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What About Matthew 28:19?

Matthew 28:19 is a sometimes misunderstood biblical passage with regard to the Trinity doctrine. "Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in ['into,' Greek eis] the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

Remember the important principle that the Bible interprets the Bible. What this particular passage shows us is the proper baptismal formula, not a description of the nature of God.

Notice Acts 2:38: "Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." After real repentance and being baptized, the example from Scripture is that a minister lays his hands on the repentant person and he or she receives the Holy Spirit directly from God (Acts 8:14-17).

Important as it is, baptism alone is not sufficient. It must be followed by the biblically mandated laying on of hands for the receiving of the Holy Spirit—the seed of eternal life (Acts 19:1-6). We cannot partake of God's nature (2 Peter 1:4) without first being begotten of the Father by the Holy Spirit, which imparts that divine nature.

Christ's instruction in Matthew 28:19 presumes that, before being baptized, believers will learn of God the Father, His Son and the Holy Spirit. At baptism, they enter into a personal family relationship with God the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit, thereby receiving the name of God (compare Ephesians 3:14-15). This is the message of Matthew 28:19.