Questions about Christian baptism?

Question

What was the purpose of baptism before the arrival of Jesus? (Like what John the Baptist did.) Isn't the point of baptism to receive the Holy Spirit? Which wasn't sent until after Jesus left Earth.

Can one receive the Holy Spirit without being baptised? Must one be baptised to enter Heaven?

According to the Bible, who can perform a baptism?

I would appreciate verses if you happen to know them. Thank you.

Answer 1

Baptism given by John the baptist and Jesus where they first commanded to TURN AWAY FROM SINS. So it denoted like being buried with our sin and emerging as a new person.

Acts 2:38, tells that then we will receive Holy Spirit baptism.

Actually when we love the Lord, we follow His commands and when we ask God in prayer, He will give us Holy Spirit.

Please see this link to know more abt baptism,
http://www.protectinghands.com/baptism.htm

I felt God's guidance very much after my baptism, please read my life change here,
http://www.protectinghands.com/ladder_to_heaven.htm



John 1

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel." 32 Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'

Answer 2

im catholic so im answering ur questions as a catholic
1) the purpose of baptism was 4 the Jewish pple 2 realize the messiah was coming and 2 turn back 2 God it was more washing away sins i believe
2) In Genis, the 1st book of the Bible God said he would "create man in OUR image." this is saying that idk if u believe this but God is 3 pple in one He is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been around since the beginning of time He was just FORMALLY given 2 us after Christ died.
3) idk bout receiving the Holy Spirit w/out being baptised but i will not doubt that it is true u may have the Holy Spirit w/out being baptised if u believe in Him and God and Jesus.
4) No u don't have 2 be as long as u r good and rightous cuz there r many pple good caring pple who r not baptised who i believe will go 2 heaven.
5) well 4 this question i know the answer and where 2 find it yet i lack the verse sorry but only a priest (which include the pope, a bishop, a monsenior, a cardenal, etc) or deacon may this is found in the new testament in matthew or mark where Jesus tells his APOSTLES to go baptise in the name of the FATHER, SON, and HOLY SPIRIT or pretty much in his name
i hope this helped u

Answer 3

I don't have any verses for you - this is the most I know:

I think baptism (after Jesus) was just a way of showing to the world that you accepted Jesus. It was not a requirement for Heaven. Only accepting Jesus is the requirement for Heaven. And I think anybody can baptize you.

Now, different Christian groups have their own versions of this. But I believe this is the basic version.

I used to worry over whether baptism was really needed for heaven or not - but I finally decided not. I figured a good religion is a faith thing - you believe something. Otherwise, in the very last minutes as you die all alone - how do you get baptized? You can accept Jesus in those last minutes. So that is what should count.

Answer 4

The ritual bath is part of many religions as a symbol for gaining purity (cleanliness of body - cleanliness of mind) Jews have long had baths tied to women's periods - something that has become popular again according to news stories. In this as with other aspects, Christianity adopted and adapted and infused with its own meaning and changed meanings. Luke says the Holy Spirit was around before Jesus left Earth.
Luke 3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also was baptized, and as he was praying, heaven was opened,
3:22 And the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.

Answer 5

Pouring, dunking, sprinkling. What is baptism all about? The idea of ceremonial washing or cleansing appears repeatedly in the Mosaic laws of purification. Later Judaism incorporated this meaning of cleansing and purification into its idea of the new covenant relationship and used baptism as a rite of initiation.

Answer 6

for repentance of sin I think, that's why John the baptist said" you should be baptizing me. Jesus said suffer it to be so to fulfill all righteousness" Jesus was our example and first fruits
Matthew 3
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea 2and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." 3This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
"A voice of one calling in the desert,
'Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him
I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"

15Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented

Answer 7

ACTS 10:40 8 "And he commanded them to be baptized interior the call of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry particular days." MARK sixteen:15-sixteen "And he mentioned unto them, bypass ye into all the worldwide, and pontificate the gospel to each creature. He that believeth and is baptized would be saved; yet he that believeth no longer would be damned." GALATIANS 3:27 "For as lots of you as have been baptized into Christ have placed on Christ." ACTS 2:40-one "Then they that gladly gained his be conscious have been baptized: and a similar day there have been further unto them approximately 3 thousand souls." EPHESIANS 4:5 "One Lord, one faith, one baptism."

