Adult Baptism | Baptism Requirements

Adult baptism is a divine symbol, brought and introduced into the world by a prophet to prepare the way for the Prophet of Nazareth, who came down to Earth with the minimum baptism requirements. The Lord’s Anointed. God has announced all the history of the world through prophets. Historical events, changes of kingdoms, rises and falls, everything. The humble prophets brought the heavenly announcements to the world. Through them, God enlightened the world until the coming of the Light of the World.

Adult baptism is done according to a special ordinance which, until the repentance, is different from that of infants. It consists of questions that examine the candidate in detail on his sincerity—the soundness of his repudiation of the old faith and his exact knowledge of the new religion.

Chronologically, adult baptism preceded infant baptism, as Jesus Himself made Himself known. To those who were already ready to understand His word. Or at least sensitive to receive it. The spoken word by which He transmitted the content of faith to be retained and processed. And passed on was, in any case, an act addressed to the mind capable of understanding, evaluating, and accepting or rejecting His teaching. However, after the formation of the first generation of Christians. Not to mention those who had been baptized with their whole family. And therefore, also with their children – the Church administered infant baptism and not adult baptism.

Why is Baptism essential?

Adult baptism is one of the two ordinances Jesus instituted for the church. Before His ascension, Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age”.

Baptism is necessary because, through it, we proclaim that we have been absolved from judgment, that we have passed through it, beyond it, that we have sent our sins forward, and if we add to the symbol all the shadow meanings of the Old Testament we get a much more accurate picture.

The instructions of Jesus about adult baptism specify that the church is responsible for teaching the Word of Jesus, making disciples, and baptizing those disciples. These things will be done everywhere until the “end of the age.” So, if no other reason exists, baptism matters because Jesus commanded it.

Is Baptism necessary for salvation?

Baptism was practiced before the church was founded. Ancient Jews baptized proselytes to signify the “clean” nature of converts. John the Baptist used baptism to prepare the way of the Lord, asking everyone, not just relatives, to be baptized because everyone needs repentance. However, John’s adult baptism, which means repentance, is not the same as Christian baptism, as seen in Acts. Christian baptism has a deeper meaning.

Christian baptism is necessary for salvation because it is how a person makes a public profession of faith and discipleship. In the waters of baptism, a person says, “I confess my faith in Christ; Jesus has cleansed my soul from sin, and now I have a new life.”

Adult baptism is to be done in the name of the Holy Trinity, which makes it a holy baptism. Through this practice, a person is admitted into the church. We are “baptized” when saved and receive the Holy Spirit into the church. We have all been baptized with one Spirit to form one body regardless of the orientation of any kind or nationality, or gender.

Adult Baptism

Act of Baptism

Do you have to be baptized to be saved?

Christian baptism illustrates, in dramatic style, the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. At the same time, it also shows our death and new life in Christ. Being immersed in water represents the death of sin, and coming out of the water means the clean and holy life that follows salvation.

To be saved, you must be baptized and confess to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life. This is an act of obedience to the Lord after salvation. Although baptism is closely associated with salvation, it is not a requirement to be saved. The Bible shows in many places that the order of events is as follows: a person believes in God and then is baptized. This sequence is seen in Acts when those who accepted Peter’s message were baptized.

Baptism illustrates the believer’s identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Where the Gospel is preached, and people are drawn to faith in Christ, they must be baptized. A new Christian believer would want to be baptized as soon as possible. In Acts, Philip tells an Ethiopian about his religion and when they traveled on the road together. They reached the water, and the Ethiopians chose to be baptized. Immediately, they stopped the chariot, and Philip baptized him.

Why must Water Baptism be fulfilled?

Baptism is accomplished only and only as a result of man’s faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. After a man hears the Word of the Gospel, repents, and believes in Christ as Saviour, that man can perform the act of adult baptism. Faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, which is in the heart, is shown outwardly through water baptism. By this, the believer proves his obedience to the Word of the Lord Jesus. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.” (Mark 16: 16).

Water baptism must be fulfilled because it was initially a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. It was so called because there was not yet the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross: “John came baptizing in the wilderness. Preaching the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins”. (Mark 1: 4)

Baptism is an act of obedience to God and not an act of forgiveness of sins, as we find in 1 Peter 3:21″…baptism, which is not cleansing from bodily intents. But the testimony of a clean conscience before God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

3 Reasons why Baptism is important

The New Testament stresses the close connection between salvation and baptism, but the two should not be confused; baptism is simply a symbol of salvation. Yet whenever Scripture presents us with a person’s conversion, the immediate next step of faith is baptism. (Acts 8:36-38).

Jesus did not suggest, advise, or recommend but commanded us to be baptized, and the Bible clearly states that there are three reasons why baptism is essential:

it washes away our sins
it gives us a chance to be a new creation
we can reach eternity

In the early Church, baptism was a significant act that symbolized a decisive break or separation from the past. And the renunciation of all that might stand between the person and Christ. Moreover, it is Christ the Lord who instituted and commanded baptism. And by accepting baptism, the born-again demonstrates that he is ready to obey and serve his Lord.

Catholic Baptism requirements

To get baptized in the Catholic Church, you must respect some baptism requirements, such as: buying a white shirt, which symbolizes purity and renewal. Throughout the ceremony, a candle is lit, signifying that the new Christian is a light to the world. The priest is the one who gives the godfather the lighted baptism candle while telling him to keep the faith and be the spiritual guide of the child. The mother holds the child in her arms during the service.

