Editorial by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 3, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 22.

Editorial

By Editor

Into the Name.—The baptismal formula, if the expression may be so used, found in Matt. 28:19, reads: "Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." R. V. The words are not designed, however, to express an exact form that should always be used (see Acts 2:38; 19:5), but to express an important fact as to what true discipleship means.

"Make Disciples."—Of course the apostles did not have power of themselves to make disciples. Their work was to "preach the Gospel" (Mark 16:15), "preach the Word" (2 Tim. 4:2), "preach Jesus Christ" (Acts 5:42); and the power to change the sinner to a disciple of Christ, a follower in his footsteps, a learner in his school, was given in the Word which they preached. The Word received "effectually" wrought. 1 Thess. 2:13. "Of all the nations" does not imply that each person of all the nations would become a disciple, but that "God is no respecter of persons," and that the Gospel is for all the world—Jew and Greek, Barbarian and Scythian, black and white; for God "did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his name." All may come; the message is to all; but all will not come.

Meaning of Name.—Name in Scripture indicates character, especially those names given by divine direction. "Jacob," the name of Isaac's second son, meant "supplanter." This was a picture of his overreaching, grasping, natural disposition, but on that eventful night, at the Ford Jabbok, Jacob, having put away his sins by confession and restitution, prevailed with God by faith, and his character was changed. He was no longer Jacob the supplanter, but Israel the prince of God, the prevai ler by faith. Gen. 32:24-28; Hosea 12:4. The name of "Jesus" means "Saviour," with all it implies, and "Christ" means "Anointed."

Of the Father.—The Father's name is I AM, Jehovah, and it expresses the character of him who "is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works." When Moses besought God to show him his glory, the Lord answered, "I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord." Ex. 33:18, 19. God's glory is therefore his goodness, and this is expressed in the Lord's name. Shortly after this the Lord fulfilled his promise to show Moses his goodness and proclaim his

name. "And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord [Jehovah]. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord [Jehovah], the Lord [Jehovah] God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty ["acquitting even him who is not innocent," Boothroyd]." Ex. 34:5-7. This is God's character; this is the meaning of God's name. To be baptized into his name is to receive of his mercy, his compassion, his forgiveness, his goodness. It is to be made righteous. Jesus came in his Father's name, having the Father's righteousness. Thus it was that Jesus in his own life "declared" the Father (John 1:18); thus will he "reveal" the Father to every seeking soul (Matt. 11:27); and thus Jesus Christ, having the Father's glory in himself, could impart that glory to the disciples; and thus, having the Father's name or character, he could declare that name to his disciples (John 17:22, 26). And yet again, as he was kept by the power of God's righteousness in him, so he prays that his disciples be kept in the Father's name. John 17:11, 12. And even so God desires to name his name upon all.

Into the Name of the Son.—The one great sublime fact in the character of the Son of God is that stated in Phil. 2:5-8. We quote from the marginal reading of the Revised Version, as it expresses the fact a little more emphatically: "Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; who, being originally in the form of God, counted it not a thing to be grasped to be on an equality with God, but emptied himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, becoming in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross." This was his mind—to humble himself, to empty himself, that he might save man. "Of mine own self I can do nothing;" "the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works," are his words, repeated over and over again in various forms. To be baptized into his name is to renounce self, to give up all to God, to yield every desire, every ambition, every power and ability, and lay all at his blessed feet, that he may do with them and us as he will. This is consecration. This was the mind of Jesus. This is what must be done to be baptized in his name.

Into the Name of the Holy Ghost.—Everywhere in the Scriptures, the Holy Ghost, or the Spirit of God, is the agency of operation, the energy in working, the power of God manifest in the accomplishment of his purpose. It is the mighty life-force working out God's will in harmony with his holy law. It was the creative power in the beginning in creation, brooding over chaos and bringing forth order. Gen. 1:2. It is the power which recreates and peoples again the desolate earth. Ps. 104:30. It changes the heart and mind and gives birth to the new man in Christ Jesus. Eze. 36:26, 27; Ps. 51:10-12; John 3:3-5. It is that power in the Word by which we are sanctified, by which we are enabled to fulfil the righteousness of God's law, manifest in the fruits of the Spirit in our lives. 1 Peter 1:2; Rom. 8:4; Gal. 5:22, 23. That Spirit inspired the words of the prophets, and spoke through them the Holy Scriptures. 2 Sam. 23:2; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 Cor. 2:13. In short, it is by that mighty Spirit, that divine life and energy, that the love of God comes into the heart which erstwhile hated God's law, which rested upon our Lord with such fulness, which enabled him to work miracles, which fitted him for his blessed work of "doing good." Rom. 5:5; John 3:34; Matt. 12:28; Luke 4:18; Acts 10:38. It is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Truth and of Grace, the Comforter, the mighty life-force and fulness of Deity, sent down to the world to save them and keep them.

Baptized into Service.—The baptism of the Spirit, being baptized into the name of the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit (Hagios Pneuma), is a baptism for service. It is the preparation which God gives that we may do his work in his way. But this baptism must be preceded by cleansing from sin and emptying of self. O, how many there are of God's professed children who come to God for forgiveness of sins, but go no further! How many there are of us who wish a life of ease, of enjoyment, who do not wish to do wrong, who prefer a sort of negative goodness, but want no more! How many there are of us who have never come to that place where we were willing to let God use us as he would, to send us on his mission, untrammeled by selfish considerations! We fear that our dignity will be lowered, our business interests injured, our pleasures curtailed, our associations with the world broken; and because of some such reason, unconfessed, perhaps, to ourselves, we are unwilling that God should give us that power which would make us a blessing for all eternity. The reason is that we have not the mind of Christ. If self, all of self, were emptied out, were given up, renounced, yielded to God, even as in Jesus Christ, God's Spirit would rest upon his church, and it would receive the heavenly anointing. This is what the church of Jesus Christ needs to-day, to be emptied of self, to be baptized for service. She would not be using worldly methods, nor seeking political power nor preferment. Her whole divine energy, like that of the Master, would be spent in "doing good."

Into His Name.—And yet while the matter is expressed in detail in Matt. 28:19 (R. V.), "into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost," it is all included in the name of Jesus Christ; "for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him." Col. 2:9, 10. In him was the Father's name or character, his own character, and the fulness of the Spirit. Therefore when we read that the apostles baptized in his name, they carried out our Lord's injunction. Acts 19:5. The Spirit of God is his representative here, his life given to his children to fit them for service. Those who truly receive Christ will receive his Spirit also.