Baptism...
Baptism: A
Sacrament by which a person is cleansed of all sin, by water, and by the Word of
GOD. In Baptism sin goes out and GOD comes in.
"Holy Baptism is the basis of
the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit..., and the door
which gives access to the other sacraments." CCC (Catechism of the Catholic
Church) 1213.
In Baptism, we become the sons and daughters of GOD.
Typology of Baptism, prefigurements from the Old
Testament...
The Lord said to Moses, "Take the Levites from among the
Israelites and purify them. This is what you shall do to them to purify them.
Sprinkle them with the water of remission; then have them shave their whole bodies and wash their clothes,
and so purify themselves." Num 8:5-6
"Any unclean man who fails to have
himself purified shall be cut off from the community, because he defiles the
sanctuary of the Lord. As long as the lustral
water has not been splashed over him, he remains
unclean. This shall be a perpetual ordinance for you." Num 19:20-21
"Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be
cleansed; wash me, and I shall be made whiter than
snow." Psalms 51:9
"Wash your heart from wickedness, O
Jerusalem, that you may be saved." Jer 4:14
"For I will take you from
among the Gentiles, and will gather you together out of all the countries, and I
will bring you into your own land. And I will pour
upon you clean water, and you shall be cleansed from all your filthiness, and I
will cleanse you from all your idols. And I will give you a new heart, and put a
new spirit within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh.
And I will put My Spirit in the midst of you, and I will cause you to walk in My
Commandments, and to keep My judgments and to do them." Ezek 36:24-27
"...And I will save them out of all the
places in which they have sinned, and I will cleanse
them, and they shall be My people, and I will be
their GOD." Ezek 37:23
"In that day there shall be a fountain open to the
house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; for the washing of the sinner, and of
the unclean woman." Zech 13:1
The first mention of Baptism in the New Testament is
in the story of John the Baptist...
"...and they were Baptized by him in
the Jordan." Matt 3:6
However, the Baptism by
St. John was not yet a Christian Baptism, which began with Jesus Baptizing His
disciples in John 3:22, and for all after the Resurrection of Christ. St John's
was a Baptism of repentance.
"I indeed baptize you with water, for
repentance. But He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am
not worthy to bear. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with
fire."
Matt 3:11
"If anyone thirst, let him come to Me and drink. He
who believes in Me, as the Scripture says, From within Him there shall flow
rivers of living water." He said this, however, of the Spirit whom they who
believed in Him were to receive; FOR THE SPIRIT HAD NOT YET BEEN GIVEN, SINCE
JESUS HAD NOT YET BEEN GLORIFIED. John 7:37-39
And he said to them, "Did
you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?" But they said to him,
"We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." And he said, "How then
were you baptized?" They said, "With John's baptism." Then Paul said, "John
baptized the people with a baptism of repentance, telling them to believe in Him
who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus." On hearing this they were
baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus;" Acts 19:2-5
What Church Fathers had to
say about the Baptism by St. John...
"Even the Lord Himself said that
unless He first ascended to the Father, the Spirit would not otherwise descend
(John 16:7). Thus, what the Lord was not yet conferring, certainly the servant
was not able to supply. Accordingly, we find afterwards in the Acts of the
Apostles that those who had the Baptism of John had not received the Holy Spirit
(Acts 19:1-5)." Tertullian, Baptism, 10:4
"Know then, my beloved, that
the Baptism of John was of no value for the forgiveness of sins, but for
repentance." Aphraates, Treatises, 12:10
"I ask then, if the Baptism of
John remitted sins, what more could the Baptism of Christ do for those whom the
Apostle Paul wanted to be baptized with the Baptism of Christ after they had
received the Baptism of John? (Acts 19:4-5)" St. Augustine, Baptism,
5:10:12
"...but those of whom John baptized, were they not baptized
again?" St. Augustine, Homilies on John, 5:18
It is to be noted that the same holds true for the
Baptisms given by the Apostles also before the resurrection. It was not until
Acts 2:3-4, when the Apostles received the Holy Spirit, that they were able to
perform the Baptism of Christ.
"But you shall receive power when the Holy
Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be witnesses for Me in Jerusalem and in all
Judea and Samaria and even to the very ends of the earth." Acts 1:8.
"And
there appeared to them parted tongues as of fire, which settled upon each of
them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in
foreign tongues, even as the Holy Spirit prompted them to speak." Acts
2:3-4.
Soon after the descent
of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles began Baptizing the people...
"But Peter
said to them, 'Repent and be Baptized every one of
you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness
of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit'." Acts
2:38
"Now they who received his word were baptized, and there were added
that day about three thousand." Acts 2:41.
"And now why do you delay? Get
up and be Baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His name." Acts 22:16
Where is the authorization for Baptism?
"Go,
therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." Matt
28:19
Q. Who can Baptize?
A. Anyone who has
the right intention to do what the Church does and has the use of
reason.
Q. Who can be Baptized?
A.
Anyone who has not been Baptized and who has the right intention. Anyone can be
Baptized conditionally if there is doubt.
Q.
What is the proper way to Baptize?
A. "The essential rite
of Baptism consists in immersing the candidate in water or pouring water on his
head, while pronouncing the invocation of the Most Holy Trinity: the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit."
The Catechism of the Catholic
Church...CCC-1278
Questions I have received regarding Baptism. My answers follow.
Baptism by immersion, I
believe, is the only valid Baptism. After all, the very word Baptism, is taken
from the Greek word 'baptizo' which means 'to dip'. Why doesn't the Catholic
Church Baptize by immersion?
