Most Christians will tell you that when they were baptized they were baptized under the titles: The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost. Furthermore, most would also say that they were only baptized once in their lifetime shortly after they first became a believer. Most Christians will also tell you that when they went under the water they went one time backwards, while others were only sprinkled with water.
We will examine the Scripture and see what the Word really says about the practice Christians refer to as Baptism right after a brief history lesson. The English word Baptize comes from the Greek word Baptisma Strongs #908 which simply means to submerge. Just by tracing the word baptism back one step from English to Greek we have already begun to shed some light on the true meaning of baptism.
Let us now trace the word baptize back one more step to its origin to it see if we can find out anything about the practice since Submerge doesn't really tell us anything meaningful. The Greek word Baptisma was translated from the Hebrew word Mikvah. Now we are getting somewhere because every practicing Jew knows exactly what Mikvah means. It is an ancient Jewish practice dating back about 4000 years.
Mikvah usually refers to a purification ritual which is usually done in Living Water so that your uncleanliness is washed away. Mikvah when done as a purification ritual, is usually done during the Day's of Awe which is a ten-day period between the First and Tenth day of Ethanim. Mikvah when done as a purification ritual, is usually done every year to purify oneself for the coming of the Messiah. Mikvah when done as a purification ritual, one goes under the water three times forward!
There are several types of Mikvah besides the Mikvah of Purification which is done in water once a year, every year, at the same time of the year, during the Days of Awe, in the early fall (September or October). Here we see in the Scripture that besides the Mikvah of Purification, there is also a Mikvah of Repentance, a Mikvah of the Spirit, and a Mikvah of Fire. There are two more Mikvah's which we will not get into, making a total of six different Mikvah's.
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. (TWOY Matthew 3:11)
I immerse you with water repentance, but he that will come after me is stronger than me. I am not worthy to remove his sandals. He will immerse you by the Ruach HaKodesh and by fire. (AENT Matthew 3:11)
I indeed mikvah you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will mikvah you in the Ruach HaKodesh and with fire. (HIM Matthew 3:11)
The Mikvah of Repentance, The Mikvah of the Spirit, The Mikvah of Fire, and the other two Mikvah's are not done at any particular time of the year. The Mikvah of Repentance is done at will after you have made a conscience decision to follow Yah. The Mikvah of the Spirit, and the Mikvah of Fire occur whenever Yah decides to immerse you. This usually happens after the Mikvah of Repentance but sometimes happens before hand or even at the same time.
Why are most Christians baptized under the three titles: The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost anyway? Christians probably get the idea from the passage below, but is the Scripture really telling us to do what they do? There are several points I would like to make on this matter.
Go ye therefore, and teach all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: (TWOY Matthew 28:19)
Go therefore, make disciples of all the nations and immerse them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Ruach HaKodesh, (AENT Matthew 28:19)
Go, and make disciples of all the gentiles, and mikvah them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Ruach HaKodesh, (HIM Matthew 28:19)
My first point is the Scripture clearly says the name, and not, the title. The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost are not names! They are titles! I do admit, at one time I did meet a girl named Sonny (kind of like son), and once knew a gang member that went by Casper (kind of like holy ghost), but other than that I think we all can figure out that these are titles.
My second point is this term is clearly a singular item. Both the and name are singular. In order for the passage to mean three and not one, at least one of the terms should be plural. The passage should either read the names or these names. And to tie in my first point as well, the passage should either read the titles or these titles. Scripture clearly states the name which means one name.
I know that some are slow to learn, and in disbelief, thinking that I am simply playing with words when in fact it is the other way around. I am reading the Scripture just as it is written and it is the wicked who twist the word to make it fit there doctrine (trinity). It will be easy to settle this matter simply by reading how the Apostles immersed Believers.
Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yahshua the Messiah for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of Holy Spirit. (TWOY Acts 2:38)
Shimon said to them, "Repent and be immersed each of you, in the name of Master YHWH-Y'shua for the forgiveness of sins, that you may receive the gift of the Ruach HaKodesh. (AENT Acts 2:38)
Shimon said to them, "Repent, and be immersed, every one of you, in the name of Master YaHuWaH-Y'shua for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Ruach HaKodesh. (HIM Acts 2:38)
That is so weird, how very strange that I did not read anything about the three titles when I was out of my mind, and simply playing with words. Maybe there was some kind of translation error, or a misprint of some sort. Let us now read another passage, maybe the next one will say something about the three titles and help out that trinity doctrine.
