Books – Baptism

Holy Baptism

Holy Baptism

The subject of baptism revolves around in five salient points:

(1) What is the importance of baptism and what are its efficacious?

The Orthodox believe that baptism is the way to receive salvation, purification, justification, renewal of life and membership in the Body of Christ? While these things, according to the Protestant denominations, are only received by faith? If the latter is correct, what is then, the use of baptism? Is it just a sign of Christianity? Or is it merely an obedience to the Lord’s commandment: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt.28: 19)?

(2) Should who administer baptism?

Baptism in the Orthodox Church is administered only by the clergy.

(3) We believe that baptism is one of the Church Sacraments

(4) We baptise by immersion in water

(5) We baptise infants on the belief of their parents

Baptism Importance contd.:

(1) Salvation is completed through baptism

(2) Through baptism we receive the Second Birth which is of water and the Spirit

(3) Baptism washes away sins

(4) In baptism there is forgiveness of sins

One may ask: How are sins forgiven in baptism? We reply:

(5) Baptism is dying with the Lord Jesus Christ and rising with Him

The Apostle says: “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him” (Rom.6: 8).

Therefore, baptism is essential for salvation because it is sharing in Christ’s death. It is a belief in death as a means to life and it is a confession that the wages of sin is death. In chapter six of the Epistle to the Romans, we notice two important points:

(6) Another Result of baptism is newness of life

The Apostle says: “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Rom.6: 4). The new life is the life we receive through baptism.

Therefore our old nature is renewed in baptism. How?

(7) In baptism we put on Christ

The Apostle says: “For as many of you as were baptised into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal.3: 27). Is there a more powerful phrase than this to signify the great efficacy of baptism? We put on Christ… We put on His righteousness which He bestows upon us in baptism, we put on salvation which He bestows upon us in baptism by His blood, we put on God’s image (Gen.1: 26) which we lost through the original sin.

(8) In baptism we become members of the Church

It is known that in circumcision a part of the body is cut off and it dies. This refers to the complete death in baptism.

Source: Baptism, Comparative Theology, a book by H. H. Pope Shenouda III (Pope 117)

Link: https://st-takla.org/books/en/pope-shenouda-iii/comparative-theology/baptism.html