Answering Common Questions About Baptism (Aquinas 101)

[@johnfisher247]

St Cyprian of Carthage answers the question in his book on baptism. Baptism regenerates the baptised and as Jesus said is necessary for salvation. Cyprian writes "there is one baptism which is appointed in the Catholic Church; and that by this those are not re-baptized, but baptized by us, who at any time come from the adulterous and unhallowed water to be washed and sanctified by the truth of the saving water." "first, that those catechumens hold the sound faith and truth of the Church, and advance from the divine camp to do battle with the devil, with a full and sincere acknowledgment of God the Father, and of Christ, and of the Holy Ghost; then, that they certainly are not deprived of the sacrament of baptism who are baptized with the most glorious and greatest baptism of blood, concerning which the Lord also said, that He had another baptism to be baptized with. But the same Lord declares in the Gospel, that those who are baptized in their own blood, and sanctified by suffering, are perfected, and obtain the grace of the divine promise, when He speaks to the thief believing and confessing in His very passion, and promises that he should be with Himself in paradise. Wherefore we who are set over the faith and truth ought not to deceive and mislead those who come to the faith and truth, and repent, and beg that their sins should be remitted to them; but to instruct them when corrected by us, and reformed for the kingdom of heaven by celestial discipline. St. Cyprian states 'God's mercy and grace should not be refused to anyone born', and the Synod, recalling that 'all human beings' are 'equal', whatever be 'their size or age', declared it lawful to baptize children 'by the second or third day after their birth'".

[@ktnsteve]

Thank-you - this was very helpful. God bless you all.✝️🙏🏽💙

[@earth9531]

@4:24 please provide biblical support for the baptized becoming one with the Trinity.

[@earth9531]

If it is not possible for anyone to baptize himself, then who baptized John the Baptist?

[@earth9531]

Matthew 4:18-22 at what exact moment were Peter and Andrew saved? When exactly where James and John saved? Did they all not leave their nets ‘at once’ and follow Jesus? Were they following Jesus as unsaved men? (Of course not!)

[@jimnewl]

​​@@earth9531 John the Baptist did not baptize with the Christian baptism, so the question's more or less moot. However, if you were to insist upon an answer, one might point to the ritual purification baths practiced by the Essenes, who it is all but certain John grew up among. EDIT: I left out the most obvious and important point: John was commissioned to baptize by God the Father himself. He needed no other authority.

[@jimnewl]

​@@earth9531 Of course they WERE. Christ had not died for their sins yet.

[@dynamic9016]

Thanks much for this video.

[@ThomisticInstitute]

Our pleasure! Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment. May the Lord bless you!

[@michaelanderson4849]

This video was a good reminder of what drove me absolutely bonkers about the church. Thank you kindly! 😊

[@DeathxStrike18]

James 4:8 - "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded." Proverbs 1:23 - "Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you." Romans 12:2 - "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." James 1:5 - “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” Isaiah 41:17-18 - "When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water." James 4:2-3 - "Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." Matthew 7:11 - “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” Matthew 18:3 - “...Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Acts 19:2-5 - "He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." Act 2: 38 - "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.." John 10:26-27 - "But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: John 3:5 - “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Acts 3:19 - "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;" 2 Peter 3:9 - "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 1 John 1:8-10 - "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." James 5:16 - "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." 1 John 1:9 - "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Acts 2:38-39 - "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." Matthew 19:13-14 - "Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Acts 22:16 - "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." Romans 10:9 - "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Titus 3:5 - Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Ephesians 2:8-9 - "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Acts 2:21 - "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." John 7:37-39 - "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)" Isaiah 11:2 - "And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;" 1 Corinthians 12:13 - "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." John 4:14 - "...whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." John 3:15-18 - "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." 2 Corinthians 1:22 - "Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." Colossians 2:11- "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:" Genesis 17:12-- "And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed." Matthew 18:5 - "And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me." Proverbs 22:6 - "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Mark 16:16 - “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

[@DeathxStrike18]

Romans 6:4 - "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." 1 John 2:1-5 - "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him." Leviticus 17:11 - "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." Hebrews 9:22 - "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission." Matthew 16:24-26 - "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" James 2:26 - "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." James 2:18 - "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." Romans 10:14-15 - " How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" Matthew 28:19-20 - "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." Psalms 50:5 - "Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice." Matthew 22:37-40 - "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." 1 John 5:3 - "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." Deuteronomy 11:22 - "For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;" Ephesians 4:30 - "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." Galatians 3:26-2 - "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." John 10:28-30 - "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." Romans 8:15 -16 - "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:" Psalms 82:6-7 - "I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes." Revelation 3:21 - "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." Matthew 1:23 - "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." Isaiah 9:6 - "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Deuteronomy 6:4 - "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:"

[@angelinasalo2863]

Who was the first infant that got baptized?

