This is a delicate subject but I feel it needs to be addressed because the application of the name of the Lord through water baptism in order to be effective must be done in faith.

Not all have faith that the application of the name of the Lord is essential in Water Baptism.

To ask someone to baptize you in the lovely name of Jesus who does not have faith that the saving name of God is necessary in the Waters of Baptism to me would not be the best way to be baptized.

When the lame man was healed at the Gate of the Temple in Acts 3 the Apostles explained faith this way to the crowd that was drawn to the miracle of seeing a lame man walk.

And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all

Acts 3:16 (NKJV)

So we can see that having faith in his name can bring the miracle working of the power of the Lord in your life

But what about those that invoked the name of Jesus when the man was healed?

The Apostles they also had to have faith in the name of the Lord, but what would have happened had they not had the same faith.

In Acts 19 we find an example of people who try to use the name without having faith in the name acting if it was just some magical chant to be used to cast out demons

¹⁴ Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.
¹⁵ And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”
¹⁶ Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

Acts 19:14-16 (NKJV)

We find that those who did not have faith in the name were powerless over the powers of darkness, and as a matter of the record of the scriptures because of there lack of faith they were attacked by demons.

Let me ask you this, if someone baptizes you who does not have faith in the name of the Lord in the Waters of Baptism, will that baptism be effective?

Personallyl, I wouldn’t want to find out when I stand before the Lord it wasn’t because of the lack of faith on the part of the baptizer.

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A much wiser route would be to find someone who exercises faith in the use name of Jesus in water baptism to baptize you.

Some hold that they will baptize you any way that you want to be baptized.

That is not exercising faith in the name.

Faith in the name says you msut be baptized in his name.

Some hold they will baptize you in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit which is Jesus name.

While this is true, they are unwilling to take a stand on the issue and just may fall under the condemnation Jesus spoke about when he said in Matthew 10:32-33:

³² “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. ³³ But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 10:32-33 (NKJV)

I choose to confess the name of the Lord before men.

Some will criticize me for it, others will speak evil of me but it matters not as long as my Lord and saviour is pleased that I have spoken the truth of his word.

Because Jesus is the saving name God has chosen for this dispensation of Grace..

If Baptism is for the remission of sins as Jesus and Paul said it was, then it is the name of Jesus that holds power over sin, and the baptizer, in order to baptize with power, must have faith in the name of the Lord to fulfill the great commission!

Some fear that they will lose there following if they follow the word of God rather than tradition but the Apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians that we should be aware of not being cheated

⁸ Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹ For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;

Colossians 2:8-9 (NKJV)

Paul also wrote in 2 Corinthians 6:17

“Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord.

The Lord is looking for people who are willing to stand with the word of God and confess Christ rather than run with tradition.

Are you one of those today???

Are you willing to confess Jesus and the power of his name before men so that you will not be denied before the father?

Are you willing to go down into the watery grave of baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins despite the basic principles of the world that say it cant be so?

Are you willing to stand and believe the word of God?

If you can answer yes to these questions then I want to encourage you today to find a man of God who will joyfully baptize you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins.

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