TEACHERS COPY

The rite or ritual of baptism contains and expresses many key Christian beliefs. Many of these beliefs have their origins
in the Christian sacred text, the Bible.

BELIEF

THE SYMBOL OF WATER

LINKS TO THE JEWISH
SCRIPTURES

EXPLANATION

The use of water as the central symbol of

baptism reflects the belief in God as
creator and humankind's dependence on
God. It calls to mind images of the waters
of chaos from the Genesis accounts of
creation as well as the destructive power
of the flood in the story of Noah and
finally the miraculous crossing of the Red
Sea in the accounts of the Exodus.

SUPPORT FROM
THE BIBLE
Genesis 7-8
Exodus 14
For example,
And God said to them, Let the waters under
the sky be gathered together into one place,
and let the dry land appear. And it was so.
God called the dry land Earth, and the waters
that were gathered together he called Seas.
And God saw that it was good.

ANCIENT ORIGINS

JESUS BAPTISM

The origins of the practice of baptism are

quite ancient, pre-dating Christianity
itself. It seems apparent that some Jewish
groups were practising baptism prior to
the ministry of Jesus. Indeed, John the
Baptist, who is presented in the Gospels
as a forerunner to the ministry of Jesus
had baptism as the hallmark of his own
ministry.

Mark 1:4

Jesus himself accepted the baptism of

John and gave instructions to his
followers to baptise people in his name
Obviously the practice of baptism has
great significance in the Christian
tradition and indeed it relates to and
expresses a number of important beliefs.

Mark 1:9
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of
Galilee and was baptised by John in the
Jordan.
Matthew 28:19]
And Jesus came and said to them [the eleven
disciples], All authority in heaven and on
earth has been given to me. Go therefore and
make disciples of all nations, baptising them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit

John the baptiser appeared in the wilderness,

proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the
forgiveness of sins.

REBIRTH FROM SIN

REPENTANCE

The image of water also calls to mind the

image of the womb and the discussion of
rebirth in water and the Spirit in John's
Gospel. The imagery of this story closely
parallels the Christian understanding of
baptism as a rebirth from original sin into
the life of the Spirit.

John 3
Jesus: Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter
the kingdom of God without being born of
water and Spirit.

The Christian understanding of baptism contains a

sense of the repentance highlighted in the ministry
of John the Baptist, even though John himself
announced that his ministry was only a
preparation for the one who was to come. Despite
this, the act of repentance proclaimed in John's
baptism expresses the idea of turning away from
sin which is integral to the practice of baptism.
Christians believe that in baptism they are turning
away from or renouncing sin and evil and turning
in a positive way to live the life of the Spirit.

Matthew 3
John the Baptist: I baptise you with water for
repentance, but one who is more powerful
than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to
carry his sandals. He will baptise you with the
Holy Spirit and fire.

ADMISSION INTO THE

CHURCH, THE BODY OF
CHRIST

BAPTISM IN THE EARLY

CHRUCH

The practice of baptism in the Christian

tradition also expresses the belief of
Christians in the Church as the body of
Christ. Christians are baptised into the
Church, which is the body of Christ, and as a
consequence of becoming part of this body
the believer is able to experience more fully
the significance of the death and resurrection
of Jesus. In a spiritual sense, the believer is
able to participate through the body of Christ
in the mystery of Jesus' dying and rising.

1 Corinthians 12:13
For in the one Spirit we were all baptised
into one body.

The early Church community as depicted in the

Acts of the Apostles regarded baptism as a
necessary element of salvation. It was a sign of
their repentance, proclaimed their forgiveness
from sin and allowed them to receive the gift of
the Holy Spirit. The beliefs that baptism is
integral to salvation, that it signifies repentance
and forgiveness of sin and that it allows for the
coming of the Spirit are important beliefs of the
Christian faith that are expressed in the practice of
baptism.

Acts 2:38
Peter said to them, Repent and be baptised
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so
that your sins may be forgiven; and you will
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.