The Necessity of Baptism:
Definition of Terms:
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The sacrament of Baptism held great significance in the early Church. It was considered necessary for the remission of sins and initiation into the Christian community. Baptism symbolized spiritual cleansing, rebirth, and incorporation into the body of Christ. Early Christian writings, such as the Didache and the writings of the Church Fathers, emphasize the importance of baptism as a sacrament. It was seen as an act of faith and obedience to Christ’s commandments. Overall, baptism played a central role in the early Church as a vital step in the life of a believer.
The concept that Baptism is necessary for salvation can be illustrated solely by Scripture;
- Mark 16:16 – “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” This verse emphasizes the link between belief, baptism, and salvation, suggesting that baptism is an essential step towards salvation.
- Acts 2:38 – “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Here, baptism is closely associated with repentance and forgiveness of sins, indicating its importance in the process of salvation.
- Acts 22:16 – “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.” The act of baptism is seen as a means to wash away sins and invoke the name of Jesus, further affirming its role in the salvation process.
- Romans 6:3-4 – “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, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” Baptism is seen as a symbolic participation in Christ’s death and resurrection, signifying the believer’s new life in Christ.
- 1 Peter 3:21 – “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” This verse emphasizes that baptism is not merely a physical act but a spiritual appeal to God for a clean conscience, facilitated by Jesus’ resurrection.
- The most famous New Testament evidence for the efficacy and necessity of baptism is in John’s Gospel. When Nicodemus comes to visit Jesus by night, Jesus says that a person cannot enter the kingdom of God without being born again. Nicodemus asks how a man might enter again into his mother’s womb and Jesus corrects him, saying, “No one can enter the kingdom of heaven unless he is born of water and the Spirit” (John 3:3-5). From the earliest days of the Church this passage has been understood to refer to baptism, and this interpretation is virtually unanimous down through history.
- Acts 16. The jailer cries out, “What must I do to be saved?” and Paul and Silas reply, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved—you and your household” (Acts 16:31). It would seem here that there is no demand for baptism. However, verse 33 says that “immediately they were baptized.” Baptism therefore seems to be the way one makes the faith commitment.
To many people’s minds, the idea that something as seemingly superfluous as Baptism being necessary for eternal life borders on the realm of superstition. This begs the question of why Christ would institute such a ritual in the first place. To fully understand the reasons why baptism would be considered necessary for salvation, it helps to first understand the concepts of Original Sin, Covenant Theology, and Baptism’s relation to Circumcision.
Baptism & Original Sin:
The doctrine of Baptism is deeply intertwined with the doctrine of original sin. Because all humanity bears the consequences of Adam’s sin (Romans 5:12-19), where sin and death entered the world through one man’s transgression, we need to be born again in Christ to be saved (1 Corinthians 15:21-22). In order to be born in Christ, we must be baptized as in John 3:3-5, Christ says;
“Unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God… Unless one is born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
Christ speaks of being “born anew” through water and the Spirit, referencing Ezekiel 36:25-26, which foretells the cleansing effect of water. Acts 22:16 further underscores the cleansing aspect of baptism, as Paul instructs to be baptized to wash away sins in the name of the Lord.
Baptism is not just a ritual but a transformative act. When baptized, we are buried with Christ and become members of His body, as seen in Romans 6:4 and 1 Corinthians 12:13. Through baptism, we receive the Holy Spirit and the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38) and become new creations in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).
Circumcision & Covenant Theology:
The ideas of baptism and circumcision are closely related to covenant theology, a theological framework that examines the biblical concept of God’s covenants and their continuity throughout Scripture. The covenants in the Old Testament find their ultimate fulfillment and unity in the person of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the New Covenant. Covenant theology emphasizes the fulfillment of the Old Covenant promises and types in Christ. Jesus fulfills the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17), and His life, death, and resurrection establish the New Covenant, which brings about forgiveness of sins and spiritual regeneration. Circumcision, as a sign of the Abrahamic covenant, prefigures and finds its fulfillment in the sacrament of baptism under the New Covenant.
The Jewish view of covenant and salvation differs from some Christian perspectives. In Judaism, the concept of covenant is central to their understanding of the relationship between God and the Jewish people. It is not limited to individuals but encompasses the entire nation. It is a collective relationship between God and the Jewish people, emphasizing obedience to God’s commandments (mitzvot) and the fulfillment of their unique role as a chosen nation. While some Jewish traditions do believe in personal salvation and the afterlife, the primary focus remains on communal responsibilities and the hope for a future Messianic redemption. Individual salvation, as often emphasized in certain Christian teachings, is not the central theme in Judaism’s understanding of the covenant and God’s relationship with His chosen people. Instead, the emphasis is on communal responsibilities and adherence to the covenant as a whole.
