SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/11/2024 8:51 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
PT-8 “Obedience”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Matthew
28:19-20a
Message of the
verses: “Go therefore and make disciples
of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and
the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you;”
I continue to write about baptism as I begin this
Spiritual Diary. MacArthur writes “Baptism
is to be made in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Jesus was not giving a ritual formula,
although that beautiful phrase from the lips of our Lord has been commonly and
appropriately used in baptismal services throughout the history of the church. In
the name of is not a sacramental formula, as seen in the fact that the book of
Acts reports no converts being baptized with those precise words. Those words are rather a rich and
comprehensive statement of the wonderful union that believers have with the
whole Godhead.”
Now I am thankful for better understanding what MacArthur
just wrote about baptism as I have heard Pastors go over this saying things
that a person had to be baptized in the name of, and then gives all of the
names of the Godhead. I have heard
others that only two members of the Godhead should be used when baptism
people. I can honestly say that I don’t
really remember what was said when I was baptized. However, and I mentioned this before, when I
was baptized that when I was put under the water I saw in my mind myself lying
in a casket and when I mentioned that to my Pastor some time later he said to
me “well I didn’t see that.”
Now as we study the New Testament we can surely see that
Jesus is the very Son of God, the second person of the Godhead, and we recently
saw when Jesus was crucified that this was the reason that He was crucified
because the Jewish leaders did not believe that He was the Son of God. They were wrong and people who teach this
today are wrong, for Jesus is, and always has been the second person of the
Trinity, the Son of God. Now is saying
that believers are to be baptized in His name too shows this truth that He is
the Son of God. Also when stating this
He is emphasizing the unity of the Trinity by declaring baptism should be done
in Their one name (singular), not in Their separate names. MacArthur goes on to write “As it does in
many parts of Scripture, the phrase the name here embodies the fullness of a
person, encompassing all that he is, has, and represents. When he is baptized the believer is identified
with everything that God is, has, and represents.
“The pronoun Jesus uses here (eis, in) can also be rendered ‘into’ or ‘unto.’ Those who teach baptismal regeneration—the belief
that water baptism is essential for salvation—insist that it must here be
translated ‘into.’ But that is a
completely arbitrary translation and, in any case, cannot stand up against the
many other passages that prove baptism has no part in regeneration but is
rather an outward act, subsequent to regeneration, that testifies to its having
taken place.
“Baptism does not place a believer into oneness with the Trinity but signifies that, by God’s grace working through his faith in Jesus Christ, the believer already has been made one with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
Now this ends the second requirement for making
disciples of all nations and the third requirement for making disciples of all
nations is that of teaching them to observe all that I commanded you. It is my desire to look at this third
requirement of making disciples in the next SD, and then on Wednesday I wish to
be able to finish my study of the book of Matthew which I believe began on
November 19, 2019, so a few days short of five years. My plans are to begin the study of 2 Timothy
on Thursday morning. I am looking
forward to beginning that study but rather sad to leave Matthew’s gospel as it
has been a part of my morning devotions for almost five years.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I certainly
need the power of the Holy Spirit in my life to do the things that fall under
the category of obedience.
My Steps of Faith for Today: I
continue to ask and to trust the Holy Spirit to cause my life to be obedient to
the Word of God and its teachings.
11/11/2024 9:19 AM
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