Baptism should be in the name of JESUS!

updated 2025 February 4th

What brings you to this blog? Baptism is one of my favorite topics. There’s a lot of things we could talk about within this topic, but this blog is just about the name (or titles) to do it in. I have more blogs on baptism on my page Written by an Apostolic Pentecostal woman including a full bible study on baptism.
 
Should baptism be done “in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost/Spirit” or “in the name of Jesus”?

Let's look at the bible

These verses are all from the World English Bible. I added the bold emphasis for the sake of the topic.
 
Matthew 28:19-20
Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
 
Acts 2:38
Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
 
Acts 8:12-17
But when they believed Philip preaching good news concerning God’s Kingdom and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon himself also believed. Being baptized, he continued with Philip. Seeing signs and great miracles occurring, he was amazed.
Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for as yet he had fallen on none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of Christ Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
 
Acts 10:44-48
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word. They of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in other languages and magnifying God.
Then Peter answered, “Can anyone forbid these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just like us.” He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay some days.
 
Acts 19:1-7
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
They said to him, “No, we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
He said, “Into what then were you baptized?”
They said, “Into John’s baptism.”
Paul said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Christ Jesus.”
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke with other languages and prophesied. They were about twelve men in all.
 
Other verses to consider are Acts 22:16, Galatians 3:26-28, and Colossians 2:9-13. 

What's the name?

The name of the Son is Jesus. Jesus tells us he has come in his Father’s name (John 5:43) and that the Father will send the Holy Spirit in his name (John 14:26). God’s name is Jesus. There is no other name by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).
 
To be baptized “in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” is the name of Jesus.
 
Was the formula for baptism changed? The early church baptized in the name of Jesus. In the second century, the Catholic church changed the words to “in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” after the doctrine of the Trinity was developed. This is public record and the Catholic church admits they changed the practice. The Catholic church continues this practice and most Protestant churches that broke off from the Catholic church do as well. Some churches such as Apostolic Pentecostal churches follow the teachings of the bible and the practices of the early church thus baptizing “in the name of Jesus”. All Apostolic Pentecostal churches baptize in the name of Jesus. Other individual churches may as well.
 
We are baptized into Christ and buried with Christ in baptism (Romans 6:3-8). We call on his name in baptism (Acts 22:16). It is only by his name we must be saved (Acts 4:12). It is his name that washes away our sins (Acts 22:16). It is Jesus that saves us. We need to be baptized in the name of Jesus.
 
If you were to hand me a pen and ask me to write down my name, I would write “Leanna”. I wouldn’t write “my name”. If a man writes a check to pay a debt and signs it “son, husband, father” it can’t be cashed. It’s his name that pays the debt. Being a father and a husband and a son are his titles. That’s not his name. We need to be baptized in the NAME that pays the debt for our sins.

Does it matter which way it is done?

It matters that we follow the bible correctly and obey God’s word.
 
I was baptized twice. I was baptized in the “name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” in 2009. Two years later in 2011, I was baptized “in the name of Jesus” at an Apostolic Pentecostal church. I felt the difference! You can read my story here.
 
I heard a lot of opposition to it when I was still Southern Baptist. I was told that it was an abbreviation. I was told that those bible verses only meant in the authority of Jesus and didn’t mean we had to use his actual name. I heard all kinds of things. People would side rail and say all the other things they disagree with Apostolic Pentecostals about. What does the bible say?
 
A lot of churches baptize “in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”. There are also churches that baptize “in the name of Jesus”. Are they both the same? Does it matter? Is one a valid baptism and another invalid? Is one way right and the other way wrong? What does the bible say on how to baptize? Matthew 28:19 says to go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2:38 we are taught to repent, be baptized in Jesus’ name for the forgiveness of sins, and that we will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 8:12-17 tells us about people who had been baptized in the name of Jesus, but still needed the Holy Spirit. In Acts 10:44-48 the Gentiles (non-Jews) received the Holy Spirit and Peter commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. In Acts 19:1-7 there were people who had been baptized into John’s baptism that Paul taught about the baptism we are supposed to have and they got baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 1:11-17 Paul asked the quarreling Corinthians if they were baptized in the name of Paul.
 
Jesus himself taught the disciples how to baptize. He made sure they had it right. All of the New Testament is relevant for us. Matthew and Acts are equally accurate and relevant. Your interpretations of bible verses should never contradict other bible verses, but they should complement other verses. The way you interpret things should have bible verses all supporting each other. This is one of those subjects you really need to keep that in mind with. It is not we should listen to the instructions in Matthew or listen to the instructions in Acts. Matthew 28:19 and Acts 2:38 mean the same thing. The disciples knew his name. They knew how he taught them to baptize. The early church continued to baptize the way Jesus himself taught them to. After the Christian church began, every single mention in the bible of baptism where it says the name it was done in or the words used, it was always in the name of Jesus.
 
We need to continue that. It’s more than the tradition of the early church. It’s obedience to the instructions in the bible. Get baptized in the name of Jesus.

How will you be baptized?

If you are seeking baptism, I urge you to obey the bible’s instructions even if it is different from your church’s practice. Find a church that obeys the bible and baptizes according to the scriptures. You can also ask your pastor if they would be willing to baptize “in the name of Jesus”. I have other blogs on baptism as well including a full bible study freely available on my website. You are welcome to email me with any questions. If your pastor or church leaders have questions on making the change to baptism in the name of Jesus, they are welcome to contact me as well. Make sure you check out those blogs at Written by an Apostolic Pentecostal woman.
 
If you were baptized in the titles rather than the name, I encourage you to get baptized again the biblical way.
 
Follow Jesus.
Repent of your sins.
Obey the command to be baptized.
Be baptized in the name of Jesus (and fully immersed in the water).
And be raised in Christ.
 
 
Comment below with any questions. You are also welcome to tell your story of being baptized in the name of Jesus in the comments below.