6.0 Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ

This is what Peter taught on the Day of Pentecost, when the disciples actually began to fulfill Christ's commandment to "teach all nations:"

ACTS 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

The Name of Jesus Christ was a consistent part of what Peter taught:

ACTS 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 
ACTS 4:11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 
ACTS 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 

Peter, being one of the eleven, was a chosen witness of not only suffering and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but also of the message of 1) repentance, and 2) remission of sins being preached in the name of Jesus Christ (per Luke 24:45-48)!!  Jesus Himself said:

MATTHEW 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

At Acts 2:38, Peter understood what Jesus meant when He said Matthew 28:19.  (We must remember that Peter was there on the day of Pentecost—we were not.  Jesus chose Peter (and the other apostles) to teach us the ways of the Lord.  And what did they teach, where names are concerned?  First, we can re-read Acts 2:38 and Acts 4:10-12 again (as quoted above).  In addition, we should observe that the word "trinity" is never in the Bible-not even once!  Furthermore, it should be noted that nowhere in the bible was anyone ever baptized, saying, "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost"—not even once! 

What the Apostles did is recorded in the book of Acts (which is why that book is properly called "The Acts of the Apostles").  If the words "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" were used in any context in the book of Acts (including baptism), then it would be mentioned, at least somewhere.  (Ordinarily, "word-counting Bible studies" are of little value, but in this instance it may be necessary in order to punctuate this point.)

6.1 Searching for that phrase

The word "Father" is part of the phrase "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."  A complete list of every instance of the word "father" in the Book of Acts can be found in Strongs Exhaustive Concordance, Complete and Unabridged, Compact Edition, by James H. Strong, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, concordance p. 338.  What follows is a complete list of each time the word "father" as used in the Book of Acts:

• 1st instance:
  ACTS 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 
  
  This verse is not about baptism, but of the upcoming day of Pentecost.  "The promise of the Father" refers to the gift of the Holy Ghost. 
• 2nd instance:
  ACTS 1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 
  
  This verse is about times and seasons—not baptism.  Furthermore, the Father is the only one of the three Nouns mentioned—no trinity here. 
• 3rd instance:
  ACTS 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 
  ACTS 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 
  
  This verse is not about water baptism.  The word "Father" is used here only to identify who sent the Holy Ghost.  Granted, all three Nouns are mentioned, but that hardly says anything at all about a trinity.  Remember, we're still examining Jesus' command at Matthew 28:19, and how Peter understood it.  We are comparing Christ's instructions with how Peter obeyed at Acts 2:38, and with what he taught at Acts 4:10-12. 
• 4th instance:
  ACTS 7:2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,
  
  Here, the word "father" refers to Abraham—not to God. 
• 5th instance:
  ACTS 7:4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. 
  
  Here, the word "father" refers to Terah, the father of Abram.  (Genesis 11:31 through Genesis 12:5).  God is not mentioned here. 
• 6th instance:
  ACTS 7:14 Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls. 
  
  Here, the word "father" refers to Jacob, the father of Joseph—not to God. 
• 7th instance:
  ACTS 7:16 And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem. 
  
  Here, the word "father" refers to Emmor, the father of Sychem—not to God. 
• 8th instance:
  ACTS 16:1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
  
  Here, the word "father" refers to Timotheus' father—not to God. 
• 9th instance:
  ACTS 16:3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek. 
  
  Again, the word "father" refers to Timotheus' father—not to God. 
• 10th instance:
  ACTS 28:8 And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. 
  
  Here, the word "father" refers Publius' dad—not to God. 

That's all!  That's every instance of the word "father" in the book of Acts.  The phrase "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" is not in the book of Acts; Nobody was ever baptized in these titles, nor by saying anything about a trinity. 

Christ's command at Matthew 28:19 was obeyed, because Peter understood that the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is "Jesus Christ!!"  (Just as the name of the first President, and of the first Commander–in–chief, and of the first Chief Executive, etc., is "George Washington," for example. )

In previous Bible Studies, we discussed at great length that God had indeed come to the earth in the Old Testament in various different forms (manifestations), and we pointed out that God had come in the form of a man on no less than five (5) previous occasions.  For more information on this topic, please refer to the Bible study series on the Godhead.