Baptism is one of the Seven Sacraments, which are the physical signs of God’s Grace in the world. Through Baptism, God cleanses us of the stain of original sin, passed down to us from Adam and Eve, our first parents. In doing so, He adopts us as His very own children and makes us heirs to Heaven. God the Father makes this possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus, His Son, and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Since salvation is a totally free gift from God, the Church grants parents the right to give this gift to their newborn children. For the unbaptized who are brought to faith in Christ, baptism can be given at any time and cleanses them from all prior sins. For baptism to be valid, it must be done by water (pouring, sprinkling, immersion). There must be proper intent and understanding, and it must be done in the Trinitarian formula of precisely the words, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
“Matthew 28:19-20 “”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…””
John 3:5 “”Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”” The Church interprets “water and Spirit” as referring to baptism.
Mark 16:16 “”He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”” This links baptism directly to salvation.
Acts 2:38 “”Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins…”.
Acts 22:16 “”Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.””
Emphasizes baptism as cleansing from sin.
Romans 6:3-4 “”Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?… so that we too might walk in newness of life.””
Baptism unites us with Christ’s death and resurrection.
Titus 3:5 “”He saved us… by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit.””
Ephesians 4:5 “”One Lord, one faith, one baptism.””
Affirms baptism as a unique, unrepeatable sacrament.
1Peter 3:20 – 21 “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
Baltimore Catechism: Lessons 13, 14, 15″
Illustration by: Colton Rompala