Why did Jesus instruct us to baptize in “the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” if the trinity is wrong? Doesn’t this verse prove that there are three persons in the Godhead?

Answer

Before we answer the above verse, we would like to pose some questions for the reader’s contemplation:

• Was Jesus addressing the identity of God in that verse or discourse?
• Does the verse mention the word God?
• Does the verse tell us that God is made of three beings or persons?
• Does the verse tell us anything about the nature of these three?
• Does the verse tell us who the Holy Spirit is?
• Does the verse tell us that there are three names?

The honest answer to the above questions is No. the verse is not dealing with who God is and does not tell us the nature of the Father, the Son or the Holy Spirit. Yet it does confirm for us that there is a Father, there is a Son and there is a Spirit. There is no doubt about the existence of any of them.

The relationship between Father and Son and Spirit is not defined in this text. To insist that it means there are three persons in the Godhead goes beyond the information provided in the passage. To define the relationship as three co-equal, co-eternal beings cannot be proved from this passage.

What does the passage mean? How was it understood by those who heard Christ giving that instruction? The answer is easily found when we study the book of Acts. We find that all the baptisms recorded there were performed in the name of Jesus and not in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5).

This begs the question: did the disciples misunderstand the command of Jesus? Were they wrong in baptizing people in the name of the Lord only?

We do not believe so. We believe that the disciples had a better understanding of Jesus’ command than many do today. The reason they saw no difference between baptizing in the name of the Lord or in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost is as follows:

The word ‘name’ means ‘authority’ (John 5:43). When we are baptized, we are come under the authority & power of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The use of the singular ‘name’ confirms this fact. We are now professing to be stamped with the authority and character of the Father, Son & Spirit.

Jesus was given all power in heaven and in earth (Matt 28:18; John 5:27; John 5:43). He has the authority of the Father, has the authority of the Son (Himself) and with the correct understanding of the Holy Spirit (that it is His own Spirit, Christ Himself and not someone else), He has the authority of the Holy Spirit. Christ has this authority by virtue of His relation to the Father (being His only begotten Son). This is His divine inheritance (Hebrews 1:4).

Therefore, since Jesus has the authority of the Father (His Father), the Son (Himself) and the Holy Spirit (His own Spirit), the baptisms recorded in the book of Acts (in the name of the Lord or in the authority of the Lord) are a recognition of the authority of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; the highest authority in heaven and earth. Christ is the only medium whereby we can come under that authority (John 14:6).

The Spirit of Prophecy has this to say about it:

Christ has made baptism the sign of entrance to His spiritual kingdom. He has made this a positive condition with which all must comply who wish to be acknowledged as under the authority of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Before man can find a home in the church, before passing the threshold of God's spiritual kingdom, he is to receive the impress of the divine name, "The Lord our Righteousness." Jer. 23:6.... Those who are baptized in the threefold name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, at the very entrance of their Christian life declare publicly that they have forsaken the service of Satan and have become members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King. They have obeyed the command: "Come out from among them, and be ye separate, ... and touch not the unclean thing." And to them is fulfilled the promise: "I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters." 2 Cor. 6:17, 18. {FLB 145.4}

To be baptized in the threefold name means to be under the authority of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, which means receiving the impress of the divine name “the Lord our righteousness”. We become children of the heavenly King (singular).

This is why Matthew 28:19 uses the singular “name” rather than “names”. Further Biblical passages show that Matthew 28:19 is not teaching the trinity. For example, those who overcome will receive this promise:

“Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.” Revelation 3:12

The special group called the 144,000 is sealed with one name, not three:

“And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.” Revelation 14:1

These passages shed light on the meaning of the words of Christ in Matthew 28:19. Christ was not teaching a trinity of gods. We are baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. By this we express our belief in the existence of the one true God, the mediation of his Son, and the influence of the Holy Spirit.

Having answered this verse, we would like to point out that Matthew 28:19, which is widely used by trinitarians to prove the trinity, was in fact instituted by our Lord and Savior to protect the church from reaching false doctrines such as the trinity.

Before we go any further, we must understand what the trinity teaches. Most trinitarians are not aware of this fact: once you believe in the trinity, you automatically deny the truth that God the Father is a real Father and Jesus is a real Son. The Trinitarian mind views these terms as merely figures, allegories and metaphors. The “Father” and “Son” are actually co-eternal divine beings without a real Father-Son relationship. We will quote a sample to demonstrate this fact:

• “A plan of salvation was encompassed in the covenant made by the Three Persons of the Godhead who possessed the attributes of Deity equally…. One of the divine Beings accepted and entered into the role of the Father, another the role of the Son…” (Adventist Review Oct. 31, 1996 p.12, week of prayer)
• “The Father–Son relationship in the Godhead should be understood in a metaphorical sense, not in a literal sense”. (Max Hatton, Understanding the Trinity, p. 97)

Accordingly, a belief in the trinity is really a denial of the true Father-Son relationship. This is according to the teachers and leaders who promote this idea about God. Christ’s instruction in Matthew 28:19 was to safeguard His church against such notions and ideas that destroy the very fabric of the Gospel. The reason we say so is as follows:

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” Matthew 28:19

Before baptizing we are commanded to “teach all nations”. What are we to teach them?

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Mark 16: 15, 16

According to Jesus Himself, we are to teach them the Gospel. Well what is the Gospel? We all know the best verse the summarizes the Gospel:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

When Jesus said in Matthew 28:19 “teach all nations” He commissioned us to teach all people that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.

But we saw the Trinitarian view actually denies the true Sonship of Christ and true Fatherhood of God the Father. They admitted, as quoted above, that this relationship is merely a metaphor and a role-playing. This alone is enough to show us that believing in the trinity totally contradicts the commission that Jesus gave us in Matthew 28:19

Furthermore, if we go to Mark 16:16, we read “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned”. What is it that must be believed before baptism? One story answers the questions very plainly.

The Eunuch who was baptized by the Apostle Philip answered this question in Acts 8:37. (Please read the verse in context.) Philip, moved by the Spirit of God had to make sure that the Eunuch believed something with all his heart before he could baptize him:

“And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

This furnishes us with positive proof that a fundamental instruction that must precede baptism is the teaching regarding the Son of God. Jesus commissioned His followers, in order to protect His church from false beliefs, to teach all people the gospel and make sure that they believe with all their hearts the fact that He is the Son of God. Dear reader, this is serious. Our Lord and Master said plainly that “he that believeth not shall be damned” Mark 16:16.

In fact, while preaching the gospel to Nicodemus, Jesus said:

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:18

We deny the divine sonship of Christ when we reduce it to a mere metaphor or a role-play. Christ gave a very serious and solemn warning to all those who might be tempted to question His divine sonship. Let all take heed to the words of the Master.

“He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” 1 John 5:10-13:

Dear reader, to deny the true relationship between the Father and the Son by calling it a metaphor, to deny the true Fatherhood of God the Father, and the true Sonship of Jesus Christ by calling it a role-play, is considered denying the Father and the Son. This is why Jesus told His followers to teach people the truth before baptizing them. False ideas about God originate from the enemy of God:

“Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.” 1 John 2:22

(Read a sermon transcript or watch a video on this question)

Further quotes that shed light on this passage:

“The Saviour has given the promise of His presence to all who labor in the spirit of true service. "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth," He says; "go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy, Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." As you present the Word to your hearers, claim this promise of Christ's presence. There is no day, no hour of the day, when He will not be near you by His Holy Spirit. He is in every meeting that is held in His name. His promise is given for as long as time shall last.” {AUCR, December 30, 1907 par. 3}