In the Bible, the comparison between baptism and circumcision highlights the spiritual significance of baptism as a rite of initiation into the Christian faith, just as circumcision was a significant rite for initiation into the covenant of God’s chosen people in the Old Testament. There are several Old Testament verses and events that prefigured the concept of baptism in the New Testament. These prefigurations highlight the continuity between the Old and New Covenants and provide symbolic connections to the act of baptism.
In Noah’s Ark and the Flood (Genesis 6-9), the floodwaters washed away the wickedness of the world, and Noah and his family were saved by entering the ark. This foreshadowing of baptism, where water symbolizes cleansing from sin, and the ark represents safety and salvation. The Apostle Paul makes a connection between the Crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 14) and baptism in 1 Corinthians 10:1-2, implying that passing through the waters is a type of baptism. The Crossing of the Jordan River (Joshua 3-4) into the Promised Land is seen as a foreshadowing of baptism, symbolizing a transition from the old life to the new life in God’s covenant. When the Israelites were thirsty in the wilderness, God commanded Moses to strike a rock, and water flowed from it to quench their thirst (Exodus 17:1-7). This event is a prefigurement of baptism, where the rock represents Christ, and the water represents the Holy Spirit and the life-giving grace poured out through baptism.
These connections between the Old and New Testaments provide a rich theological understanding of baptism’s significance in the Christian faith. In the Old Testament, circumcision was the sign of the covenant that God made with Abraham (Genesis 17:10-14). It marked the physical separation of the Jewish people as God’s chosen nation. In the New Testament, baptism serves as the sign and seal of the New Covenant established by Jesus Christ (Matthew 26:28), which expanded to include the Gentile nations (Galatians 3:28). Thus, both circumcision and baptism serve as signs of initiation into God’s covenant community. Circumcision marked one’s inclusion as part of God’s chosen people, while baptism signifies entry into the body of Christ, the Church.
Circumcision and baptism also share symbolic meanings related to cleansing, purification, and transformation. Circumcision represented the need for a purified heart and a holy life, anticipating the inner transformation brought about by the Holy Spirit through baptism. Circumcision involved the cutting away of the foreskin, signifying the removal of impurity and the call to live a holy life. Similarly, baptism symbolizes the washing away of sin and the believer’s spiritual rebirth into a new life in Christ (Romans 6:4). These comparisons are illustrated in Paul’s letters, especially in Colossians 2:11-12 and Galatians 3:26-29.
In Colossians 2:11-12, – “In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.” Paul connects the spiritual significance of circumcision, which involved the removal of physical flesh, to the act of baptism. Baptism is seen as a spiritual circumcision, where the “body of the flesh” is symbolically put off, representing the believer’s identification with the death and resurrection of Christ.
In Galatians 3:26-29, – “for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” Paul emphasizes the unity of believers in Christ, regardless of their background. Through baptism, they become children of God and heirs according to the promise made to Abraham. Circumcision, which was previously a defining marker for the people of Israel, is no longer a requirement, as faith in Christ and baptism now serve as the means of initiation into the new covenant community.
The Church Fathers:
The early Christian Church viewed baptism as a crucial and necessary rite for the initiation and incorporation of new believers into the Christian faith. The early Church understood baptism as a sacrament through which the believer experienced spiritual regeneration. Baptism was seen as more than a symbolic act; it was believed to convey grace and to spiritually unite the believer with Christ’s saving work. Baptism also marked the formal entrance of individuals into the Christian community. Through baptism, new believers were incorporated into the body of Christ, the Church.
Early Christian writings, such as those by the Apostolic Fathers (Christian writers from the late 1st and early 2nd centuries), emphasized that baptism was essential for the forgiveness of sins and the regeneration of the believer. It was seen as the means through which a person was cleansed from their past sins and born again into a new life in Christ. The writings of early Church Fathers, such as Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and Augustine, defended the practice against various heretical beliefs that downplayed its importance.
Justin Martyr (c. 100-c. 165 AD) wrote extensively about baptism and its significance. Justin compared baptism to circumcision, arguing that just as circumcision was required for the Old Covenant, so baptism is necessary for the New Covenant. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 130-c. 202 AD) emphasized that baptism washes away the stain of original sin inherited from Adam. Irenaeus likened baptism to the circumcision of the heart, echoing the idea found in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 10:16; 30:6), where God called for a circumcision of the heart rather than just the flesh. Tertullian (c. 155 – c. 240 AD), a North African theologian, wrote extensively on baptism and defended the necessity of baptism for the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Augustine of Hippo (354 – 430 AD), one of the most influential theologians in early Christianity, viewed it as the means of original sin’s forgiveness and the initiation into the Church.
An Absolute Necessity?
While Baptism is the normative means of receiving God’s grace, it is not necessary in an absolute sense for salvation. God’s saving grace is not confined to baptism, and He can work in extraordinary ways beyond the sacramental context of Baptism. In situations where a person is unable to receive the sacrament of baptism but desires it sincerely, the Church has always recognized the concepts of “baptism by blood” and “baptism by desire.” These are considered as an exceptional extension of the ordinary means of baptism.