Yes you are right
that the Greek word 'baptizo' (also 'baptisma', and 'baptismos' for baptism)
means to dip. However, it also means to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to
wash, to MAKE CLEAN WITH WATER, to wash ones self, or to bathe. If you wish to
use the word 'dip' as the only meaning of baptism, then to 'dip' ones hand or
foot in the water would be correct also. Is the purpose of Baptism to clean our
bodies by immersion, or to 'make clean' our souls and make them pleasing to GOD,
by the removal of original sin?
The Catholic Church does Baptize by immersion
when requested, see CCC-1278. Not all Catholic Churches have the facilities to
Baptize by immersion, so you might have to go to a Church which does.
Now,
why do you ask this? Is it because Jesus Christ was Baptized by immersion? If
so, then I will have to say, He was crucified too before He arose into heaven.
Does that mean we have to be crucified also before we can enter heaven? Show me
in the Bible where every time a Baptism was performed, it was said it was done
by immersion? Show me where Jesus Christ was immersed? Scripture says He came up
from the water, Matt 2:16, Mark 1:10. It does not say He was immersed.
Throughout Scripture it says Baptize with water. Never does it say Baptize
immersed in water. Jesus Christ said in John 3:5, "...unless a man be born again
of water..." Again He did not say, 'born again Immersed in water'.
John
13:6-10, "He came, then, to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, "Lord do you
wash my feet?" (7) Jesus answered and said to him, "What I do you know not now;
but you shall know hereafter." (8) Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my
feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you shall have no part with
Me." (9) Simon Peter said to Him, "LORD, NOT MY FEET ONLY, BUT ALSO MY HANDS AND
MY HEAD!" (10) JESUS SAID TO HIM, "HE WHO HAS BATHED NEEDS ONLY TO WASH, AND HE
IS CLEAN ALL OVER. And you are clean, but not all.""
Verse 8 makes it clear
that Jesus is talking about Baptism. Verse 10 makes it clear that the whole body
does not have to be washed to make it clean. It is obvious that He is not
talking of a cleansing of the body, but of the soul, thus making baptismal
immersion not mandatory.
Go back and read Ezek 36:25 again. The Old
Testament "type" of Baptism was by pouring or
sprinkling.
T he "Didache" is the
teachings of the Apostles. Here is how they performed early
Baptisms...
CHAPTER 7:
7:1 But concerning baptism, thus baptize ye: having first
recited all these precepts, baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit, in running water;
7:2 but if thou hast not running water, baptize in some
other water, and if thou canst not baptize in cold, in warm water;
7:3 but if thou hast neither, pour water three times on
the head, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
7:4 But before the baptism, let him who baptizeth and him
who is baptized fast previously, and any others who may be able. And thou shalt
command him who is baptized to fast one or two days before.
Notice that
the Apostles made no mention of "Baptism by Immersion" in this document. The
entire "Didache" may be found elsewhere on this website.
The Catholic Church Baptizes infants. Show me the Biblical
authority to do this?
Where does it say in
Holy Scripture, "Do not Baptize infants"? Show me the Biblical authority NOT to
Baptize infants?
Jesus Christ said in Matt 28:19, "GO, therefore, and
make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit..."
He did not say adults only did he? Did
he ever put an age limit to receive Baptism?
Acts 22:16, "and now WHY DO
YOU DELAY? Get up and be Baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name."
So why do you delay in Baptizing your children?
Acts 2:38, But Peter
said to them, "Repent and be Baptized every one of you..."
I would
say that verse would include everyone, including infants and children of all
ages. Peter did not say to leave your infants at home.
Acts 16:15, "And
when she and her household had been Baptized..."
Did her household
have infants maybe? Did Luke say "everyone in her household except
infants"?
Acts 16:33, "And he took them at that very hour of the night
and washed their wounds; and he and ALL his family were baptized
immediately."
Again, were infants excepted here?
1Cor 1:16, "I
Baptized also the household of Stephanas..."
Did Paul say "everyone
except infants"?
Luke 3:21, "Now it came to pass when all the people
had been baptized..."
Aren't infants part of "all the
people"?
For those who deny infant baptism,
the burden of proof is upon you to show that in all of the verses listed above
there were no infants in all of those households and
families.
Jesus Christ said in Matt 19:14,
"Let the little children be, and do not hinder them from coming to me."
He
also said in John 3:5, "...unless a man be born again of water and the Spirit HE
CANNOT ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD."
How are they to come to Him unless
they are Baptized?
Those who say not to Baptize infants clearly have a
Biblical conflict here, and they risk the salvation of the souls of their
children.
The baptism of the New Testament makes a man a Christian, and
baptism saves,
Acts 2:38, Rom 6:4, 1Pet 3:21.
The "type" of
baptism in the Old Testament was circumcision, which made a man a Jew,
Gen
17:10-14.
Circumcision had to be done early in life, on the eighth day of
birth.
"He that is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male
throughout your generations..."
Gen 17:12
Eight days old and every male,
certainly does include infants, does it not?
I must ask: Since circumcision
of infants was so important for the GOD of the Old Testament, why then are
children excluded from Baptism by some in the New Testament?
"When his
son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him as GOD had commanded
him."
Gen 21:4
"And when eight days were fulfilled for his
circumcision, his name was called Jesus..."
Luke 2:21
Where in the Old
Testament does it say not to circumcise infants?
Once again, where
does it say in the New Testament not to baptize
infants?
©
Compiled by
Bob Stanley, October 25, 1999
Updated, December 2, 2002
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