Answer 8

Acts 2:37-41
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
Peter replied, "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. This promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off - for all whom the Lord our God will call."
With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

What parts are you willing to leave out?

Answer 9

http://www.scripturecatholic.com/baptism.html
answers baptism and its significance


http://www.scripturecatholic.com/baptism_qa.html
a q&a between a catholic expert and protestant.

catholics and protestants have different beliefs regarding baptism. this is a good catholic resource for this and other issues. just added this on so you realize the difference in answers, some protestant denominations even vary from other protestants regarding baptismm as i don't have any resources for them maybe the protestant responses have offered material supporting their claims. hope this helped and god bless.

Answer 10

Baptism is our death, burial, and resurrection in union with Jesus Christ. The results of baptism are: a first and second the resurrection of righteousness; and an intimate and continual communion with God. [Orthodox Study Bible, p. 352] It is essential to the life of the Church. Being essential to the life of the Church, it is by definition an ecclesial event.

Western theology has developed the idea that there is a division between public (ecclesial) and private worship. This division is an error that is a result of the scholastic theology of the West. [Schmemann, Introduction to Liturgical Theology, p. 231]. Baptism does have an individual effect on the recipient, but that does not prevent the overall character of the event from being ecclesial. The personal effect of baptism does not make the character of baptism private. The true purpose of all worship is to constitute the Church, precisely to bring what is private into the new life. [Schmemann, Introduction to Liturgical Theology, p. 241]. In Of Water and the Spirit, Schmemann states that the transformation of baptism into a private ceremony leads to the tragic consequence of baptism’s absence from our liturgy, piety, Christian worldview, and philosophy of life. [Schmemann, pp. 8–101].

There are several individual effects of baptism on the recipient. Our Lord Jesus Christ said, He who believes and is baptized shall be saved [Mark 16:16]. Baptism is necessary to salvation. In baptism we die and are buried with Christ. We are baptized into His death [Romans 6:3]. Our fallen nature is put to death [Carlton, p. 179].

There are two dyings: our death with Christ on the Cross; and our daily dying to sin as we walk in newness of life [Orthodox Study Bible, p. 352]. This burial is made visible by the physical element of the sacrament—water. Through the full immersion of baptism, we are buried with Him in baptism [Colossians 2:12]. This is one of the reasons for the strong preference in the Church for full immersion. In the Church the candidate is immersed three times, in commemoration of Christ’s three-day burial [Carlton, p 82]. Without the full immersion, we lose sight of the connection between baptism and our burial with Christ [Schmemann, pp. 56–57].

The Christian West, through its widespread abandonment of full immersion, has lost sight of the fact that baptism is a burial and resurrection with Christ. Having lost this, the West has had to develop alternative theology for the meaning of baptism [Schmemann, p. 10]. Therefore, the scholastic reduction of the sacrament has led to the development of heresy. Schmemann states, The fundamental rule of liturgical theology…is that the true meaning of each liturgical act is revealed through context…each rite receives its meaning and also its power from that which proceeds it and that which follows [Schmemann, p. 74]. Therefore, changing one part of the sacrament can have profound effects on the rest of the sacrament. Lex orandi est lex credendi. Orthodoxy, by preserving the form of the sacrament of baptism, has also preserved the theology of the sacrament.

Baptism is not just a burial, however. It is also a resurrection. 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 [Romans 6:4]. It is the beginning of an entirely new relationship with life and the world [Schmemann, p. 9]. The old man is dead; the new man is alive in our Lord Jesus Christ.