If a person is martyred for their faith before receiving the sacrament of baptism, their bloodshed in witness to Christ’s truth acts as a substitute for baptism, and they receive the grace of salvation. This is referred to as Baptism by Blood. If someone who, through no fault of their own, is unable to be baptized sacramentally, or is unaware of the teachings surrounding baptism, but earnestly desires to be united with Christ and live according to His will, then they can still receive God’s saving grace. Their explicit desire for baptism reflects a genuine openness to God’s love and forgiveness. This is referred to as Baptism by Desire.
Both “baptism by blood” and “baptism by desire” are firmly rooted in God’s boundless mercy and His desire for all to be saved. These extraordinary means show that God’s grace can operate outside the confines of the sacrament, while also affirming the importance and significance of baptism as the ordinary pathway to receiving His grace.
This concept can be likened to medication: medicine is the standard way of treating illnesses, but it doesn’t imply that God cannot heal someone through other means. On the other hand, we should not put God to the test and expect to be healed by some extraordinary means, but rather we should seek out medical advice when we are ill. Likewise, baptism is the normative way that God set in place for us to receive His grace. Baptism’s intent, however, was not to restrict our access to God’s grace, but rather to give us a tangible sign so that we could be assured that we had received His grace.
Bible Verses:
Ezekiel 36:25-26:
“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”
Deuteronomy 10:16:
“Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.”
Deuteronomy 30:6
“And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.”
Mark 16:16:
“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
John 3:3-5:
“Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.'”
Acts 2:38:
“And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'”
Acts 22:16:
“And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.”
Romans 6:3-4:
“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, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”
1 Peter 3:21:
“Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 15:21-22:
“For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”
Church Father Quotes:
The Shepherd of Hermas (Written ca. 90-140 A.D.)
“‘I have heard, sir,’ said I [to the Shepherd], ‘from some teacher, that there is no other repentance except that which took place when we went down into the water and obtained the remission of our former sins.’ He said to me, ‘You have heard rightly, for so it is’” (The Shepherd 4:3:1–2 [A.D. 80]).
Justin Martyr (100-165 A.D.)
“As many as are persuaded and believe that what we [Christians] teach and say is true, and undertake to be able to live accordingly . . . are brought by us where there is water, and are regenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated. For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water. For Christ also said, ‘Except you be born again, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven’ [John 3:3]” (First Apology 61 [A.D. 151]).
“We testify that the very Baptism which He announced is alone able to purify those who have repented. It is the water of life… the cisterns you have dug for yourselves are of no benefit to you. For what is the use of a Baptism that cleanses the flesh and body alone?” – First Apology (ca 148 A.D.)
Theophilus of Antioch (Died 185 A.D.)
“Moreover, those things which were created from the waters were blessed by God, so that this might also be a sign that men would at a future time receive repentance and remission of sins through water and the bath of regeneration.“ –To Autolycus 12:16 (Written 181 A.D.)
Clement of Alexandria (150-215 A.D.)
“When we are baptized, we are enlightened. Being enlightened, we are adopted as sons. Adopted as sons, we are made perfect. Made perfect, we become immortal . . . ‘and sons of the Most High’ [Ps. 82:6]. This work is variously called grace, illumination, perfection, and washing. It is a washing by which we are cleansed of sins, a gift of grace by which the punishments due our sins are remitted, an illumination by which we behold that holy light of salvation.” –Paedagogus 1:6:26:1
Tertullian of Carthage (155-240 A.D.)
“Happy is our sacrament of water, in that, by washing away the sins of our early blindness, we are set free and admitted into eternal life. . . . [But] a viper of the [Gnostic] Cainite heresy, lately conversant in this quarter, has carried away a great number with her most venomous doctrine, making it her first aim to destroy baptism—which is quite in accordance with nature, for vipers and.asps . . . themselves generally do live in arid and waterless places. But we, little fishes after the example of our [Great] Fish, Jesus Christ, are born in water, nor have we safety in any other way than by permanently abiding in water. So that most monstrous creature, who had no right to teach even sound doctrine, knew full well how to kill the little fishes—by taking them away from the water!” (Baptism 1 [A.D. 203]).
“Without baptism, salvation is attainable by none” (ibid., 12).
“We have, indeed, a second [baptismal] font which is one with the former [water baptism]: namely, that of blood, of which the Lord says: ‘I am to be baptized with a baptism’ [Luke 12:50], when he had already been baptized. He had come through water and blood, as John wrote [1 John 5:6], so that he might be baptized with water and glorified with blood. . . . This is the baptism which replaces that of the fountain, when it has not been received” (ibid., 16).
