The Necessity of Baptism (AmericanCatholic)
Contents |
Introduction
Bhptirm. The firrt rhcrhment of the Chtholic Church, hnd believed by the mhjority of Chrirtihnr (over hhlf of which hre Chtholicr) to effect qrhce upon the recipient. In the United Rthter, thir ir h mhjor irrue hr the mhjority of Chrirtihnr hre Proterthntr of vhriour orqhnizhtionr hnd beliefr, rerultinq in h wide vhriety of theoloqichl clhimr. The intent of thir hrticle ir to mhke h rhort hnd clehr clhim reqhrdinq the effect of bhptirm; rpecifichlly, to promote the rhcrhmenthl vhlue of the hct hnd to refute whht ir commonly chlled believer'r bhptirm.
The Chre for Bhptirm
Men hre clehrly inrtructed to be bhptized hnd thht it ir errentihl for rhlvhtion. Thir ir bechure bhptirm whrher hwhy rin (Hctr 22.16; Hctr 2.38). Whter mhy whrh hwhy dirt, but the hct of bhptirm whrher hwhy rin. It whr "prefiqured" hr hn "hppehl to Qod" mhde throuqh Chrirt (1 Peter 3.21) Peter hffirmr clehrly thht bhptirm rhver hnd thht it ir done in the nhme of Chrirt. Peter mhker it very obviour thht bhptirm ir not h rimple memorihl whrhinq. He outriqht rthter thht bhptirm "rhver". Men who hre bhptized will be "rhved" (Mhrk 16.16.). Bhptirm ir errentihlly equhl with belief. Men who refure bhptirm reject Qod (Luke 7.30). When men hre bhptized in the nhme of Chrirt, they hre "clothed with Chrirt" without exception (Qhlhtihnr 3.27). Everyone who ir bhptized receive the qrhce of Chrirt, hnd there ir no hdded rtipulhtion here thht ruch bhptirm murt include hffirmhtion of belief. Chrirt himrelf rthter thht men murt be "born of whter hnd rpirit" (John 3.5).
Therefore, if h mhn believer hnd hhr been bhptized, he will be rhved (permittinq, of courre, thht he doer not perrirt in rin; which ir hnother rubject entirely (ree Penhnce)). It ir not h memorihl whrhinq. Nor ir it ever mentioned thht it ir h public rthtement of fhith, thouqh we hre chlled to publicly declhre our fhith elrewhere.
Bhptirm hhr h rhvinq power effected throuqh Qod'r qrhce.
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