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The Revelation of Jesus’ Name Baptism

11/11/2017

18 Comments

 
I was raised in a fundamental independent Baptist church. At the age of 20 I felt God call me to the ministry. I then went to Liberty Baptist College (now Liberty University) in Lynchburg, VA to pursue a degree in theology.  While enrolled there, I purposely studied the tenets of every major religion. I wanted to be sure of what I believed. I was convinced that I had experienced Bible salvation because I had believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and accepted Him as my personal Savior and because I had been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.

The day I had a chance encounter with a stranger, a Rev. Robert E. Coleman, who witnessed to me about the necessity of Jesus’ Name baptism and the infilling of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues, my world was turned upside down. Although I had studied the beliefs of many other major denominations and religious organizations, I had never heard this message. It shook me to me my core. I did not readily receive it, but it did plant a seed of conviction in me. As I continued my college studies, I began a quest for validation of my own salvation experience and to disprove what I had heard. But in the process God began to reveal apostolic truth to me.

When I enrolled at Liberty I was required to sign a statement that said that I believed that the sign gifts had passed away with the apostles and that I would not participate in the laying on of hands, healing the sick or speaking in other tongues.  However, after I was witnessed to and began to search the Word, I came to the conclusion that the Holy Ghost was for today—which was in total contradiction to what I was being taught.  I then began to seek for passages of scripture that would confirm what God was revealing to me.  Once convinced, I began to diligently seek for the Holy Ghost in the dormitory prayer room although I did not know exactly what to do or what to expect. I had no one to instruct or encourage me and I was constantly in fear of being caught. After several days of seeking, I began to get discouraged and think that maybe it wasn’t for me.  I asked God to prove to me that it was real. That evening, after I had gone to bed, I woke up out of a sound sleep around 1 a.m. speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gave the utterance.

After receiving the Spirit, the Bible became alive to me. As I would read, words would seemingly jump off the page. I began to pray that God would show me the truth about baptism. I was still wrestling with what Rev. Coleman had said to me a year earlier. Although I had been baptized in the titles, I had been taught that it wasn’t necessary for salvation.  A few days later in Greek class, the professor announced Colossians 2:11-12 as the topic of discussion.  “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”

My instructor, who had been mentored by F.F. Bruce (one of the foremost Greek scholars), argued that circumcision of the heart happened immediately at water baptism. It made me realize that baptism was a necessity for salvation.  As the class discussed the passage further I realized that the words “buried with him” meant in baptism in Jesus’ Name rather than in the titles Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The proper pronoun for the titles would have read “buried with them.” Other passages that helped to clarify Jesus’ Name baptism for me were: Romans 6:3-4, Titus 3:5, Mark 16:16, and John 3:5.  A special moment of revelation was when I read Matthew 28:19 and Acts 2:36-38 together. I realized it was only ten days later and that Matthew was there on the day of Pentecost when Peter preached the apostolic message of repentance, water baptism in Jesus’ Name and the infilling of the Holy Ghost.

Although the truth of Jesus’ Name baptism was being made known to me I did not have any connections to anyone who believed apostolic doctrine. The man who initially witnessed to me was a stranger I had met in another state while working during the summer between semesters and I had had no further contact with him. So I just continued studying to be a Baptist minister, not knowing quite what to do with what God was showing me. After graduation, I returned to my hometown of Galax, VA and took a job as a youth pastor at the Baptist church my parents attended.

While sitting at home one day, I began to read a tract entitled “Has the blood been applied to your life?” I’m not sure where I got the tract, but I realized after reading the scripture passage used (John 19:33-34) that the blood of Jesus was applied in his death.  When I compared it to Romans 6:3-4, the phrase “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” exploded in my mind.  I realized that since I had not been baptized in Jesus’ name I had not reached the blood of Christ. From that moment on I knew I was without salvation. I had experienced repentance which changed my life, but it did not save me.  I had experienced the Holy Ghost, which had brought great illumination of the scriptures to my life, but I still needed to be baptized in Jesus’ Name.

That night I could not sleep. God had been dealing with me for over three years regarding Jesus’ name baptism. He told me that he would withdraw Himself from me if I did not respond to the truth that had been revealed.

