But we must always remember that Heaven does require a free choice. In His encounter with Nicodemus (John 3:1-21), Christ made it clear that baptism was necessary for salvation: "Amen, amen I say to thee unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." We believe that Baptism is the only way we know of (the only way God revealed to us) to receive the grace of salvation. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use. Nevertheless, we must not again be seduced into thinking Baptism does not matter Baptism is the definite means that opens the path of salvation. Therefore, not even a child would be forced to be there against his or her will. Can you be saved if you are not baptized? WHAT IS THIS SACRAMENT CALLED? Facebook. Since baptism is a one-time event for a person, it was more expedient for St. Paul to simply baptize the whole family than to tell the jailer that baptism is necessary for salvation. Log In. I will say, however, that while I believe baptism is not necessary for salvation, I do believe that every Christian who is able should be baptized. So it is entirely possible that when this child dies and faces God, this child will be invited to choose to love God freely and, thus, spend eternity with God. Faithful members should do their best to share their faith with those children who are neglected spiritually by their own parents. Create New Account. At the ascension, our Lord commanded the apostles, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations. Baptism is considered necessary for salvation and exaltation. It is to just such as these that the Kingdom of God belongs"(Mark 10:14). But, I must say with Paul: ‘Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel’ (1 Corinthians 1:17).” “You may know that we urge immediate and extensive Bible study for each convert. Again, we must look at this from the point of view of a God who is infinitely wise and infinitely loving. So its not as clear cut as saying Baptism is the only sacrament necessary for salvation. That is, how do we reconcile a loving God with the idea that Baptism is necessary for salvation? Therefore, it is necessary. Moreover, we also see the responsibility of bearing witness to the faith in word and action, so as to lead others to Baptism and to a full life in Christ. Or, Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, National Liturgical Calendars of the World. They had a onetime opportunity to choose. **Q. Monday on Morning Glory, Is #Baptism necessary for #salvation? Given these teachings of our Lord, the Second Vatican Council in the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church stated, "[Jesus] Himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through baptism as through a door. Baptism is a sacrament that the Church teaches is necessary for salvation. Baptism is a sacrament that the Church teaches is necessary for salvation. The baptism with water is an outward symbol to show others that you have decided to follow Christ. (De fide.) I take that verse about “baptism now saves” as just that. Our Lord Jesus Christ clearly states that baptism is a requirement for salvation. He is dean of the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College. We believe that Baptism is the only way we know of (the only way God revealed to us) to receive the grace of salvation. Perhaps the preacher was living a double life and the person hearing about Jesus rejected the explicit Gospel message because the only messenger of that Gospel was presenting it in a very disordered way. Therefore, sacramental baptism is the only means given by our Lord which assures salvation. Our Lord Jesus Christ clearly states that baptism is a requirement for salvation. The Catechism rightly cautions. Another example would be the person who heard about Jesus but received only a message of hypocrisy. I have underlined those parts of the quotes and then summarized what the Roman Catholic Church says is necessary for salvation. Catholic discipline requires the baptism ceremony to be performed by deacons, priests, or bishops, but in an emergency such as danger of death, anyone can licitly baptize. Arlington Catholic Herald. Water Baptism NOT Necessary for Salvation! St. Augustine (d. 430) (writing after the persecution) stated, "When any die for the confession of Christ without having received the laver of regeneration, it avails as much for the remission of their sins as if they had been washed in the sacred font of Baptism" (City of God, XIII, 7). Sign Up . Baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the possibility of asking for this sacrament. The Council of Trent declared against the Reformers, whose idea of justification led them to deny it, the necessity of Baptism for salvation: Si quis dixerit, baptismum liberum esse, hoc est non necessarium ad salutem, A.S. D … “Baptism is necessary for salvation for those who have not yet been reborn” (CCC 980) “communicating forgiveness of sins in Baptism” (CCC 981) “The grace of the Holy Spirit has the power to justify us, that is, to cleanse us from our sins and to communicate to us ‘ the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ’ and through Baptism” (CCC 1987) First, there are those who through no fault of their own do not come to an explicit faith in Christ and, as a result, do not seek Baptism. puzzleannie May 30, 2011, 8:00pm #2. on the contrary that passage clearly proves baptism was necessary… I am very concerned because my niece has not had her children, ages 7 and 8, baptized? Paul writes, “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”. Apologetics. Baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the possibility of asking for this sacrament [Mark 16:16]” ( CCC 1257). This is sad. Catholic discipline requires the baptism ceremony to be performed by deacons, priests , or bishops, but in an emergency such as danger of death, anyone can licitly baptize. Baptism must be conducted by an ordained and authorized priesthood holder. Let’s say that the way the message was continually preached was skewed and malicious. Thus, as there are no substitutes for the water, then the necessity for the Sacrament of Baptism for Salvation is no longer of a relative or hypothetical nature, but of an absolute nature. 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