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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, teaching them
to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always,
to the close of the age.
Matthew 28:19
Baptism is an incredibly important act, so much that Jesus connects it
to the mission of the Church to the whole world. So, what actually
does happen at baptism?
- Adoption as God's Children – St. Paul
mentions that we become joint heirs with Christ, that is children of
God. Because we are adopted children of God, in baptism, God becomes
our Father and Christ becomes our brother (Romans 8:14-17; Galatians
3:26-28).
- Incorporated into Christ's Body, the Church
– A baptized person is incorporated into and becomes a member of
Christ's Body, the Church. We no longer belong to ourselves, but to
Jesus (1 Corinthians 12).
- Receive an Indelible Spiritual Mark –
Baptism makes a permanent imprint on our soul. We are sealed forever
as Christ's own, even if we fail to live for Christ and choose a
life of sin. We believe this so strongly that a person baptized in
another tradition (that uses the Trinitarian formula of Father, Son,
and Spirit) is never re-baptized. Only one valid baptism is
necessary (2 Corinthians 1:22, Ephesians 1:13, 4:30).
- Buried and Raised with Christ – In the
Sacrament of baptism we are buried with Christ and also raised with
him. Our old self is gone and we are new creatures. What a wonderful
sacrament where we are unified with our Lord in his incarnation
(Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12)
- Forgiveness of Sins – In the Sacrament
of baptism, God forgives all of our sins, both original and
personal. This doesn't mean we stop sinning or we no longer need to
confess our sins, just that God in his mercy makes us new creatures
and removes the barriers keeping us from the Kingdom of God (Acts
2:38, 1 Peter 3:21, 22).
- Illumination/Enlightenment – The Church
believes that at baptism we become enlightened in our understanding
of the Faith. As we grow in our Christian life that illumination
continues.
- New Birth – In baptism, we are born
again, that is, we are regenerated by the Holy Spirit, and receive
the same Spirit. As newborn children of God we become partakers of
the divine nature, a joint heir with Christ, and a temple of the
Holy Spirit (John 3:1-5, Titus 3:4-8).
- Mark of Sacramental Unity – The
Catholic Church teaches that baptism is a bond of unity among all
Christians even those not in Communion with her. It allows Catholics
to call other validly baptized Christians, "brothers and sisters."
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