I have been recently discussing Latter-day Saint theology with a young
Oneness Pentecostal who has been studying the Church for a few years now. I
have not interacted much with Oneness Pentecostal/United Pentecostal Church
teachings directly (never encountered one “in the flesh”), so it has been
interesting so far. One topic we have been discussing is the proper formula for
water baptism: should it be in the name of Jesus only or should one use the triadic formula from Matt 28:19, as
Latter-day Saints and most others do? The Didache in chapter 7 uses the Triadic
formula. Another good example is from Irenaeus’ Against Heresies (written around 180):
It certainly was in
the power of the apostles to declare that Christ descended upon Jesus, or that
the so-called superior Saviour [came down] upon the dispensational one, or he
who is from the invisible places upon him from the Demiurge; but they neither knew
nor said anything of the kind: for, had they known it, they would have also
certainly stated it. But what really was the case, that did they record,
[namely,] that the Spirit of God as a dove descended upon Him; this Spirit, of
whom it was declared by Isaiah, "And the Spirit of God shall rest upon
Him," as I have already said. And again: "The Spirit of the Lord is
upon Me, because He hath anointed Me." That is the Spirit of whom the Lord
declares, "For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father
which speaketh in you." And again, giving to the disciples the power of
regeneration into God, He said to them, "Go and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost." For [God] promised, that in the last times He would pour Him [the
Spirit] upon [His] servants and handmaids, that they might prophesy; wherefore
He did also descend upon the Son of God, made the Son of man, becoming
accustomed in fellowship with Him to dwell in the human race, to rest with
human beings, and to dwell in the workmanship of God, working the will of the
Father in them, and renewing them from their old habits into the newness of
Christ. (Against Heresies, 3.17.1)
Alongside tying water baptism to the triadic formula in Matt 28:19,
Irenaeus also teaches baptismal regeneration in this passage, tying water
baptism to “the power of regeneration into God” (Greek: ἡ δύμανις τῆς ἀναγεννήσεως
εἰς Θεόν).