To perform the baptism for Catholics, a few conditions must be met, such as:

the child’s parents must be Catholic
the candle that the priest hands to the godfather must be purchased
dress the child in a white shirt which signifies the purity of faith and the cleansing power of Baptism. The white garment symbolizes the white clothes Jesus wore when he was laid in the tomb after his death on Good Friday.

In Catholicism, the godparents do not participate in the preparation of the baby. After anointing it with myrrh, the priest prepares a white cloth to wrap the baby in. The rules are not very strict, and the baby can be brought ready and covered.

Baptism of Jesus

The Holy Fathers and Church writers emphasize in their writings that the baptism of the Lord in the water of the Jordan, besides making known to all our Lord Jesus Christ as the true Son of God the Father and with Him the other persons of the Holy Trinity, also has a particular reference to the whole of creation.

The Baptism of Christ is a revelation of the mystery of the Holy Trinity. Still, according to the teaching of the Church, it is also the restoration and renewal of man’s being. This is the reason for Christ’s baptism amid nature, in the waters of the Jordan. To present this side of the mysterious work of the baptism requirements of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is necessary to know the relationship of the created being with a man before and after the introduction of sin into the world.

Christ appears at the center of nature so that from the midst of it, he might work as God and as man, the correction, renewal, sanctification, and indigenization of the nature disfigured by Adam through his fall from communion with God.

Who baptized Jesus?

When Christ appeared on the edge of the Jordan, St. John, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, recognized Him. And he shows Him to the crowds, saying: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). This witness was much needed by the Israelites, who were waiting for the Messiah prophesied for many ages before.

Jesus Christ was baptized in the water of the Jordan by St. John the Baptist. At the age of 30, at the fullness of man’s age, Christ came to Jordan, where St. John the Baptist teaches and baptizes with the baptism of repentance. And of Jesus, he said to them: “He is in the midst of you whom you do not know” (John 1:26). “I did not know Him either, but He who sent me to baptize with water. He said to me: upon whom you will see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him. He it is who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. And I saw and testified that this is the Son of God” (John 1:33-34).

Christ asks John to baptize Him, and John, after a profoundly humble resistance, agrees to baptize Him according to his custom. After Christ’s baptism, the heavens opened, the Spirit of God descended in the form of a dove and stood over Jesus, and the Father confessed, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!” (Matthew 3:17).

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Orthodox Baptism

The Orthodox Church preserves the primordial tradition of the baptismal service. Priests recommend baptism occur as soon as possible after the 40 days required for the mother’s return to church. The mother brings the baby into the church, where the godparents, the spiritual parents, take over. Baptism can be done on any day of the year. Giving the child a saint’s name from the calendar is best. There is usually only one pair of godparents in the Orthodox religion.

Orthodox baptism has two equally essential stages: Exorcism (repentance of sin) and actual baptism. During the first part, the priest prays for the soul of the future Christian to come out from under the influence of unclean spirits. The godmother holds the child during the religious service.

When the baptism requirements have been accomplished, the priest asks the godparents if they will renounce Satan and unite themselves with Christ. The godparents recite the Creed after or with the priest. After the Exorcism, the actual Baptism takes place. The godmother undresses the child (signifying the stripping of ancestral sin). The child is immersed three times in the baptismal font by the priest.

Catholic Baptism

The religious puja is shorter and more simplified than the Orthodox one. At the entrance to the church, the priest asks the parents for the name of the child to be baptized. The godparents and parents are asked if they can carry out their duties to raise this child in the Christian faith.

Catholic baptism does not offer the child all the baptism mysteries. Usually, there are several pairs of godparents; the godparents can also be of a religion other than Catholic, provided they are baptized. The religious service is shorter and more straightforward than the Orthodox one. At the entrance to the church, the priest asks the parents for the name of the child to be baptized.

As a symbolic gesture, the priest makes the cross sign with his thumb on the child’s forehead. After a few prayers, the first anointing with holy oil takes place. This is followed by the blessing of the water of Baptism, the promise to renounce Satan, and the saying of the Creed. The priest sprinkles the infant with water on the head while he makes the cross sign.

Primary Takeaways

Baptism is accomplished only and only after man’s faith in Christ. So only after man has changed his state, only after he has repented, can he enter the water of baptism.
There is no waiting time was the practice of the early Christians between the time they understood the Gospel and baptism. Between believing in Christ and baptism, we see no waiting time.
There is no passage to show us a waiting time between conversion and baptism. Catechesis today is helpful, but this was not the practice of the early Christians.

Conclusion

The Bible has spoken and maintains that it is not through water baptism that people are cleaned from sins. As many cults practice and support. But it is only the Divine Blood of Christ that forgives sins. In Galatians 6:15, Paul makes the point so clearly, claiming that no human activity contributes to forgiving sins. The thief on the cross was forgiven by Christ the Lord without baptism.

Biblical and valid adult baptism is by immersion. Please take a look at Acts 8:39 “When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip. And the eunuch saw him no more. While the eunuch went his way rejoicing.” And in Matthew 3:16, “As soon as he was baptized, Jesus came up out of the water.” These two passages show us that biblical baptism is to be accomplished by immersion in water. And not sprinkling or pouring water. Because as we read in Acts 8:39 and Matthew 3:16, they just came out of the water.

The word “came out” shows us that the baptized came out from under the immersion of the water, not from being sprinkled or poured with water. Sprinkling is done with hands or other sprinkling objects, and pouring is done with a cup or pouring vessel, unbiblical things that many practices.