Baptism and mortal sin question

[DLedoux]

Does baptism get rid of mortal sin?

 

[fide]

Catechism 978 - “When we made our first profession of faith while receiving the holy Baptism that cleansed us, the forgiveness we received then was so full and complete that there remained in us absolutely nothing left to efface, neither original sin nor offenses committed by our own will, nor was there left any penalty to suffer in order to expiate them… Yet the grace of Baptism delivers no one from all the weakness of nature. On the contrary, we must still combat the movements of concupiscence that never cease leading us into evil “<Roman Catechism I, 11,3>

 

[DLedoux]

Thank you for responding to my question Fide. The catechism can be difficult to understand

 

[Vico]

Does baptism get rid of mortal sin?

Yes.

Catechism

1265 Baptism not only purifies from all sins, but also makes the neophyte “a new creature,” an adopted son of God, who has become a "partaker of the divine nature,"69 member of Christ and co-heir with him,70 and a temple of the Holy Spirit.71

1272 Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ. Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark ( character ) of his belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation.83 Given once for all, Baptism cannot be repeated.

 

[fide]

The catechism can be difficult to understand

I know it can be. It can take a while to get used to the “style” of formal Catholic teachings - they can be so dense with meaning, and (often, at least traditionally) precise, that we cannot afford to read it as quickly as we might be used to reading other kinds of writings. It takes “getting used to” reading it as carefully and slowly as we need to.

But I hope this part of the teaching is strong and plain enough: “the forgiveness we received then was so full and complete that there remained in us absolutely nothing left to efface [i.e erase, remove].” Baptism truly infuses into the soul a new and holy life - if only we will guard and protect, nurture and grow that life! (As Vico points out in the post above.)

 

[DIERM]

It can…but only if coupled with repentance…just like the sacrament of reconciliation, forgiveness is not “automatic”. Peter said it best in Acts 2:38.