Hippolytus of Rome
“[P]erhaps someone will ask, ‘What does it conduce unto piety to be baptized?’ In the first place, that you may do what has seemed good to God; in the next place, being born again by water unto God so that you change your first birth, which was from concupiscence, and are able to attain salvation, which would otherwise be impossible. For thus the [prophet] has sworn to us: ‘Amen, I say to you, unless you are born again with living water, into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.’” (Homilies11:26 [A.D. 217]).
“And the bishop shall lay his hand upon them [the newly baptized], invoking and saying: ‘O Lord God, who did count these worthy of deserving the forgiveness of sins by the laver of regeneration, make them worthy to be filled with your Holy Spirit and send upon them thy grace [in confirmation], that they may serve you according to your will.” –Apostolic Tradition 22:1
Origen of Alexandria
“It is not possible to receive forgiveness of sins without baptism” (Exhortation to the Martyrs 30 [A.D. 235]).
Cyprian of Carthage
“Peter himself has commanded and warned us that we cannot be saved except by the one only baptism of the one Church. He says; ‘In the ark of Noah a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. Similarly, baptism will in like manner save you’ (1 Peter 3:20-21). . . . In that baptism of the world in which its ancient wickedness was washed away, he who was not in the ark of Noah could not be saved by water. Likewise, neither can he be saved by baptism who has not been baptized in the Church.” – Letters 73[71]: 11 (Written 253 A.D.)
“[T]he baptism of public witness and of blood cannot profit a heretic unto salvation, because there is no salvation outside the Church.” (Letters 72[73]:21 [A.D. 253]).
“[Catechumens who suffer martyrdom] are not deprived of the sacrament of baptism. Rather, they are baptized with the most glorious and greatest baptism of blood, concerning which the Lord said that he had another baptism with which he himself was to be baptized [Luke 12:50]” (ibid., 72[73]:22).
Archelaus of Carrhae (Written 278 A.D.)
“We believe that baptism is the regeneration of the soul, and through it, one is made a partaker of the divine nature.” –The Acts of the Disputation with Manes, Chapter 22.
“Manes: ‘Is baptism given for the remission of sins?’ Archelaus: ‘Certainly.’” -The Acts of the Disputation with Manes, Chapter 22.
Aphrahat the Persian Sage (280-345 A.D.)
“From baptism we receive the Spirit of Christ. At that moment in which the priest invokes the Spirit, heaven opens, and He descends and rests upon the waters and those who are baptized are clothed in Him. The Spirit is absent from all those who are born of the flesh, until they come to the water of rebirth, and receive the Holy Spirit.” – Treatises 6:14:4 (Written in 340 A.D.)
“For Israel was baptized in the sea on Passover night. and on that night of His Passion and death, He showed them the Sacrament of Baptism, just as the Apostle said; ‘You have been buried with Him in Baptism’ (Col. 2:12).” –Treatises 12:10 (Written 340 A.D.)
Serapion of Thmuis (330-360 A.D.)
“We bless these creatures in the Name of Jesus Christ, Thy only Son; we invoke upon this water and this oil the Name of Him Who suffered, Who was crucified, Who arose from the dead, and Who sits at the right of the Uncreated. Grant unto these creatures the power to heal; may all fevers, every evil spirit, and all maladies be put to flight by him who either drinks these beverages or is anointed with them, and may they be a remedy in the Name of Jesus Christ, Thy only Son.” The Sacramentary of Serapion 13
“God of powers, aid of every soul that turns to you… we beseech you, that through your divine and invisible power of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, you may affect in this chrism a divine and heavenly operation, so that those baptized and anointed in the tracing with it of the sign of the saving cross of the Only-Begotten, through which cross Satan and every adverse power is turned aside and conquered, as if reborn and renewed through the bath of regeneration, may be made participants in the gift of the Holy Spirit and confirmed by this seal…” –The Sacramentary of Serapion 25:1
“We beseech you, Savior of all men, you that have all virtue and power, Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and we pray that you send down from heaven the healing power of the only-begotten [Son] upon this oil, so that for those who are anointed, it may be effected for the casting out of every disease and every bodily infirmity, for an antidote against every demon. . . for good grace and remission of sins” –The Sacramentary of Serapion 29:1
Zeno of Verona (300-371 A.D.)
