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holy angels we are putting the holy angels on a level with the Father and the Son which I doubt whether any Christian would accept. The truth is that each of those mentioned have their own glory and each of those mentioned in Matthew 28:19 have their own name. Incidentally, it is worth noticing that Christ has various names in Revelation 19: 11-16: “a name written which no one knows but himself”; “The Word of God” and “a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords.” The first name is clearly a name peculiar to Himself; the second is something used of Him in Luke and John’s Gospels. There is no suggestion that his name The Word is applied to anyone else: to God, the Holy Spirit, angels or men. The last name is one that is also applied to God (1 Timothy 6:15; Daniel 2:47), but here it is applied to his representative (his Son) and fits in with Matthew 28:18, because there we are told that Christ has been given all power. Other passages such as Philippians 2:9/10 would confirm this. |
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It is to be noted that we are not baptised exactly to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit but to their names - all that they stand for. We know that God has granted Christ “a name, that which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow” (Philippians 2: 9/10). The name Jesus when mentioned tells us not simply of a lowly man on earth but of one who is so exalted that at his name every knee should bow. Just as today the name Winston Churchill when mentioned brings to our minds someone who was a great statesman and war leader, so the mention of the name Jesus brings to our minds all that he is, and all that he has done, and the place he has been given, in fact, his renown. On the other hand when the name Hitler is mentioned we think of one who is the subject of ignominy - his name is despised. As well as the name of the Son who is Jesus, we are connected by baptism with the name of the Father and of the Holy Spirit. What greater names could we possibly be connected with ? |
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Baptising persons makes them disciples as it says in Matthew 28:19/20: “Go... and make disciples (learners)... teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have enjoined you.” It is not just a question of baptising persons but of teaching them. Until they have become disciples they are not teachable. Just baptising believers and then leaving them is not the idea. Further, the making of disciples applies to all nations and not just to Jews. The injunction is to the apostles, not to everybody; though we can learn from other passages that the Lord prepares others to carry on his work; Barnabas and Saul for instance (Acts 13:2). |
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