Then why do we need baptism?
The error here is the way in which the Blood of Christ is emphasised over and over again without there ever being a linking to the efficacy of grace.
It is something that is not being considered in the whole of its context and hence only part of the theology is being conveyed to those who follow this particular line. It is a Protestant error that pervades all Protestant and fundamentalist denominations.
The point that I want to make is that it is through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that we are redeemed.
The Blood of Christ is the Blood of the New Covenant and it is the gift that is given to us from God to help us to enter into eternal life.
It is the Redemption, the greatest moment in the Salvation history of mankind that has brought about a right of entry into Heaven.
Whilst it is through disobedience that sin entered into the world, it is through the obedience of one man (Christ) that has led to the restoration of mankind to grace.
It is St. Paul who wrote, when we are baptized we die to Christ. That is we go down into the water just as Jesus went down to the tomb, and all previous sin is washed away.
Paul explains baptism - we die with Christ by going down into the tomb and we rise again with a new life.
This is how the Blood of Christ works for our salvation. Just as Christ arose from the dead, we arise again as a new creature who has been born again of water and of the Spirit.
It is not water that cleanses sins. It is through the grace of God which is received through the Sacrament of Baptism that cleanses our sins.
It is in this way that the water baptism is symbolic of the spiritual baptism that is taking place at the same time through the receiving of sanctifying grace.
Rebaptism is not permissible because just as Jesus died once and for all, we die to sin once and for all. That is why we have the Sacrament of Reconciliation so that we can come to God to repent and be absolved. It is through the Sacraments that we continue to receive God’s Grace (which is the LIVING WATER).
We renew our Baptismal promises on the following occasions:
- when we received the Sacrament of Confirmation;
2)At the Easter Vigil and on Easter Sunday service;
- When we attend the Baptism of friends and relatives.
Even though we renew our Baptismal promises on those occasions there is no need for us to go through a second Baptism, because we have that indelible mark upon our souls that has already made us the sons and daughters of God. 1John 5: 5-7 Romans 6: 5-11; 13-14 Gal 3: 23-29 Ephesians 2:7-10; 4: 5-6Colssians 2: 11-13
Code:
"There is one Lord, one faith, one Baptism and one God who is Father of all, over all, through all and within all." (Ephesisans 4: 5-6)
"In him you have been circumcised, with a circumcision not performed by human hand, but by the complete stripping of your body of flesh. This is circumcision according to Christ.
You have been buried with him, when you were baptised; and by baptism too you have been raised up with him through your belief in the power of God who raised him from the dead.
You were dead because you were sinners and had not been circumcised; he has brought you to life with him, he has forgiven us all our sins" (Colssians 2: 11-13)
The Sacrament of Baptism leaves on the soul an indelible mark which shows that all who have been baptised are the sons and daughters of God. This mark can never be removed from the soul. But that does not mean that we cannot lose grace because of our future sins.