The second major part of the ritual of baptism is the sacrament of chrismation. In it the recipient is marked with the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit [Hapgood p. 281]. This is the singular gift of the Holy Spirit, for it is the of the Holy Spirit Himself that is given to the recipient [Carlton, p. 193]. In chrismation the Holy Spirit descends on us and abides in us as the personal gift of Christ from His Father [Schmemann, p. 79]. Chrismation is the fulfillment of baptism, just as participation in the eucharist is the fulfillment of chrismation [Schmemann, p. 77]. Likewise, baptism is the preparation for chrismation, which is in turn the preparation for participation in the eucharist. This double rhythm of preparation and fulfillment is at the core of the liturgy, for the function of the liturgy is to make the Church preparation and reveal the Church as fulfillment [Schmemann, p. 17].

Baptism and chrismation are closely connected to the eucharist. Baptism and chrismation are the sacraments of entrance into the life of the Church. They lead us into the life of the Church and unite us with its essential nature [Schmemann, Introduction to Liturgical Theology, p. 25]. Being the sacraments of entrance, baptism and chrismation are intimately connected with the eucharist, because the eucharist is the center and the source of the whole life of the Church.

St. Nicholas Cabasilas explained this connection between baptism, chrismation, and the eucharist:

Baptism confers being and in short, existence according to Christ…The anointing with Chrism erfects him who has received birth by infusing into him the energy that befits such a life. The Holy Eucharist preserves and continues this life and health, since the Bread of Life enables us to preserve that which has been acquired and to continue in life…In this way we live in God [Carlton, p. 203]

In other words, these mysteries are our participation in the life of the Holy Trinity. Baptism and chrismation lead us into that life, and the eucharist is the continuation and fulfillment of that life.

Although there are many personal effects of baptism, it is still an ecclesial, corporate, event in the life of the Church. In the early days of the Church this fact was much more clear. Lent was a time of preparation of catechumens for baptism. Candidates were enrolled at the beginning of Lent [Schmemann, p. 19]. Baptisms took place at Easter, and culminated in the reception of communion by the newly baptized. Baptism was indeed a paschal event, and the liturgy reflects that early character of baptism. The fact that often in modern times baptism is separated from Easter does not keep the essential nature of baptism from being paschal, for the Resurrection is central to the proper understanding of baptism.

Baptism is in the likeness and after the pattern of Christ’s Death and Resurrection [Schmemann, p. 55]. This paschal character of baptism is the key not only to Baptism but to the totality of the Christian faith itself [Schmemann, p. 37]. Christ’s voluntary death and His glorious Resurrection destroyed the power of spiritual death. Baptism is the gift of Christ’s Death and Resurrection to each of us. In Baptism, the Death and Resurrection of Christ are truly fulfilled as His Death for me, His Resurrection for me, and therefore my death in Christ and my resurrection in Him [Schmemann, p. 70].

The whole Church participated in the preparation and fulfillment of baptism [Schmemann, p. 45]. In the Blessing of Water, the test asks that we may be illumined by the light of understanding and piety, and by the descent of the Holy Spirit [Hapgood, p. 276]. Through the blessing of water, the entire Church receives the illumination of the Holy Spirit, is involved in this act of recreation and redemption [Schmemann, p. 421]. The Church itself was renewed by the baptism of new members, and the Church accepted the responsibility for the salvation of the new member. The whole Church was involved in the process of creating the image of Christ in the newly baptized. Baptism is a beginning; it is the recreation of man in Christ and the Holy Spirit. It is the very essence and function of the Church to manifest and fulfill this beginning always and everywhere [Schmemann, p. 47]

Contemporary Orthodox practice certainly varies from parish to parish. In my parish the ecclesial nature of baptism and its connection to the eucharist is very clear. Baptism and chrismation are truly regarded as being ecclesial events in my parish, and are always connected to the eucharist. Baptisms and chrismations always take place during regularly a regularly scheduled divine liturgy. All of this is in keeping with the tradition that baptism and chrismation are corporate, ecclesial, events in the life of the Church. Having baptisms during the course of the divine liturgy ensures the ecclesial and paschal nature Of the Sacrament. It also ensures that the new member of the Church immediately participates in the eucharist.