“Brothers and sisters in Christ, rejoice and eagerly hasten to receive the heavenly gifts. The eternal font that gives birth to new life already invites you by its saving warmth. Our mother is anxious to bring you into the world but not according to the ordinary rules of childbirth. [..] Your heavenly mother begets you with happiness, abundant joy, and willingly. She brings you forth free from the bonds of sin. You will be nourished not in foul-smelling cradles but at the aromatic railing of the holy altar.” -51-A-2. SERMON I. 32. INVITATION TO THE FONT (Worship In The early Church, An Anthology of Historical Sources Volumes 1-4. Lawrence J. Johnson. A PUEBLO BOOK. Liturgical Press Collegeville, Minnesota)
“People of heaven, first fruits of Christ, rejoice. Always be vigilant. Take care not to stain in any way the brightness of your illustrious spiritual birth which took place today. What happened on this day cannot be repeated. Behold the boys, the adolescents, the young men, the old men, both males and females. You were guilty. You were soiled by this world’s impure birth. But now, freed from all sin, you are innocent children. What is especially wonderful and pleasing is that suddenly, in an instant, you, being of various ages, attained the same age.” –51-A-3. SERMON I. 38. TO THE NEOPHYTES. ON THE TWELVE SIGNS (Worship In The early Church, An Anthology of Historical Sources Volumes 1-4. Lawrence J. Johnson. A PUEBLO BOOK. Liturgical Press Collegeville, Minnesota)
“Brothers and sisters, enter the heavenly gates as quickly as possible. Do not believe that those who go down into this eternal pool produce eternal grace by their personal merits. Here it is that you decide to be reborn. You know that your nobility of soul is measured by the greatness of your faith. Be firm and faithful in laying aside the old self with its odoriferous garments. You will soon go forth as newly born, clothed in white, filled with the gift of the Holy Spirit.” –51-A-4. SERMON I. 49. INVITATION TO THE FONT (Worship In The early Church, An Anthology of Historical Sources Volumes 1-4. Lawrence J. Johnson. A PUEBLO BOOK. Liturgical Press Collegeville, Minnesota)
“Why are you waiting? Although birth, age, sex, and profession differentiate you, nonetheless, you will soon be one body. All of you, hasten to the sweet womb of your virgin mother. There you will be ennobled because of your faith. The greater your faith, the greater your happiness. It is a wonderful, holy, and truly divine birth where the mother does not suffer the pains of childbirth. The person born again knows no tears. Here is renewal, resurrection, and life eternal. Here is the mother of us all who gathers us from every race and nation, who brings us together to form us into one body.” –51-A-5. SERMON I. 55. TO THE NEOPHYTES (Worship In The early Church, An Anthology of Historical Sources Volumes 1-4. Lawrence J. Johnson. A PUEBLO BOOK. Liturgical Press Collegeville, Minnesota)
Cyril of Jerusalem
“If any man does not receive baptism, he does not have salvation. The only exception is the martyrs, who even without water will receive the kingdom. . . . For the Savior calls martyrdom a baptism, saying, ‘Can you drink the cup which I drink and be baptized with the baptism with which I am to be baptized [Mark 10:38]?’” (Catechetical Lectures 3:10 [A.D. 350]).
“Since man is of a twofold nature, composed of body and soul, the purification also is twofold: the corporeal for the corporeal and the incorporeal for the incorporeal. The water cleanses the body, and the Spirit seals the soul. . . . When you go down into the water, then, regard not simply the water, but look for salvation through the power of the Spirit. For without both you cannot attain to perfection. It is not I who says this, but the Lord Jesus Christ, who has the power in this matter. And he says, ‘Unless a man be born again,’ and he adds the words ‘of water and of the Spirit,’ ‘he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’ He that is baptized with water, but is not found worthy of the Spirit, does not receive the grace in perfection. Nor, if a man be virtuous in his deeds, but does not receive the seal by means of the water, shall he enter the kingdom of heaven. A bold saying, but not mine; for it is Jesus who has declared it.” –Catechetical Lectures 3:4
Basil the Great (330-379 A.D.)
“This then is what it means to be ‘born again of water and Spirit’: Just as our dying is effected in the water [Rom. 6:3; Col. 2:12–13], our living is wrought through the Spirit. In three immersions and an equal number of invocations the great mystery of baptism is completed in such a way that the type of death may be shown figuratively, and that by the handing on of divine knowledge the souls of the baptized may be illuminated. If, therefore, there is any grace in the water, it is not from the nature of water, but from the Spirit’s presence there.” –The Holy Spirit 15:35 [A.D. 375]
“For prisoners, baptism is ransom, forgiveness of debts, the death of sin, regeneration of the soul, a resplendent garment, an unbreakable seal, a chariot to heaven, a royal protector, a gift of adoption.” –Sermons on Moral and Practical Subjects 13:5 [A.D. 379]
Gregory of Nazianzus
“[Besides the baptisms associated with Moses, John, and Jesus] I know also a fourth baptism, that by martyrdom and blood, by which also Christ himself was baptized. This one is far more august than the others, since it cannot be defiled by later sins” (Oration on the Holy Lights 39:17 [A.D. 381]).
