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Baptism - Explanation

Baptism - Explanation: Encyclopedia II - Baptism - Explanation

The Christian explanation of baptism as the definitive rite, by which the baptized person is indicated to be fully- qualified for participation in the life of the Church, begins with the career of John the Baptist, who was the cousin of Jesus. Those who believe that John was a prophet identify baptism with his message concerning repentance in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. "He [John] went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As is written in the book o ...

Baptism, Baptism - Background in Jewish ritual, Baptism - Explanation, Baptism - Ecumenical statement, Baptism - Roman Catholic Eastern Orthodox Lutheran Anglican and Methodist baptism, Baptism - Baptism and salvation, Baptism - Conditions of the validity of a baptism, Baptism - Baptism by other denominations, Baptism - Who may administer a baptism, Baptism - Baptist and other Protestant baptism, Baptism - Reformed and Covenant Theology view, Baptism - Latter Day Saint baptism, Baptism - Baptism in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Baptism - Jehovah's Witnesses, Baptism - Baptism in Churches of Christ, Baptism - Other baptisms, Baptism - Non-Christian religions, Baptism - Methaphorical Baptisms, Baptism - Related articles and subjects, Baptism - People and ritual objects, Baptism - Resources

Baptism, Baptism - Background in Jewish ritual, Baptism - Baptism and salvation, Baptism - Baptism by other denominations, Baptism - Baptism in Churches of Christ, Baptism - Baptism in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Baptism - Baptist and other Protestant baptism, Baptism - Conditions of the validity of a baptism, Baptism - Ecumenical statement, Baptism - Explanation, Baptism - Jehovah's Witnesses, Baptism - Latter Day Saint baptism, Baptism - Methaphorical Baptisms, Baptism - Non-Christian religions, Baptism - Other baptisms, Baptism - People and ritual objects, Baptism - Reformed and Covenant Theology view, Baptism - Related articles and subjects, Baptism - Resources, Baptism - Roman Catholic Eastern Orthodox Lutheran Anglican and Methodist baptism, Baptism - Who may administer a baptism, Baptism of Jesus, Believers Baptism, Baptism by desire, Infant baptism, Christianity, Theophany, Prevenient Grace, Conditional baptism, Whitsunday, Anabaptist, Chrismation, Christifideles, Consolamentum, Jesus-Name doctrine

Baptism: Encyclopedia II - Baptism - Explanation

Baptism - Explanation

"He [John] went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God's salvation.'" Luke 3:3-6, NIV "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance." Luke 3:8, NIV

John declared that repentance was necessary, prior to forgiveness. There must be a return to God. This implies that the stain of sin is not ineradicable, but can be removed by putting off polluting acts and returning to "the way of the Lord", all of which was symbolized in his baptism.

Christians believe that John also taught that his baptism was not finally sufficient, and that repentance would not attain to its goal of separation from sin, apart from a greater baptism which it was not in his power to give. According to the Gospel of Luke, John taught, "I baptize you with water; but one comes who is stronger than I, of whom I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire; his winnowing fork is in his hand to clean out his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his storehouse, but the chaff he will burn with inextinguishable fire." (Luke 3,16-17) Christians believe that John's baptism shows that the effort to make oneself acceptable to God by repentance would be superseded, made complete by the coming of the Lamb of God that 'takes away' (not 'covers over') sins.

According to the Gospel of John, after John baptized Jesus, he testified concerning him,

"I have seen the Spirit coming down as a dove from heaven, and it remained upon him. And I had not known him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water, that one said to me, On whomever you see the Spirit coming down and remaining upon him, this is the one baptizing with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen, and I have testified that this is the son of God." (John 1,32-34) "Behold the Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world."

From this point on, water baptism became identified with the followers of Jesus, who preached "Repent, for the kingdom of God is near," and explicitly identified the coming of the kingdom with his own appearing.

At the end of his recorded ministry, Jesus charged the Apostles to baptize "in the name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit" in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19), which has become the common formula for baptizing. The Apostles are recorded baptizing only in the name of Jesus in the Book of Acts (Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5) - a fact which figures prominently among groups who reject the trinitarian formula.