gift of the Holy Ghost whilst having dementia. This aforementioned preacher spoke after my pastor and rolled everything they had said out the window, looking dead at them and saying that only faith in Jesus was a requirement for Heaven.

[Tithesmeister]

Brother Flame,

Do you believe in baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Your signature line indicates that you do.

So if you baptize in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, are you not baptizing in the name (Jesus) and the title (Christ)? Jesus is the name. Christ is not a name. It is a title (messiah). So aren’t you baptizing in the name and a title?

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Tithesmeister

Brother Flame,

Do you believe in baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Your signature line indicates that you do.

So if you baptize in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, are you not baptizing in the name (Jesus) and the title (Christ)? Jesus is the name. Christ is not a name. It is a title (messiah). So aren’t you baptizing in the name and a title?

Acts 2:38 KJV
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 3:6 KJV
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

Acts 8:12 KJV
But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

2 Timothy 2:19 KJV
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

1 Peter 4:14 KJV
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

1 John 3:23 KJV
And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

Looks to me like "Christ" is part of the Name.

[Bro Flame]

Originally Posted by Esaias

Acts 2:38 KJV
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 3:6 KJV
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

Acts 8:12 KJV
But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

2 Timothy 2:19 KJV
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

1 Peter 4:14 KJV
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

1 John 3:23 KJV
And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

Looks to me like "Christ" is part of the Name.

These were literally the verses I was going to share. Thank you!

[Tithesmeister]

Originally Posted by Esaias

Acts 2:38 KJV
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 3:6 KJV
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

Acts 8:12 KJV
But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

2 Timothy 2:19 KJV
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

1 Peter 4:14 KJV
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

1 John 3:23 KJV
And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

Looks to me like "Christ" is part of the Name.

A lot of people think Jesus was His first name and Christ was His second name. However, it seems to me that these verses support what I have said. Surely those who knew Jesus best would have known what His name was.

John the Baptist? His disciples?

[18] And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?
[19] They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.
[20] He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.

Notice that they call “John” . . . The Baptist. Baptism is what John was known for. It was not part of his name.

What is His name?

[21] And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

His name is Jesus. He is known for saving His people. Hence Christ is what He is known for. Savior or messiah.

Matthew 16

[20] Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

In the above scripture Jesus the Christ (Jesus being His name and Christ being what He does) told His disciples not to tell anyone that He was Jesus “the Christ “.

Of course people knew that His name was Jesus. What they didn’t know (because it was not part of His name) is that He was the Christ. Jesus didn’t want this fact to be revealed to the masses just yet.

There are many scriptures that refer to the Christ in the New Testament.

Matt.16

[16] And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
[20] Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
Matt.26

[63] But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
Mark.8

[29] And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.
Mark.14

[61] But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?
Luke.3

[15] And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
Luke.9

[20] He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.
Luke.22

[67] Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:
John.1

[20] And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
[41] He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
John.3

[28] Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
John.4

[29] Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
[42] And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
John.7

[41] Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?
John.10

[24] Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
John.11

[27] She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
John.20

[31] But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
1John.2

[22] Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1John.5

[1] Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

If we believe that Jesus is the Christ we are born of God.

Jesus is the Christ. The Christ’s name is Jesus. There are nearly a thousand scriptures in the New Testament that mention Jesus by name.

I think that we go overboard when we become anti- title to a fault. Jesus is identified many times in the Bible by titles. But His name is Jesus.

The Jews were looking for the Messiah (still are in some circles). They didn’t realize Jesus was the messiah (or Christ). Obviously it was not His name.

They speculated that maybe John the Baptist was the messiah or Christ. John had to tell them that he wasn’t. What is telling is that John the Baptist was the cousin of Jesus, yet he had to send from prison to ask the question whether Jesus was the Christ or whether they should look for another. He wasn’t asking His name, he knew His name. He was asking if He was the messiah.

John 1
19] And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
[20] And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

The priests and Levites thought maybe John was the Christ. John the Baptist told them that he was not the Christ.