I am a Jesus pusher!!! The Jews of the Dispersion were cut to the heart with the reality of their spiritual condition. Peter gave them these instruction, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,” (Acts 2:38). The usual form of baptism is into (eis) the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). However, Peter changed the approach to in (epi) the name of Jesus Christ. This does not indicate the formula to be said over the individual. The debate between the two formulas misses the point of the passage.
The name of Jesus Christ is simply an expression referring to the person Himself. It is not a reference to something attached to Him, but to the entirety of what is contained in His person. This is not a baptism by the authority of Jesus Christ, but a baptism based upon the foundation of His very person. “Baptism” means to immerse, submerge, to overwhelm, or saturate. The Jews are to be submerged and saturated into the very person of Jesus! Jesus is the fulfillment of the law. He now will be the foundation of their lives. As the law dictated their actions, schedules, and perspective of life, they will be saturated in the Spirit of Jesus who will shape and form their lives.
I want to be submerged into Jesus. I want His Spirit to encompass my life and reshape all my living according to His person. I am a Jesus pusher!!!