[@georgepierson4920]

Why do Protestants separate Jesus from Baptism?

[@bayreuth79]

Baptism was originally by full immersion as it symbolised dying and rising in Christ. This symbolism has been lost

[@earth9531]

At what exact moment was St. Peter saved? Did Simon trust and follow Jesus as an un-saved man until his un-recorded baptism?

[@delsydebothom3544]

Clearly not. That doesn't bear upon the general necessity of baptism for salvation now, though. Looking at your questions, they appear to me to too stridently force the issue. God accomplishes things in different ways, and the way he generally accomplishes them takes precedent, no matter how many exceptions there might hypothetically be. St. Peter's salvation progressed until he achieved the beatific vision, the same as all the elect. There wasn't an "exact moment" within which all of St. Peter's salvation was accomplished.

[@earth9531]

@@delsydebothom3544 so at some point, he was 'mostly saved', ok, that makes total sense 🤡

[@eadlynss]

5:37 - "Mas se um clérigo não estiver disponível, quem batiza pode ser qualquer cristão batizado. [...] Em uma emergência, até mesmo um não-cristão pode batizar." 6:06 - "Na medida em que Deus é o agente principal, Ele pode até mesmo trabalhar com administradores de Batismo que compreendem de forma imperfeita as implicações completas do que estão fazendo. Essa dinâmica entre Deus, como agente primário, e o administrador do Batismo, como o agente instrumental é tão forte que o Batismo pode funcionar até mesmo quando realizado por um pecador grave." 6:46 - "Quer o ministro do Batismo seja bom ou ruim, ele está agindo como um instrumento de Deus, e Deus pode usar esse instrumento para realizar um Batismo verdadeiro e eficaz, desde que o ministro de fato lave a pessoa com água, e diga a fórmula batismal, cok a intenção de batizar."

[@dand2760]

Generational sin versus personal sin Babies don’t commit personal sin, but because of the sin of Adam and Eve, they are in a state of imperfection.

[@johantrenier1685]

Babies are baptized due to original sin. That is why you baptize babies immediately or as soon as possible.

[@jimnewl]

This is the key point. All of us are damned to hell at birth. It is only through God's mercy that some are saved, and he saves them through the instrumentality of their fellow human beings. If we refuse to be the vessels of God's mercy upon others--particularly our own helpless babies--we bring condemnation upon ourselves.

[@johantrenier1685]

@@jimnewl all are invited fewer choose to take the narrow path. It’s our decision.

[@earth9531]

Baptize So a little baby won’t go to hell if they should die? C’mon. God is just and His justice is perfect. Little babies born to non Catholic parents don’t go to hell if they die.

[@johantrenier1685]

@@earth9531 original sin

[@johantrenier1685]

@@earth9531 As parents you are responsible for a life and a soul. God gave us a chance to be perfect. we didn’t take it. That’s why abortion is even more tragic. 1 true Catholic apostolic church.

[@bama101010]

What Was the Purpose of Water Baptism? Under the “gospel of the kingdom,” water baptism was a required expression of believing faith. We see in Luke 7:28-30 those that were baptized with the baptism of John, justified God, and those that chose not to be baptized, rejected the counsel of God. Luke 7:28-30 28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. 29 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. John’s baptism was a symbolic baptism. God tells us in Hebrews 9:22 that there is no “remission of sins” without the shedding of blood. At this time, Christ’s blood had not yet been shed. Jesus spoke in Matthew 26:28 about His blood being the blood of the New Testament which is shed for “many” for the “remission of sins.” Matthew 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. We see in Acts 2:38 that on Pentecost, Peter preaches repentance and baptism for the “remission of sins.” Christ’s blood had been shed, so “remission of sins” was available for those who by faith obeyed and were baptized. Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. We see in Mark 16:16 where Jesus speaks of believing faith accompanied by obedience. Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. In I Samuel 15:22 we are told “behold to obey is better than sacrifice.” Christ is the Lamb of God. He willingly sacrificed Himself upon the cross. Those under the “gospel of the kingdom” who believed in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, possessed obedient faith and were baptized.

[@burtReynolds3]

i found your explanation for baptizing infants as insufficient. please give more details. and please address the fact that infants are unable to consciously make the commitment through baptism to serve jesus.

