Question for Catholics about Baptism...?

Question

I learned that the Bible describes baptism as a public testimony of faith and identification with Jesus (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-4).

Recently talking with a Catholic, he mentioned that according to Catholicism, baptism washes away original sin.
My question is: can anyone show me where in the Bible this is mentioned?

Catholics, you can make a claim, but what I am asking for is the biblical evidence to back that claim

Answer 1

Gen. 2:17 - the day you eat of that tree, you shall die. Adam and Eve ate of the tree, and they spiritually died. Some Protestant communities ignore or deny the reality of original sin. But if there is no original sin, then we do not need a Savior either. The horrors of our world testify to the reality of original sin.

Gen. 3:14-19 - God's punishment for eating of the tree was cursing satan, increasing women's pain in childbirth, and condemning man to toil and labor for his whole life.

Job 14:1,4 - man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? All humans are afflicted with original sin, and this includes babies as well. This is why the Catholic Church has baptized babies for 2,000 years.

Psalm 51:5 - I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. We have inherited Adam's sin from the moment of our conception. This is why babies need baptism – to wash away the original sin inherited from Adam and Eve.

Rom. 5:12 - sin came into the world through one man, Adam, and death came through this sin. This sin affects all people, men and women, babies and adults. Through the merits of Jesus Christ, we have the sacrament of baptism to wash away the sin that came through Adam.

Rom. 5:14 - death reigned from Adam to Moses, born from Adam's original sin. This is a mystery we do not fully understand, but we must all acknowledge our propensity toward evil and our need of God.

Rom. 5:16 - the judgment following one single trespass brought condemnation for all. This means all have inherited the sin of Adam, and all must be washed clean of this sin in the waters of baptism.

Rom. 5:19 - by one man's disobedience many were made sinners. Original sin is passed on as part of the human condition, and only God in the flesh could atone for our sins by the eternal sacrifice of Himself. Through this sacrifice, God has re-opened the doors to heaven, and through baptism, we are once again made children of God.

1 Cor. 15:21 - for by one man came death. In Adam, all die. In Christ, the new Adam, all now may live.

Eph. 2:1-3 - we were all dead through sin and all lived in the passions of our flesh until Christ came to save us.

Answer 2

Catholicism IS a denomination of Christianity, so this is like asking for the version between a flower and a tulip. So which different sect of Christianity do you advise? Anglicans? Protestants? Lutherans? seventh Day Adventists? Methodists? Episcopalians? Quakers? Jehovah's Witnesses? Mormons? Baptists? Presbyterians? Orthodox? somebody else? some them do baptisms, a number of them do no longer. And those that do, do no longer unavoidably do them the comparable way as others might. as an occasion, one distinction between how Baptists do baptisms in assessment to how Catholics do baptisms, is that Catholics baptize at infancy (till they're getting a convert) while Baptists do no longer carry out a baptism till the participant is sufficiently previous to appreciate what's happening. some sects do complete physique immersion, some sects only sprinkle the water, etc.

Answer 3

+ Baptism and Original Sin +

Acts 2:38 states: Peter (said) to them, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit.

Acts 22:16 states: Now, why delay? Get up and have yourself baptized and your sins washed away, calling upon his name.

John 3:5 states: Jesus answered, "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.

These are only a few of the scriptures that state that Christian Baptism forgives all sin which would include the effects of original sin.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic church, sections 1262 and folowing: http://www.nccbuscc.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2.htm#1261

+ Sources of Doctrine +

The Catholic Church does not use Holy Scripture as the only basis of doctrine. It could not. The early Catholic church existed before and during the time that the New Testament was written (by Catholics).

There were hundreds of Christian writings during the first and second centuries. Which New Testament writings would become official was not fully decided until about 400 AD.

Catholics believe that the Holy Spirit was guiding the early church (and is guiding the church today) to make the correct choices about things like:
+ The Holy Trinity (which is also only hinted at in the Bible)
+ Going to church on Sunday instead of Saturday (which is actually directly against one of the Ten Commandments)
+ The Communion of Saints
+ Which writings include in the New Testament?

Things that are even more modern like
+ Slavery is bad. Slavery is never declared evil in the Bible. This was one of the justifications for slavery in the Confederate States.
+ Democracy is good. The Bible states that either God should be the leader of the nation like Israel before the kings or kings should be the leader, "Give to Caesar that which is Caesar's." This was talked about a lot during the American Revolution.

This second source of doctrine is called Apostolic Tradition.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sections 80 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect1chpt2.htm#80

+ With love in Christ.

Answer 4

Okay, As Catholic I will try to answer this allow I am not a Theologian, the first effect of Baptism is to be saved by grace which come from the sacrifice of the Lord,however Baptism according to the Catholic church has another effect which is to cleanse away the stain of original sin of our first parents.
All are born into the world with the stain of original sin or else we would be all sinless and would have no need of Christ`s sacrifice in the first place, as original sin is what separates us from friendship with God it is the Sacrament of Baptism that we are restored to full grace.

Answer 5

That is a tough one. I'll try:

ROM 6:4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.


COL 2:13 And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,

ACT 22:16 'And now why do you delay? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.

I think the last one might be the one you are looking for.

Answer 6

to ihatehipp: Acts 22:16 does not say that baptism will wash away sins, rather it is calling upon his (God's) name.

It is mostly because after one made a dedication to God, he follows a new course of life, one that is far from the crooked way.

Answer 7

I doubt that exists in the bible.

Baptism is as you said a public declaration of one's dedication of his life to God. It does not wash away sin but when one is lowered into the water, this symbolizes the death of his old self, when he rose again from the water, this symbolizes his new life in God.

Ever wonder what babies know about baptism? and why are only their forehead being wet?

Jesus was baptized when he was 30 years old.

Answer 8

Ananias says to Paul, "Brother Saul, regain your sight!" Paul tells us, "In that very hour I regained my sight and saw him. Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear his own voice; for you will be his witness to all the world of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you delay? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name’" (Acts 22:13-16).

Answer 9

As you know, Christ was the first to experience Baptism. It was called this after John the Baptist. So this is a rite of Baptist. Sice this rite belongs to the Baptist, the priest thumps a little water on those sinner Catholics. They need a lot of water too. My man and me were thumped at the same time. He and I go through thump afer thump. We get thumped from the top of our head all the way past our thumped rump and to out little toes. The bible says. "from the crown of the head to the toes of the feet"

With love in Christ.

Answer 10

Catholics baptize babies who are sinless. What does infant baptism mean to an infant?