Did My Baptist Baptism Take?

[Suzi]

Strange question on the surface, but quite deep in intent. I’m currently going through an RCIA program and we had discussed the sacrament of baptism. It is so awesome that baptism can forgive original sin, provide salvation, fill one with the Holy Spirit and so many other graces. I have struggled with one thing. My former Baptist church (affiliated with no convention, nor any other church) did not believe that baptism is required, offers no forgiveness of original sin, no filling of the Holy Spirit, nor any other gift, rather views like that are heretical. I have no certificate and do not even know the date. I believe the Catholic Church’s view is scriptural. My church believed it is merely a symbol of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, nothing more. Does God and the Catholic church honor a baptism done as a symbol? The Catholic church does not recognize the “symbol” communion my church conducted, why would it accept a “symbol” baptism. I don’t want to miss out on any graces extended through baptism. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Deacon_Ed]

Suzi,

As long as the baptism was done using the Trinitarian formula (“I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”) and they used water that flowed over your head the Catholic Church considers it a valid baptism doing all the things baptism is supposed to do, even if the Baptists didn’t know or belive that.

Deacon Ed

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Suzi:

Strange question on the surface, but quite deep in intent. I’m currently going through an RCIA program and we had discussed the sacrament of baptism. It is so awesome that baptism can forgive original sin, provide salvation, fill one with the Holy Spirit and so many other graces. I have struggled with one thing. My former Baptist church (affiliated with no convention, nor any other church) did not believe that baptism is required, offers no forgiveness of original sin, no filling of the Holy Spirit, nor any other gift, rather views like that are heretical. I have no certificate and do not even know the date. I believe the Catholic Church’s view is scriptural. My church believed it is merely a symbol of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, nothing more. Does God and the Catholic church honor a baptism done as a symbol? The Catholic church does not recognize the “symbol” communion my church conducted, why would it accept a “symbol” baptism. I don’t want to miss out on any graces extended through baptism. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Three things are required for a valid Sarament. Form (wording, in the name of the Father, Son…), **Matter **(natural water), and Intent (the intent is to do as the Catholic Church intends) Baptism for the remission of sins, incorporation into the Body of Christ, Indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This is assumed unless the contrary is clearly stated in the beliefs of the other community. In which case Conditional Baptism in my opinion is called for.

 

[BayCityRickL]

Deacon Ed:

Suzi,

As long as the baptism was done using the Trinitarian formula (“I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”) and they used water that flowed over your head the Catholic Church considers it a valid baptism doing all the things baptism is supposed to do, even if the Baptists didn’t know or belive that.

Deacon Ed

Recall that God punished mankind by a flood in Noah’s time. Water was used to carry out God’s wrath and punishment.

At Jesus’ baptism, He told John that He had to be baptised, which meant to have that sign of God’s wrath and condemnation put on Him. John said he was unworthy, because who was he to put that sign on Jesus, who he recognized as the Lamb of God. John also said that He takes away the sin of the world.

In Baptism we have that water put on us, by immersion, by pouring on our head, or sometimes even by sprinkling. Water should remind us of the guilt of our sins. Baptism is the baptism of the Holy Spirit and we are reborn as a new creature. We are certainly to repent and to work out our salvation in fear and trembling.

We don’t baptize ourselves. Somebody baptizes us as a sign of our helplessness and dependence on God, as a sign of the gift of salvation from God.