“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” (Matt 28:19).

Who does what?
This may appear like a simple question to you, but some are making it difficult and are opposing Jesus’ commands on how to be saved. Here’s how the objection sounds; “Water is not stated in that verse therefore it’s Holy Spirit baptism.” They will make this claim in all the places that baptism is commanded, (see Acts 2:38; 8:12; 9:1-18; 22:16; 16:15; 25-34).

There are several ways to answer this objection but let’s just look at a simple and logical one; Answer the question: Who is being commanded to do what?

In every case that a command is given, the one receiving the command is the one expected to perform it. This includes both inward actions (faith, believing, repentance, loving) and outward actions (going, teaching, baptizing, praying, singing, giving). Scripture never presents a command that is fulfilled by another person performing the commanded action in the place of the one commanded. In other words, the command is being given to people to do, therefore people comply with the action being commanded.

Faith is not excluded from this principle simply because it is inward.
• Jesus commanded: “Believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:15);
• Paul told the jailer: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 16:31);
• John writes: “This is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ.” (1 John 3:23);

Believing is therefore something the hearer is commanded to do. Likewise:
• Repent (Acts 17:30);
• Confess (Romans 10:9-10);
• Continue in the faith (Colossians 1:23).

These are personal responses. Although invisible to others, they are nevertheless actions of the person commanded. (this same reasoning answers other similar objections).

Back to Matthew 28:19; what kind of baptism can a person administer who is commanded to “go…baptizing them”? A human being cannot administer: the baptism of the Holy Spirit, nor the baptism of fire. John the Baptist distinguished these. “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance… he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire” (Matthew 3:11). Notice the distinction. John administered water baptism. Christ administers Holy Spirit baptism. The administrator identifies the baptism. Only Jesus is ever said to baptize with the Holy Spirit. No apostle is ever commanded to baptize anyone with the Holy Spirit. But the apostles are commanded to baptize. Therefore, the baptism they administer must be one that men can administer. That baptism is water baptism.

Matthew 28 does not have to mention water explicitly. It identifies the administrator. Once Scripture identifies that men are to administer the baptism, the only baptism men are ever shown administering is water baptism.

Necessary inference. When Scripture gives a command:
• The person commanded is responsible for performing the commanded action.
• Matthew 28:19 commands people to baptize.
• People can administer only water baptism.
• Therefore, the baptism commanded in Matthew 28:19 is water baptism administered by one person to another.

Agape
Spencer

BONUS ANSWER: Acts 8:34-39
“And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.”

What Inescapable conclusions do you draw from this passage?