“Such is the grace and power of baptism; not an overwhelming of the world as of old, but a purification of the sins of each individual, and a complete cleansing from all the bruises and stains of sin. And since we are double-made, I mean of body and soul, and the one part is visible, the other invisible, so the cleansing also is twofold, by water and the Spirit; the one received visibly in the body, the other concurring with it invisibly and apart from the body; the one typical, the other real and cleansing the depths” –Oration on Holy Baptism 7–8 [A.D. 388]
“Just as God gave existence to what did not exist, so too He gave new creation to what did exist, creation more divine and lofty than that which existed before, a seal for those only just entering into life, and for those of more mature age, a gift and a restoration of the image obliterated through sin.” –Oration on Holy Baptism 40:7 (Written 380 A.D.)
Gregory of Nyssa (335-395 A.D.)
“[In] the birth by water and the Spirit, [Jesus] himself led the way in this birth, drawing down upon the water, by his own baptism, the Holy Spirit; so that in all things he became the firstborn of those who are spiritually born again, and gave the name of brethren to those who partook in a birth like to his own by water and the Spirit” –Against Eunomius 2:8 [A.D. 382]
John Chrysostom (347-407 A.D.)
“Do not be surprised that I call martyrdom a baptism, for here too the Spirit comes in great haste and there is the taking away of sins and a wonderful and marvelous cleansing of the soul, and just as those being baptized are washed in water, so too those being martyred are washed in their own blood” (Panegyric on St. Lucian 2 [A.D. 387]).
“For if no one can enter into the kingdom of Heaven except he be regenerate through water and the Spirit, and he who does not eat the flesh of the Lord and drink His blood is excluded from eternal life, and if all these things are accomplished only by means of those holy hands, I mean the hands of the priest, how will any one, without these, be able to escape the fire of hell, or to win those crowns which are reserved for the victorious?” –The Priesthood Book 3:5
Pope Siricius
“It would tend to the ruin of our souls if, from our refusal of the saving font of baptism to those who seek it, any of them should depart this life and lose the kingdom and eternal life” (Letter to Himerius 3 [A.D. 385]).
Ambrose of Milan
“But I hear you lamenting because he [the Emperor Valentinian] had not received the sacraments of baptism. Tell me, what else could we have, except the will to it, the asking for it? He too had just now this desire, and after he came into Italy it was begun, and a short time ago he signified that he wished to be baptized by me. Did he, then, not have the grace which he desired? Did he not have what he eagerly sought? Certainly, because he sought it, he received it” (Sympathy at the Death of Valentinian [A.D. 392]).
“Although we are baptized with water and the Spirit, the latter is much superior to the former, and is not therefore to be separated from the Father and the Son. There are, however, many who, because we are baptized with water and the Spirit, think that there is no difference in the offices of water and the Spirit, and therefore think that they do not differ in nature. Nor do they observe that we are buried in the element of water that we may rise again renewed by the Spirit. For in the water is the representation of death, in the Spirit is the pledge of life, that the body of sin may die through the water, which encloses the body as it were in a kind of tomb, that we, by the power of the Spirit, may be renewed from the death of sin, being born again in God.” –The Holy Spirit 1:6[75–76] [A.D. 381]
“The Church was redeemed at the price of Christ’s blood. Jew or Greek, it makes no difference; but if he has believed, he must circumcise himself from his sins [in baptism (Col. 2:11–12)] so that he can be saved . . . for no one ascends into the kingdom of heaven except through the sacrament of baptism. . . . ‘Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’” -Abraham 2:11:79–84 [A.D. 387]
So, then, having obtained everything, let us know that we are born again, but let us not say, How are we born again? Have we entered a second time into our mother’s womb and been born again? . . . If, then, the Holy Spirit coming down upon the Virgin wrought the conception, and effected the work of generation, surely we must not doubt but that, coming down upon the Font, or upon those who receive Baptism, He effects the reality of the new birth.” –On the Mysteries 9:59 (Written 382A.D.)
“And it is not doubtful that sin is forgiven by means of baptism, but in baptism the operation is that of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” -The Holy Spirit 3:18:138 (Written 381 A.D.)
“If, then, there be any grace in the water, it is not from the nature of water, but from the presence of the Holy Spirit. . . We were then sealed with the Spirit by God. For as we die in Christ, in order to be born again, so, too, we are sealed with the Spirit, that we may possess His brightness and image and grace, which is undoubtedly our spiritual seal. For although we were visibly sealed in our bodies, we are in truth sealed in our hearts, that the Holy Spirit may portray in us the likeness of the heavenly image.” -The Holy Spirit 1:6:77 – 1:6:79 (Written 381 A.D.)
