QUESTION

Is there power in the name of Jesus?
Why did the apostles baptise new believers in the name of Jesus?
Should we as Christians be baptised the same way?"

Reference: Acts 2:38, 8:16, 10:48, 16:31, 18:8, 19:5, and 22:16.

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THE PASSAGES REFERED TO ABOVE :-

1. Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptised every one of you in (Greek epi = upon) the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
2. Acts 8:16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptised in (eis into) the name of the Lord Jesus.)
3. Acts 10:48 And he commanded them to be baptised in (en in) the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
4. Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on (epi upon) the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, and your house. 32 And they spoke unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptised, he and all his, straight way.
5. Acts 18:8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptised. [Greek: 'believed on' is one word, the dative of believe]
6. Acts 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptised in (eis into) the name of the Lord Jesus.
7. Acts 22:16 And now why are you waiting? arise, and be baptised, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the LORD. [Greek: 'calling on' is one word, a combination of the word 'upon' [Greek.'epi'] and the verb 'call']

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ANSWER

The passages Acts 16:31-33, Acts 18:8 and Acts 22:16 do not have the phase "in the name of ... Jesus ..."

However this one, a reference to Paul's conversion, is interesting:

Acts 22:16 And now why are you waiting? arise, and be baptised, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the LORD

The name of the Christ is 'Jesus' which means 'Yahweh Saves'. So the appeal in baptism is based on the fact that the living God forgives sins. He is the sure source of salvation. The apostle Peter tells us that baptism saves because it is the appeal of a genuine conscience to the Lord for clemency. There is no magic in uttering the name of the Lord.

1.Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism does also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ

Here the word "answer" is from a Greek legal term meaning an appeal for clemency. So Paul's baptism was an appeal to the LORD for his sins to be forgiven.

In some of the questioner's references the Greek word for 'in' is 'eiV' meaning 'into' and is talking of the fact that in baptism we enter into a spiritual relationship with the Lord Jesus. The Greek word 'eiV' also occurs in the 'great commission' where the Lord Jesus said:

Matthew 28:19 Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in (eiV into) the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

This is not a formula of words to be said over the person being baptised. It is a statement of the fact that at baptism, a repentant believer desiring the remission of sins, is brought into relationship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. That is why Paul was anxious that folk should not think that they were being baptised into relationship with him.

1.Corinthians 1:13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were you baptised in (eiV into) the name of Paul? and then verse 15 Lest any should say that I had baptised in (eiV into) mine own name.

The last thing he wanted was for folk to become 'Paulites'.

The Greek word 'eiV' is also used in Acts 8:16 and Acts 19:5 of people being baptised into spiritual relationship with the Saviour, the Lord Jesus.

Acts 8:16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptised in (eiV into) the name of the Lord Jesus.)

Acts 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptised in (eiV into) the name of the Lord Jesus.

In Acts 2:38 the Greek word for 'in' is 'epi' which means 'upon'. Peter is saying that the baptism is done on the authority of the Lord Jesus.

Acts 2:38 - Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptised every one of you in (epi = upon) the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.

The candidate is to implicitly place his/her trust on the authority of the Lord Jesus.

Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on (epi = upon ) the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.

In Acts 10:48 the Greek word for 'in' is 'en' which simply means 'in'.

Acts 10:48 And he commanded them to be baptised in (en = in) the name of the Lord. ...

The phrase "in (en = in) the name of ..."  is used many times throughout the New Testament often to do with miracles done in Jesus' name, but this is the only time 'en' is used with the verb 'baptise'.

Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, I have no silver or gold; but  what I have I give you: In (en) the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

Here Peter performing the miracle by the authority of the Lord Jesus but that is not the point that he is making. His words "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth" are directed at the cripple. The cripple has to get up in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. To be cured he has to acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus. Similarly in Acts 10:48 Cornelius' household and friends were to be baptised in acknowledgement of the Lordship of Jesus of Nazareth.

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is not one other name under heaven given among men, in (en) which we must be saved.

We must acknowledge Jesus Christ of Nazareth as the only Lord to be saved.

There is no formula of words prescribed in the scriptures to be said by the one doing the baptism. It is not the words said by the one doing the baptism or even the standing of the person doing the baptism which makes it valid. It is the faith of the one being baptised that makes it valid. That is why the Ethiopian, wanting to be baptised, made the "good confession". On the strength of that confession he was baptised and then he went on his way rejoicing

Acts 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached to him Jesus. 36 And as they went on their way, they came to a particular water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what does hinder me from being baptised? 37 And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptised him. 9 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, so the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you are also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Mark 16:16 He who believes and is baptised will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be damned.

The candidate must believe with all his/her heart for the baptism to be valid.

"Should we as Christians be baptised the same way?"

Since baptism was for sins to be forgiven, in the New Testament only those who had been baptised were called Christians. So they were not baptised because they were already Christians. They were baptised in order to become Christians.

"Should we ... be baptised the same way?"

Paul was very emphatic that we stick to the original Gospel message that he said it twice:

Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so I say now again, If any man preach any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

The angels and even the Apostles do not have the authority to make even the slightest alteration to the Lord's original teaching. I am amazed at the clerics who had the audacity to amend the Lord's instructions.

We should immerse* people the in same way today for the same reasons. *(the word 'baptism' is an anglicised form of a Greek word meaning 'immersion')

No one has the right to change what the Lord has commanded.

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority is given to me in heaven and in earth. 19 Therefore you go and teach all nations, baptising them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Amen.

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