Christian Baptism

The Christian baptism is not the symbol of dedication.

The Baptism is the symbol of repentance.
In fact there is no mention of dedication with regard to the baptism in the Bible.

All scriptures show repentance in connection with the baptism.

Lu 24:47-48
47 and on the basis of his name repentance for forgiveness of sins would be preached in all the nations-starting out from Jerusalem, 48 YOU are to be witnesses of these things. 49 And, look! I am sending forth upon YOU that which is promised by my Father. YOU, though, abide in the city until YOU become clothed with power from on high."

Ac 2:38
38 Peter [said] to them: "Repent, and let each one of YOU be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of YOUR sins, and YOU will receive the free gift of the holy spirit.

Ac 11:18
18 Now when they heard these things, they acquiesced, and they glorified God, saying: "Well, then, God has granted repentance for the purpose of life to people of the nations also."

Ac 17:30
30 True, God has overlooked the times of such ignorance, yet now he is telling mankind that they should all everywhere repent.

Ac 20:21
21 But I thoroughly bore witness both to Jews and to Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus.

Ac 26:20
20 but both to those in Damascus first and to those in Jerusalem, and over all the country of Ju・de'a, and to the nations I went bringing the message that they should repent and turn to God by doing works that befit repentance.

Heb 6:1
6 For this reason, now that we have left the primary doctrine about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying a foundation again, namely, repentance from dead works, and faith toward God,

1Pe 3:21
21 That which corresponds to this is also now saving YOU, namely, baptism, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the request made to God for a good conscience,) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

2Pe 3:9
9 YHWH is not slow respecting his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with YOU because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance.

Notice the expression "repentance," or "repent."

Devotion is a convenient teaching for organized religions to control their followers.

The idea that the Christian baptism is a symbol of dedication is not biblical at all, it was merely invented by the centralized religious organization like WTS and has been utilized to put an unnecessary burden on the shoulders of the rank and file or layperson.

The Watchtower Society spellbinds a believer psychologically by convenient teaching called the dedication to God and places the burden of their man-made form of worship which is futile in God's eyes on the shoulders of believers.

YHWH God does not require dedication at all.
What He requires is repentance.
It is the first step to walk with God.
For that reason, it happens any time.

The process of baptism as taught by WTS, "accurate knowledge, repentance, turning around, and dedicating in prayer," is not in harmony with the teachings of the Bible.

They have turned Christian baptism into some sort of entrance exam to gain status. It is the Pharisee's way of meticulously making rules out of the scriptures.
So don't be entangled with the WTS' legalism.
This teaching of WTS has forced many people to pursue self-righteousness by works, with the mindset that it is necessary to fulfill their vows and responsibilities as devoted servants of YHWH.
In this manner they shove aside the merit of the Christ's sacrifice.

By means of an unbiblical teaching called dedication to God, WTS drives people to full-time service to God with little balance, encourages a devotional lifestyle, and glorifies self-sacrifice.

This causes some people to burn out their minds from the spirit of faithfully fulfilling their responsibilities, making them feel like a failure, and in the worst case scenario, they commit suicide.

And many pioneers fall into the same trap of self-righteousness as the Israelites, due to the false teachings of the Pharisees.

Mt 15:5-6
5 But YOU say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother: "Whatever I have by which you might get benefit from me is a gift dedicated to God," 6 he must not honor his father at all.' And so YOU have made the word of God invalid because of YOUR tradition.

So do not lead people to the wrong teaching no more, when you baptize someone who accepts the Christ who says in Mt 11:28-30 this.

Mt 11:28-30
28 Come to me, all YOU who are toiling and loaded down, and I will refresh YOU. 29 Take my yoke upon YOU and learn from me, for I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart, and YOU will find refreshment for YOUR souls. 30 For my yoke is kindly and my load is light."

So, stop leading people to organized religion like WT.org., but lead them to the Christ.

Biblical Examples of Baptism

Take into account the two examples of baptism in the Bible.

The man beside Jesus on the pole repented at the final moment. Then he received the promise of life in paradise, though he was not baptized. (Lu 23:40-43)

This episode shows that the the accurate knowledge of God and dedication to God and baptism are not necessarily inevitable for the salvation. Repentance would occur at any time and is the start of salvation. And Christian Baptism represents Repentance.

The jailer who over-watched Paul and Silas got baptized within a day with his family when he saw miracle and earthquake turning his heart toward God. (Ac 16:25-34)

The Christian baptism is the symbol of repentance.
The repented people need to get baptized in the name of Christ in order to be born again Christian.
It is the first step to be born by God's spirit.
Then one needs to be guided by the spirit operating through the Word of God, especially the saying of the Christ as written in Joh 6:63

Joh 6:63
63 It is the spirit that is life-giving; the flesh is of no use at all. The sayings that I have spoken to YOU are spirit and are life.

Mt 28:19 A Questionable Scripture

The wording of Matthew 28:19 is not in harmony with the rest of Scripture.

Mt 28:19
19 Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit,

The phrase "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" should be reconsidered in comparison with the following scriptures.

Ac 2:38
38 Peter [said] to them: "Repent, and let each one of YOU be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of YOUR sins, and YOU will receive the free gift of the holy spirit.

Ac 8:15-16
15 and these went down and prayed for them to get holy spirit. 16 For it had not yet fallen upon any one of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Ac 10:48
48 With that he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they requested him to remain for some days.

Ac 19:5
5 On hearing this, they got baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Ro 6:3
3 Or do YOU not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

Ga 3:27
27 For all of YOU who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Notice there is no mention of Father and holy spirit in these scriptures in relation to the baptism.

The fact of the matter is that the expression " in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit," in Mt 28:19 is added after trinity was established in the forth century. Before that, the ancient Church historian Eusebius appears to have quoted this verse as saying something quite different. Eighteen times between the years 300 and 336-C.E., he cited Matthew 28:19, 20 as saying: 'Go ye and make disciples of all the nations in my name, teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I commanded you.'

So the correct translation would be the following.

Mt 28:18-20 (2001 AEB)
18 Then, coming toward them, Jesus spoke, saying, 'All power has been given me in heaven and on earth. 19 So, go make disciples in all nations in my name, 20 and teach them to obey all the things that I commanded you. {Look!} I'll be with you each day until the end of the age.'

Baptism in Christ's name

What does it mean?
Read again quoted scriptures above.

Those who are baptized in the name of Christ are to receive the holy spirit and to be baptized into death like Christ and to put on Christ.

So the Christian baptism is for the things in the heavens, brothers of Christ, the seeds of Abraham.
From the beginning, we should teach and stress this point according to the scriptures to those who study the Bible with us.

In this manner we work together with God to gather the things in the heavens, the sons of the kingdom.

What the WTS is internationally doing is to shut up the heaven by means of intentional or ignorant false teaching that now is the time of gathering earthly class.

Mt 23:13
13 “Woe to YOU, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because YOU shut up the kingdom of the heavens before men; for YOU yourselves do not go in, neither do YOU permit those on their way in to go in.