“Why do you baptize, if it is not allowed that sins be forgiven through men? In baptism too there is forgiveness of all sins; what is the difference whether priests claim this power is given to them to be exercised in Penance or at the font? The mystery is the same in both.” –Penance 1:8:36. [A.D. 388]
“Now, it seemed impossible that sin should be washed away in water . . . But what was impossible was made possible by God, who gave us so great a Grace. It seemed likewise impossible for sins to be forgiven through Penance; yet Christ granted even this to His Apostles, and by His Apostles, it has been transmitted to the offices of the priests.” –Penance 1:15:80 [A.D. 388]
Augustine of Hippo
“There are three ways in which sins are forgiven: in baptism, in prayer, and in the greater humility of penance; yet God does not forgive sins except to the baptized” (Sermons to Catechumens on the Creed 7:15 [A.D. 395]).
“I do not hesitate to put the Catholic catechumen, burning with divine love, before a baptized heretic. Even within the Catholic Church herself we put the good catechumen ahead of the wicked baptized person” (On Baptism, Against the Donatists 4:21:28 [A.D. 400]).
“That the place of baptism is sometimes supplied by suffering is supported by a substantial argument which the same blessed Cyprian draws from the circumstance of the thief, to whom, although not baptized, it was said, ‘Today you shall be with me in paradise’ [Luke 23:43]. Considering this over and over again, I find that not only suffering for the name of Christ can supply for that which is lacking by way of baptism, but even faith and conversion of heart [i.e., baptism of desire] if, perhaps, because of the circumstances of the time, recourse cannot be had to the celebration of the mystery of baptism” (ibid., 4:22:29).
“When we speak of within and without in relation to the Church, it is the position of the heart that we must consider, not that of the body. . . . All who are within [the Church] in heart are saved in the unity of the ark [by baptism of desire]” (ibid., 5:28:39).
“[According to] apostolic tradition . . . the churches of Christ hold inherently that without baptism and participation at the table of the Lord it is impossible for any man to attain either to the kingdom of God or to salvation and life eternal. This is the witness of Scripture too” (Forgiveness and the Just Deserts of Sin, and the Baptism of Infants 1:24:34 [A.D. 412]).
“Those who, though they have not received the washing of regeneration, die for the confession of Christ—it avails them just as much for the forgiveness of their sins as if they had been washed in the sacred font of baptism. For he that said, ‘If anyone is not reborn of water and the Spirit, he will not enter the kingdom of heaven’ [John 3:5], made an exception for them in that other statement in which he says no less generally, ‘Whoever confesses me before men, I too will confess him before my Father, who is in heaven’ [Matt. 10:32]” (The City of God 13:7 [A.D. 419]).
Maximus of Turin (380-465 A.D.)
“For no one can remit sins, except God alone. Either the Lord Jesus was born today, or today He was baptized: for a diverse opinion is borne in the world, and, through the variety of traditions, our thought is that this stands fluid, that, today He was either born of the Virgin, or reborn in baptism, Whose nativity profits both our flesh and spirit. Either is my mystery; either is my utility. God’s Son had no need that He be born, that He be baptized, for He did not commit sin which is remitted Him in baptism; but His humility is our sublimity.” –Sermon VII: On the Day of the Holy Epiphany. Patrologiae Cursus Completus, Series Latina, ed. J.-P. Migne, Tomus LVII (Paris: J.-P. Migne, 1862)
Prosper of Auitaine (390-455 A.D.)
“When we offer as objection to these arguments the countless multitude of infants, who, except for original sin, under which all men alike are born into the condemnation of the first man, have as yet no will, no proper actions, and who, not without a judgment of God, are cut off and are to be carried away before any experience of this life gives them a discernment of good and evil, so that some, through rebirth, are enrolled among the heirs of the heavenly kingdom, while others, without Baptism, pass over among the debtors of eternal death: such are lost, they say, and such are saved, according to what the divine knowledge foresees they would have done in their adult years, if they had been preserved to a responsible age!” –Letter of Prosper of Aquitaine to Augustine of Hippo 225: 5 (Written 428 A.D.)
“For in that ruin of the universal fall neither the substance nor the will of human nature has been snatched away; but it has been deprived of the light and glory of its virtues by the deceit of the Envious One. But when it had lost that by which it would have been able to achieve eternity and an incorruption of body and soul that could not be lost, what did it have left except that which pertains to temporal life, the whole of which belongs to damnation and punishment? That is why those born in Adam need to be reborn in Christ, lest they be found in that generation which perishes.” –The Grace of God and Free Choice: A Book Against the Conference Master 9:3 (Written 433 A.D.)
Theodoret of Cyr (393-458 A.D.)
“Thus completing the sacrament of Baptism (2), we receive the hope of resurrection and expect the resurrection of bodies. The term itself makes this clear. For ἀνάστασις (resurrection) means standing up alive again (3). It is the body that is corrupted and dissolved and changed into a mound of earth.” –Compendium of Heretics’ Fables 5:19 (Written 449 A.D.)
Faustus of Riez (400-490 A.D.)
