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"a brother or sister is naked
and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be
warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the
body, what does it profit"
(James 2:15-16 NKJV)
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BAPTISM
Basptism is
a term that is most commonly applied to a religious act of purification by water
and is practiced in various religions including Christianity, Mandaeanism, and
Sikhism. The discipline of Anglicism is similar to that of the Latin Rite
Catholic Church. For Methodists and many other Protestant denominations, too,
the ordinary minister of baptism is a duly ordained or appointed minister of
religion.
Newer
movements of Protestant Evangelical churches, particularly non-denominational,
have begun to allow those persons most instrumental in one's faith to baptize.
The rationale for such a practice lies in the New Testament accounts of John the
Baptist baptizing his own disciples, Christ his own, Phillip his own (such as
the Ethiopian eunuch), etc.
Christians
believe that John also taught that his baptism was not finally sufficient, and
that repentance would not attain to its goal of separation from sin, apart from
a greater baptism which it was not in his power to give. According to the Gospel
of Luke, John taught, "I baptize you with water; but one comes who is stronger
than I, of whom I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals; he will
baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire; his winnowing fork is in his hand to
clean out his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his storehouse, but
the chaff he will burn with inextinguishable fire." (Luke 3,16-17) Christians
believe that John's baptism shows that the effort to make oneself acceptable to
God by repentance would be superseded, made complete by the coming of the Lamb
of God that 'takes away' (not 'covers over') sins.
In a typical
baptism, the minister of the sacrament (usually a deacon or a priest, but
sometimes, especially when the baptized is in imminent danger of death, a lay
person) says
I baptize
you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
or words to
that effect, explicitly naming the three Persons of the Trinity, while pouring
or sprinkling water upon the head of the baptized, or immersing them in water.
In a conditional baptism, the minister of the sacrament says
If you are
not yet baptized, I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit.
Comparative
Summary of Baptisms of Denominations of Christian Influence.
| Denomination |
Beliefs about
Baptism |
Type
of Baptism |
Baptize Infants |
Baptism
regenerates, gives spiritual life |
Formula |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| Anglicans |
sign of
profession and a mark of separation which, received rightly, affirms the
forgiveness received by a believer through faith |
By
immersion or pouring. |
Yes. |
Anglo-Catholic
Yes,
"Low church" No. |
Matt 28:19 |
| Apostolics |
Necessary for
salvation because it conveys spiritual rebirth. |
By
immersion only. |
No. |
Yes. |
Acts 2:38 |
| Baptists |
A divine ordinance, a
symbolic ritual, a sign of having already been saved, but not necessary
for salvation. See Baptist - Believer's Baptism. |
By
immersion only. |
No. |
No. |
Accept Jesus as
Lord |
| Churches of Christ /
Disciples of |
Baptism is necessary
for salvation. One receives forgiveness of sin and the gift of the Holy
Spirit. Acts 2:38 |
Immersion only |
No. |
Yes. |
Acts 2:38; Matt.
28:19 |
| The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints |
An ordinance
essential to salvation. A covenant where God promises forgiveness of
sins and person promises to stand as a witness for Christ and keep his
commandments. Attendees over 8 are only counted as members if they have
been baptised. |
By
immersion performed by a person holding proper priesthood authority. |
No, but
do baptize older children. |
Yes. |
Matt 28:19 |
| Eastern Orthodox |
The "Mystery"
(Sacrament) is necessary because it confers regeneration from the
consequences of the original sin and forgiveness for actual
transgressions. |
By
immersion 3 times (sprinkling or air baptism[16] accepted
only in emergency). |
Yes.
Also receive Holy Communion and the Chrismation (anointing). |
Yes. |
Matt 28:19 |
| Episcopal |
Necessary to
participate in communion of Lord's Supper. |
By
pouring or immersion |
Yes |
Yes |
Matt 28:19 |
| Jehovah Witnesses |
Baptism is necessary
for salvation as part of the entire baptismal arrangement: as an
expression of obedience to Jesus' command (Matthew 28:19,20), as a
public symbol of the saving faith in the ransom sacrifice of Jesus
Christ (Romans 10:10), and as an indication of repentance from dead
works and the dedication of one's life to Jehovah.(1 Peter 2:21) |
By
immersion, but not done in their meeting places (Kingdom Halls) |
No. |
— |
Acts 2:38 |
| Lutherans |
Baptism is how God
miraculously delivers a person from sin, death, and the devil; gives new
life; and brings one into Christ’s kingdom forever (Titus 3:5). |
By
sprinkling, pouring, or immersion. |
Yes. |
Yes. |
Matt 28:19 |
| Methodists (Arminians,
Wesleyans) |
Baptism not necessary
to salvation, since it is an outward sign of one’s membership in the
Christian community. |
By
sprinkling, pouring, or immersion. |
Yes. |
—
|
Matt 28:19 |
| Pentecostal (Various
“Holiness” groups, Christian Missionary Alliance, Assemblies of God) |
Water Baptism is an
ordinance, a symbolic ritual used to witness to having accepted Christ
as personal Savior. |
By
immersion. Also stress the necessity of a “second” Baptism of a special
outpouring from the Holy Spirit. |
No. |
Varies. |
Varies. |
| Presbyterians |
An ordinance, a
symbolic ritual, and a seal of the adult believer’s present faith. |
By
sprinkling, pouring, or immersion. |
Yes, to
indicate membership in the New Covenant. |
No. |
Varies |
| Quakers (Religious
Society of Friends) |
Only an external
symbol that is no longer to be practiced. |
Do not
believe in Baptism of water, but only in an inward, ongoing purification
of the human spirit in a life of discipline led by the Holy Spirit. |
— |
— |
— |
| Roman Catholic |
Necessary for the
infusion of the sanctifying power called grace that starts one on the
path to salvation. |
Usually
by pouring in the West, by immersion in the East. |
Yes. |
Yes. |
Matt 28:19 |
| Salvation Army |
Do not baptize anyone
today. Believe it was to be done only at the time of Christ. |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| Seventh Day
Adventists |
An ordinance,
symbolic ritual, not stated as necessary to salvation, but stated as
necessary for church membership. A time for person to express personal
faith in Christ. |
By
immersion only. |
No. |
No. |
accept Jesus as
Lord |
| United Church of
Christ (Evangelical and Reformed Churches and the Congregationalist
Churches) |
Not necessary for
salvation because it is only an outward ritual. However, is listed as
one of a handful of ways of obtaining membership with a local church. |
By
sprinkling, pouring, or immersion. |
Yes, to
indicate membership in the New Covenant. |
No. |
accept Jesus as
Lord |
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