Why do you need to be baptized?

In the Catholic faith, baptism is seen as a crucial step in becoming a member of the Church and in receiving the grace and blessings of God. Catholics believe that through baptism, they are cleansed of original sin (the sin that all humans are born with) and are made new in the sight of God.

Catholics also believe that baptism is necessary for salvation. According to Catholic teaching, salvation is the state of being reconciled with God and being made worthy of eternal life, and it is only through baptism that a person can become a member of the Church and enter into a right relationship with God.

Additionally, Catholics believe that baptism is a means of participating in the life and mission of the Church. By being baptized, Catholics are united with Christ and with other believers, and they are given the opportunity to serve God and to participate in the work of the Church.

Overall, Catholics believe that baptism is a necessary and important step in their spiritual journey, and it is an essential part of the Catholic faith.

What does the Bible say about Baptism

The Bible contains numerous references to the practice of baptism, and it is a central rite in the Christian faith.

In the New Testament, Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, and he later tells his disciples to baptize others in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:13-17; 28:19). In the book of Acts, it is recorded that the apostle Peter preached to the crowds and baptized many people after the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 2:38-41).

In the letters of the New Testament, the apostle Paul writes about the importance of baptism and its relationship to salvation. In Romans 6:3-4, he writes, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” This passage suggests that through baptism, believers are united with Christ in his death and resurrection and are made new in the sight of God.

Overall, the Bible teaches that baptism is an important rite in the Christian faith and that it is a means of participating in the life and mission of the Church. It is a way of expressing one’s faith in Jesus and of becoming a member of the Church, and it is a means of receiving the grace and blessings of God.

John 3:5 “Jesus answered, ‘Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.’”

Romans 6:4 “We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.”

What does the Catechism of the Catholic Church say about baptism?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a comprehensive summary of the teachings of the Catholic Church, and it includes a section on the sacrament of baptism.

According to the Catechism, baptism is the first and most important sacrament of the Church, and it is the rite by which a person becomes a member of the Church and is initiated into the life of faith. The Catechism teaches that through baptism, a person is cleansed of original sin and is made a new creation in the sight of God. It also states that baptism is necessary for salvation, and that it is the door to the other sacraments and to the life of the Church.

The Catechism also explains that the rite of baptism involves the pouring of water over the head of the person being baptized, while the words “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” are spoken. It states that this ritual is a symbol of the cleansing and purifying power of God’s grace, and that it is a way of expressing one’s faith in Jesus and of becoming a member of the Church.

The Catechism also discusses the importance of participating in the sacrament of baptism on a regular basis, and it encourages Catholics to receive the sacrament as soon as possible after birth or after converting to the faith. It also states that baptism can be received only once, and that it leaves an indelible mark on the soul of the person being baptized.

Overall, the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that the sacrament of baptism is a crucial and essential part of the Catholic faith, and it is the means by which a person becomes a member of the Church and is initiated into the life of faith.

CCC 1279
The fruit of Baptism, of baptismal grace, is a rich reality that includes forgiveness of original sin and all personal sins, birth into new life by which man becomes an adoptive son of the Father, a member of Christ and a temple of the Holy Spirit. By this very fact, the person baptized is incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ, and made a sharer in the priesthood of Christ.