Acts 2:38
38 And Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. NAS
From this one verse Oneness comes up with this progression of events:
- Repentance - a type of death to the Adam nature
- Water baptism - a type of buriel which is for the remission sins
- Spirit baptism - a type of resurrection
However, other sections of Acts do not support this assertion. Phillip evangelized and baptized the Samaritan’s in Acts 8, but the Samaritan’s did not receive the Holy Spirit until Peter and John arrived and
laid hands on them in Acts 8:16. Acts 8 does not record “tongues” as a sign the Samaritan’s were baptized in the Holy Spirit.
In Acts 10 Peter is sent to Cornelius and Luke records:
Acts 10:44-48
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. 45 And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also. 46 For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, 47 "Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?" 48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days. NAS
The gentiles were
baptized in or gifted by the Holy Spirit before they were baptized.
The other section of Acts that Oneness and other Pentecostals who believe that tongues is the only sign of baptism of the Holy Spirit is found in:
Acts 19:4-7
5 And when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying. 7 And there were in all about twelve men. NAS
Here again we read that Paul
laid hands on these 12 men
before they spoke in tongues and
prophesied.
Now lets go back to Acts 2:38 and review what Peter said:
you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
What is the gift of the Holy Spirit? Paul deals with this question extensively in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14 (where tongues is listed as the least of the gifts of the Spirit).
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. NAS
1 Corinthians 14:21-25
22 So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers, but to those who believe. 23 If therefore the whole church should assemble together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you. NAS
Now lets go back to Acts 2 where the 120 spoke in tongues for the reason these men and women spoke in tongues:
Acts 2:5-13
5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because they were each one hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and marveled, saying, "Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 "And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? 9 "Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs-- we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God. " 12 And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13 But others were mocking and saying, "They are full of sweet wine." NAS
We see the gift of tongues being used as Paul taught it should be used. In Acts 10 the Jews came to understand gentiles were to receive God’s truth concerning Jesus Christ because Cornelius received the gift of tongues as a sign to Jews who believed Jesus was only for the Jews.
Now lets address baptism. Is baptism an option for a Christian? No, Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:
Matthew 28:19-20
19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. " NAS
Oneness advocates then turn to a few accounts in Acts and some historical information that does not record actual baptisms to teach baptism in the name of Jesus only. This violates a direct commandment from Jesus Himself that disciples are to be baptized in the name (authority) of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Look at verse 20 “teaching them to observe all that I commanded you”. What was the baptismal formula Jesus commanded be used?
The apostles taught by the authority of Jesus and we can discern that when they preached they said “be baptized in the name of Jesus” and then baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in obedience to the commandment of Jesus.
Now lets put your “prooftexts” in context.
Mark 16:15-18
15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. 17 "And these signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it shall not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. " NAS
It is those who do not believe (not those who are not baptized) who are condemned.
1 Peter 3:13-22
13 And who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, 15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; 16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. 18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. 21 And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience-- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him. NAS
Baptism does not save you, it is God who saves by conviction via our conscience.
Now lets looks at some Scripture you did not mention in your post.
Ephesians 5:25-27
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; 26 that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word (not baptism), 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless. NAS
Titus 3:4-7
4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. NAS
You need to study Titus 3 very carefully as this chapter alone defeats your Jesus is the name of God thesis. Here you have God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit all involved in our salvation. It is the Holy Spirit who regenerates us, not baptism. Notice that Paul writes that both God and Jesus Christ are our savior and our salvation is assured by the finished sacrifice of Jesus plus the regeneration of the Holy Spirit? Our salvation does not depend on anything we do, our salvation is the sole work of the Father (who so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son); Jesus the Son who atoned for our sins; and the Holy Spirit who enables us to live an obedient life.
Repent is what Peter preached. But how do we repent?
Romans 2:4
4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? NAS
2 Timothy 2:24-26
24 And the Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. NAS
BTW, your opening Scripture should be:
1 Corinthians 15:1-5
1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. NAS
Not
1 Corinthians 15:22
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. NAS