For those that left the UPC...

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by missourimary

So every time you make a pot of coffee or drop an egg in a skillet or take a step, you say the words "in the name of Jesus"? There is no need to.

Of course, you know this is too much of a ridiculous stretch to warrant a response. LOL!

Originally Posted by missourimary;
Even 1 Cor 1:10Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. ...13Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? 14I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; 15Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. 16And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. 17For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

Is, according to commentaries http://bible.cc/1_corinthians/1-13.htm (see lower part of the page) discussing that people are baptized INTO someone's name to profess becoming followers of that person, and that Paul was making the point that he didn't baptize them nor did he make them his own followers, but Christ's. This passage could be brought to the unstated conclusion that since they were not baptized in the name of Paul, they were baptized into a name, and that name would have been Jesus', or it could mean that Paul did not make disciples for himself, but of Jesus. Jesus died for them, and it is Him they should follow, not dividing the body of Christ with disputes, not following various leaders, but following the One who died for them and they pledged to serve by their baptism.

The bold in the second paragraph would be correct - "baptizing into a name is professing you are becoming a follower of that person."

John Gill: "The apostle did not pretend to be the author of a new revelation, or the propagator of a new religion, but was a preacher of the Gospel, and an administrator of the ordinances of Christ; wherefore he baptized not in his own name, but in the name of Christ: to whose worship and service such as are baptized are devoted, and not to the service of men, and therefore not to be called after their names."

The verse in Colossians isn't talking about saying "in Jesus name" with every movement we make, but reminding us that we should represent Jesus in all we do.

The phrase "In the name of Jesus", BTW, often means "by the power or authority of Jesus". It reminds us to behave in a manner that represents Him, not simply to say we are, but to DO it.

12Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

v17 isn't telling people how to cast out devils or heal the sick. The verse, in context, is telling people how to live-as representatives of the One who saved them, in love.

The above passage, Colossians 3:17, is not only instructing us to live as representatives of Jesus Christ, but showing us that it is also important that we use His name. And you are correct, "in the Jesus of name" is by the "power and/or authority of Jesus Christ".

Gill states that "whatsoever" also entails "action, civil or religious".

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed,.... Whether in preaching the word of Christ, in hearing the Gospel, in singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and in conference and conversation with each other; or in whatsoever action, civil or religious throughout the whole life and conversation, in the performance of things natural, moral, and evangelical, relating to God or man, or one another, in the world or church:

Jameson, Faucett, Brown states that it includes words and deeds.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

17. Literally, "And everything whatsoever ye do . do all," &c.; this includes words as well as deeds.

Matthew 3:15 is saying that baptism is an act or deed to fulfill righteousness - "And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him."

Note that I said to "fulfill" righteousness and not to "receive" righteousness.

Originally posted by missourimary;
You are not comprehending what I'm saying, and I don't know how to explain it any more clearly than I have. I am not saying that nothing should be uttered at baptism, but that what is said over us at baptism doesn't hold nearly as much importance as we might think, because what is said is not God's focus. The heart of the convert, calling on Him and responding to His call, is.

Originally Posted by missourimary;
The verse, in context, is telling people how to live-as representatives of the One who saved them, in love.

Certainly everything we do should be in love, we know that. But, just as in I Cor 12:31 "But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way", Paul is instructing that in our operation of the gifts, we can be a "tinkling cymbal and sounding brass" if we do not operate them in love. (I Cor 13:1) Same instructions in Colossians - our actions and deeds should be done in love.

There are a couple of examples that stand out showing that the Apostles used His name when handling demonic spirits and even in commands toward saints of God.

Acts 19:13-16 "Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the LORD Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. (14) And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. (15) And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? (16) And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

originally posted by missourimary;
The Bible doesn't say that the name of Jesus removes evil spirits, Onefaith. The sons of Sceva found out the hard way. (Acts 19)

The seven sons of Sceva, by way of example, were trying to come against demonic spirits using Jesus' name. The thing they found out the "hard way" is that they had no authority to use His name. So, you wouldn't be correct that it was not His name that removes evil spirits. There is no other name and it certainly wasn't by the Apostles authority either.

We also have an example of Paul "commanding" the brethren, in the name of Jesus - "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us." II Thessalonians 3:6

originally posted by missiourimary;
PO, I said "If words are spoken", not that they must be or that a certain phraseology needs to be used.

Because of all of these things I know that I cannot say that there is an "IF" anything is said or that it is not as important as we might think. The words spoken and the heartfelt obedience are both important. The water is important also. (Acts 8:36)

It is in Jesus name - Acts 2:38. I don't see any way around that one.