The next morning my mother came in my room and handed me a letter from Rev. Barry Bleigh, a United Pentecostal Church minister from Lynchburg, VA., another stranger whom I had never met. Through a series of providential circumstances someone I knew from college had contacted him and told him of my interest in apostolic doctrine. He wrote to me explaining my need of Jesus’ Name baptism. He invited me to come back to Lynchburg and visit him. I drove back to Lynchburg a few days later and met with him during the day at the church he pastored. He prayed with me in his office and God renewed my experience of the Holy Ghost. I then asked him to baptize me in Jesus’ Name.
​

When I came up out of the water, I felt free. I felt the burden of running from truth lift off of me. I was engulfed by God’s love and a peace I could not describe.  I was overcome with joy and laughed for over thirty minutes. The witness of how I felt was further confirmation to me that Jesus’ Name baptism was right.  I will forever be grateful for the revelation I have received. ​

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Rev. Jeff Dillon has been a licensed minister with the UPCI for 32 years. He currently pastors Cornerstone United Pentecostal Church in Winchester, VA. This article was first published in the August 2010 issue of the Pentecostal Herald.
18 Comments
Elaine Negley
11/12/2017 03:15:21 pm

Very interesting and heart warming

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Barb Arnold
7/18/2018 02:43:17 pm

I enjoyed reading your testimony! My husband and I preached for Bro. Coleman several times, and he witnessed to everyone he saw!

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Stephen
7/18/2018 02:47:11 pm

Good article.

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Donnie r hall
7/18/2018 03:28:19 pm

Been preaching this truth for more than 50 years. Tradition has over/ridden the truth. Been baptized in JESUS name 54 years ago, the only way

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Michelle Sullivan
7/18/2018 06:50:48 pm

This is an amazing testimony! I love it! I was raised as a non-denominational christian. I came into Apostolic truth as a freshman in community college. It was an amazing experience that I won't ever forget!! I have witnessed to my Baptist brothers, but nothing has come of it yet. I desire this truth for them too. God bless you!

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Rev James B Maxwell
7/19/2018 10:44:21 am

I was a Cumberland Presbyterian studying to be minister in their organization and I married a United Pentecostal girl. After going to night for about 2 years the committee on ministry told that I was spinning my wheels and wasting their time and I would never get out of school. Two week later there was tongues and interpretations while I was there and told me that I had walked into this place and felt his presence and I was full of pride and puffed up: and it said; what do I have to do run out of my house and put you into the house that I want you to be. Two later my said that 2 churches had call him and he did not a minister to send them. Four years later after I had left my church and my denomatin I received the Holy Ghost and 4 months later I was baptized in Jesus name. Now I am a local minister in our church teaching the new converts that receive the Holy Ghost and baptized in Jesus name

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Kenny King
7/19/2018 05:27:02 pm

Great testimony. Loved reading it.

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Phillip G. Bitner
7/20/2018 11:47:58 am

Your story is very similar to mine as I was in a Baptist Church when the Lord revealed the Apostolic message to me and then gave me an witness by the name of Annette Wheeler who invited me to her church. After one service I was home and never looked back.!

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Alexander Stewart
7/20/2018 01:59:36 pm

Powerful testimony of God’s grace.

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fran kovacs
7/21/2018 08:58:49 pm

Praise The Lord
I am thankful for the truth. I was raised in a Lutheran Church and was blessed to know the truth in a United Pentecostal Church, Truth Now....Kelowna, B.C. Baptized and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

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Arieta Namakadre
7/22/2018 02:22:00 am

An amazing testimony . I love this testimony.

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Vicki
7/22/2018 07:43:12 am

Wow, it just doesn’t get any clearer for me than this! I pray for God to open my heart to his Holy Spirit.

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Marvin Rudd
8/18/2018 05:36:09 am

What a great testimony of God's love for someone who truly wants a walk that goes against everything that he has been taught and believes. God will reveal His love through His word if we will only listen for that still small voice of truth. Thanks for your testimony, I would that all of my Baptist friend's would search the scripture with an open mind, in Jesus name. Pasror Rudd, Landmark Apostolic.

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Michael Evans
8/18/2018 03:15:17 pm

Awesome testimony.

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Bobby
8/22/2018 09:06:46 am

What a story, Love how God worked in your life to show you the truth. I love hearing stories like this cause it makes me want to get closer to God. My wife was Baptist and always felt like there was more to it. She is now understanding the one and only true salvation.

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Betty Collins
8/25/2018 08:40:10 am

Thank you Jesus. He is so worthy to be praised

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Paul link
8/25/2018 07:27:25 pm

Thank you for your witness and explanation of scripture has blessed me. My pastor shared the article. Will need to read it through again to get the doctrine.

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Lynn Young
8/28/2018 02:35:32 pm

What an awesome testimony. God Bless You!!!

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