[@jimnewl]

John 3:3 states that faith is necessary in order that one may see the kingdom of heaven. IOW, knowledge of one's true destination comes only through faith. The entrance (or at least initial entrance) into that kingdom spoken of in 3:5 is achieved through baptism. But before one can enter one must first arrive, and that is achieved through faith. For babies, the initial glimpsing of their destination is achieved through the eyes of their parents (or other responsible caretaker), as if they were being carried on the same donkey, spying the kingdom from a distant hilltop. It is the faith of the parents, who have the responsibility for the security of the child--a duty demanded and sanctioned by God--which provides the basis for the child's baptism. To say that the parents should not seek their child's salvation is to destroy the integrity of the family unit--father, mother, child--which is the loving expression and very image of God upon the earth, according to the book of Genesis.

[@burtReynolds3]

@beezlebrax okay. so does that then alleviate the baptized infant from the need to become baptized again when they are old enough to make the decision consciously?

[@elsenorgatito]

Hey, can you force some bilingüe noviciate to translate your videos into Spanish so I can send these videos to Spanish speaking coworkers who left the faith for evangélicism, my wife, and my wife's faithful bull fighting uncle? Gracias wey. Ed Cooley es un traidor. ¡Viva Cristo Rey y nuestra Señora de Guadalupe!

[@earth9531]

@1:42 you make a giant leap without support. Please cite biblical support that it is baptism that saves rather than Christ’s work on the cross.

[@jimnewl]

John 3:5, but it is not an either/or thing. Baptism is only efficacious due to Christ's saving sacrifice, yet it is necessary IN ADDITION to it, by Christ's own testimony--just as in the heretical view of many Protestants, faith (alone) is necessary in addition to the sacrifice.

[@cephasmwila7537]

Christ work on work the saved us... of course but it doesn't exclude baptism as the instrumental cause of salvation.. See Mark 16:16 And Roman 6:3

[@edrash1]

Christ’s death on the Cross doesn’t immediately save you, there is a condition attached (which is faith). Such faith is bestowed by God, ordinarily through the instrumental means of the preaching of the Word. Similarly, God works His salvation through the sacrament of baptism - not by the power of man, but by the power of God. (disclaimer: I am a Protestant [Presbyterian])

[@cephasmwila7537]

@@edrash1 Calvinist (protestant) .. will refute you on your position..

[@hastytasty69]

Yes the Cross saves, but Baptism effectively gives us access to this salvation. It is a door to the sacraments and the graces of God. Since Christ established His church, who can call themselves saved without first receiving a form of baptism? But remember, although God has bound salvation to the sacrament of baptism, He Himself is not bound by His sacraments. John 3: 3 - 5, “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can a person once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?’ Jesus answered, ‘Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.’ ” (Christ is stating the importance of baptism.) Commentary from the footnotes of my Bible for Matthew 3: 13-15, “This dialogue, peculiar to Matthew, reveals John’s awareness of Jesus’ superiority to him as the mightier one who is coming and who will baptize with the Holy Spirit (Mt 3:11). His reluctance to admit Jesus among the sinners whom he is baptizing with water is overcome by Jesus’ response. To fulfill all righteousness: in this gospel to fulfill usually refers to fulfillment of prophecy, and righteousness to moral conduct in conformity with God’s will. Here, however, as in Mt 5:6; 6:33, righteousness seems to mean the saving activity of God. To fulfill all righteousness is to submit to the plan of God for the salvation of the human race. This involves Jesus’ identification with sinners; hence the propriety of his accepting John’s baptism.” (God’s plan for the salvation of the human race requires Baptism, therefore Christ seeks baptism even though He knew no sin, in order for us to follow in His example.) Matthew 28: 19, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit …” (Christ again stated how important it was for all nations to receive baptism.) Titus 3: 3 - 7, “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, deluded, slaves to various desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful ourselves and hating one another. But when the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of His mercy, He saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He richly poured our on us through Jesus Christ our savior, so that we might be justified by His grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.” (How did God save us? Through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit richly poured out to us through Jesus Christ, justified by His grace.) Ephesians 2: 5 - 6, “... even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been saved), raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus …” (By grace we have been saved. When do we receive this grace? The answer is in baptism, 1 Corinthians 6: 11; 12: 13.) Finally in the video it states “Universality of salvation that Christ wants to give to all peoples. Salvation that comes to us through baptism.”. It is not claiming that baptism alone that saves us. Rather, it is through Baptism (the turning away from a sinful life, the cleaning of past sins with water, the death and rebirth in Christ, reception of sanctifying grace, reception of the Holy Spirit, and becoming a new creation in Christ), salvation is made available to us, and Christs victory on the cross is made manifest.