But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of Elohim, and the name of Yahshua the Messiah, they were baptized, both men and women. (TWOY Acts 8:12)
But when they believed Pileepos, who had preached the Kingdom of Elohim in the name of our Master Y'shua haMashiyach, they immersed, men and women. (AENT Acts 8:12)
But when they believed Philip proclaiming good news concerning the Kingdom of Elohim and the name of our Master Y'shua the Messiah, they had mikvah, both men and women. (HIM Acts 8:12)
Wow! I wasn't expecting that at all (wink wink). It seems as if there may be some kind of pattern developing here, but we will not know for sure until we read another passages just to make triple sure they were in fact immersing in one name and not three titles. Let us now read another passage of Scripture.
(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were only baptized in the name of the Master Yahshua.) (TWOY Acts 8:16)
For it was not upon one man of them yet. They were only immersed now in the name of our Master Y'shua. (AENT Acts 8:16)
for as yet he had fallen on none of them. They had only had mikvah in the Name of our Master Y'shua. (HIM Acts 8:16)
This is just crazy how I somehow mysteriously changed or rearranged the words in your own bible. This must be some kind of trick, or maybe, just maybe, that this one name is the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Spirit, maybe they are all One and the Oneness doctrine is correct. Let us read another passage from Scripture.
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Yahshua the Messiah. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. (TWOY Acts 10:48)
Then he commanded them to be immersed in the name of our Master Y'shua the Mashiyach. And they beseeched (from) him so as to stay with them (a few) days. (AENT Acts 10:48)
He commanded them to have mikvah in the Name of our Master Y'shua the Messiah. Then they asked him to stay some days. (HIM Acts 10:48)
No titles yet, not even one, but I will keep my eye out and let you know when I find one. There is one more passage of Scripture we can look at and maybe we can find some kind of support for the Christian way of doing things. It is time to thinking about the implications of what was once hidden but now revealed. Let us now look at one last passage of Scripture to settle this matter once and for all.
And he said unto them, Unto what then were you baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized the person with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe in him which should come after him, that is, on the Messiah Yahshua. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Master Yahshua. (TWOY Acts 19:3-5)
He said to them: "Into what then were you immersed?" They say: "Into the immersion of Yochanan." Paul said to them: "Yochanan immersed the people with the immersion of repentance, while he told them to believe in him who was to come after him, that is, in Y'shua the Mashiyach." And when they heard these things, they were immersed in the name of our Master Y'shua Mashiyach. (AENT Acts 19:3-5)
He said, "Into what then did you have mikvah?" They said, "Into Yochanan’s mikvah." Paul said, "Yochanan indeed immersed with the immersion of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Y'shua the Messiah." When they heard this, they had mikvah in the Name of our Master Y'shua Messiah. (HIM Acts 19:3-5)
Take a deep breath and think about everything you just learned here in the last 10 minutes that you didn't learn in your church over the last 10 years. Think about how you were immersed, and ask yourself if it was the right way. Was it done by three titles or was it done in the name of our Master, Y'shua HaMashiach (Yeshua the Messiah).
Ask yourself, when was the last time you were immersed. You should have Mikvah every year renewing your faith and rekindling that fire that slowly burns out over the years without that (Mikvah) refreshing. The enemy would like nothing more than for you to remain as you are and not Mikvah into the One Name that is able to save you.
I ask only one thing of you -- that you humble your spirit and come before the Father and tell Him that you want to do things right and ask Him to lead you and guide you through HaRuach HaKodesh (The Holy Spirit) and to put it in your heart to do things as they are in Scripture. If you have not had Mikvah in the name of Y'shua you have not yet been immersed under the one and only name that saves!
Please feel free to read the Sacred Name and the Salvation article's for more knowledge.
The Word Of Yahweh (TWOY)
Aramaic English New Testament (AENT)
Human Instruction Manual (HIM)
