You’re right, a lot of what the Apostles taught may not have been written down. But in their letters to various churches, they addressed the most important aspects, as well as the most common heresies. Would God have allowed something vitally important to salvation to be forgotten? The authors may have been men, but the words of scipture are breathed from God, and He is a reliable source.
If the number of immersions was vitally important, would they not have put that down?
We are not aware that the whole of the early church practiced triple immersion. Our source material here is limited, but as far as I’m aware, the number of immersions was not a matter of contention.
I agree that the most logical formula would be three immersions, and this is entirely valid from both a logicl and symbolic level... but is salvation a matter of formulae and ritual? Does salvation depend upon men following a ritual?
Or is salvation dependant entirely upon God? If it is dependant upon God, is it ritual and the symbolism/ritual of men that is important, or the spirit and truth which are written in our hearts?
It's a valid question. But the point is that it was not forgotten. It was preserved in the practice of the primitive Church onward, the liturgy and the writings of the earliest of gathers.
I agree that the most logical formula would be three immersions, and this is entirely valid from both a logical and symbolic level... but is salvation a matter of formulae and ritual?
The immersion (based on the choice of the word, namely baptiso) is multiple. Whether two immersions, or four, five or six is meaningful is a matter of debate. I think they would not even be symbolic.
Laying of the hands and baptizing, are all rituals. Christ performed a ritual when he broke the bread. Washing of the feet was a ritual. Worship is a ritual. I don't remember God outlawing rituals.
So, if we are going to have rituals, they must be meaningful and in concern with what they represent. In most Protestant assemblies, there is an open bible to signify access to heaven. That in itself is a ritual. The access to heaven is available with or without an open bible.
The Lord tells us not to pray in public. yet do we not practice public prayers on various occasions?
One cannot argue about triple immersions and offer nothing else as a valid substitute. The early church practiced triple immersion. Didache practiced it during the time of the living Apostles who walked with the Lord.