Salvation

History of the early church:

Jesus spent three years instilling the foundation of the kingdom of God into his disciples. He placed the future of a fledgling church into their capable hands.

He knew what these men would do. Peter had been given a tremendous responsibility to lead the way during the inception of the early church.

The book of Acts of the Apostles is a record of what took place and how personally chosen disciples of Jesus fulfilled his commandment given in Matthew:

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28: 18-20) NKJV 

Much controversy is derived from these verses because the disciples knew exactly what Jesus was saying to them. They were not confused. Neither did they disobey Jesus’ commandments when in Acts 2:38, Peter commanded the Jews who had gathered, to be baptized in the name of Jesus!

“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.

 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38-39) NKJV

In secular church history as well as scriptural references, all who were baptized in the 1st century church were baptized by immersion in the name of Jesus as commanded in Acts 2:38, with further examples in Acts 8:16, Acts 10:48, Acts 16:15, and Acts 19:5.

The formula of baptism in the titles, “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost did not start until the 3rd century AD.

Baptism was not to be initiated until a person could understand their need for repentance. Only then could they be baptized.

The Catholic Church began to baptize infants by the 3rd century by sprinkling because immersion was not practical. It is also not practical that an infant can understand their need to repent.

Many traditions have been accepted as scriptural truths which have no scriptural precedent.