“Heretics who convert to the Christian faith are not to be re-baptized. They are to be judged as cleansed by the working of grace so that they are clothed only with the chrismal blessing.” –Treatise On the Grace of God 1:14. Worship in the Early Church, An Anthology of Historical Sources Volumes 1-4 Lawrence J. Johnson Liturgical Press Collegeville, Minnesota
”In baptism sins are removed. Through the coming of the Holy Spirit the gifts of strength [virtutum munera] are given, and miracles are performed by those who have been strengthened [confirmatis]. (i.e. through Confirmation)” –Treatise On the Holy Spirit M1. Worship in the Early Church, An Anthology of Historical Sources Volumes 1-4 Lawrence J. Johnson Liturgical Press Collegeville, Minnesota
“During the confirmation of the neophytes the imposition of the hand gives to each of them what the descent of the Holy Spirit at that time gave to all the people. Now that I have said that the laying-on of the hand and that confirmation can confer something upon a person who has already been reborn in Christ, perhaps someone might ask, ‘What benefit can I gain from having someone confirm me after the mystery of baptism?’ As I see it, we have not received everything from the font if afterwards there is still something to be added, something we need.’
This, beloved, is not so. Just listen. Military service requires that when an emperor receives a soldier into his army, the emperor should not only place a mark on the soldier but should also furnish him with arms appropriate for battle. So it is that the blessing [of confirmation] protects the one who has been baptized. You enlisted a soldier; now give him what is needed to fight.”–Sermon 28 on Pentecost I. Worship in the Early Church, An Anthology of Historical Sources Volumes 1-4 Lawrence J. Johnson Liturgical Press Collegeville, Minnesota
Nothing is gained if a parent grants much to a child and yet fails to supply a protector. So the Paraclete is the guardian, the consoler, and the protector of those who have been reborn in Christ. As the Scriptures say, ‘Unless the Lord builds the city, the builders keep watch in vain.’ Therefore the Holy Spirit, who descends upon and in a salutary way flows into the baptismal waters, grants all innocence at the font. In confirmation the Spirit gives an increase of grace because in this world those who will conquer–no matter what their age–will walk among dangers and invisible enemies. In baptism we are reborn unto life; after baptism we are strengthened for battle. In baptism we are nourished; after baptism we are strengthened.” –Sermon 28 on Pentecost I. Worship in the Early Church, An Anthology of Historical Sources Volumes 1-4 Lawrence J. Johnson Liturgical Press Collegeville, Minnesota
“And so the benefits of rebirth are sufficient for those who will immediately pass on [to heaven]. The help given by confirmation, however, is necessary for those who will be victorious. Regeneration in itself saves those who will soon be received into the peaceful abode of the holy ones; confirmation arms us and instructs us on how we are to keep ourselves safe from the struggles and battles of this world.” –Sermon 28 on Pentecost I. Worship in the Early Church, An Anthology of Historical Sources Volumes 1-4 Lawrence J. Johnson Liturgical Press Collegeville, Minnesota
Gennadius of Massilia (Died 496 A.D.)
“The baptized receive the Eucharist in memory of Christ’s death. The martyr, however, dies with Christ. The baptized profess that they will renounce the things of the world; the martyrs renounce life itself. All sins are removed from the baptized; as to the martyrs, their sins are abolished.” –Ecclesiastical Dogmas LXXxlv. Worship in the Early Church, An Anthology of Historical Sources, Volumes 1-4. Lawrence J. Johnson. Liturgical Press Collegeville, Minnesota
Pope Leo I “the Great” (400-461 A.D.)
“And because of the transgression of the first man, the whole stock of the human race was tainted; no one can be set free from the state of the old Adam save through Christ’s sacrament of baptism, in which there are no distinctions between the reborn, as the apostle [Paul] says, ‘For as many of you as were baptized in Christ did put on Christ; there is neither Jew nor Greek . . . ’ [Gal. 3:27–28].” –Letters 15:10[11] [A.D. 445]
“The earth of human nature was already cursed in the first liar. Only in this birth from the Blessed Virgin did it produce a blessed shoot, an exception to the vice of its roots. Its spiritual origin is acquired by anyone who is regenerated. And for every man who is born again, the water of baptism is like the virginal womb. The same Spirit that filled the Virgin now fills the baptismal font; hence, that sin, which was once removed by a holy conception, is now taken away by a mystic ablution.” –Sermon 22:1
Narsai of Nisibis (399-502 A.D.)
The defilement of men he cleanses with water : yet not by the water, but by the power of the name of the Divinity which there lights down. The power of the Divinity dwells in the visible waters, and by the force of His power they dissolve the might of the Evil One and of Death. The Evil One and Death are undone by Baptism; and the resurrection of the body and the redemption of the soul are preached there in.” -Homily XXI (C) on the Mysteries of the Church and on Baptism. The Liturgical Homilies of Narsai, vol. 8, no. 1. Translated into English by Dom R. H. Connolly M.A. Cambridge, 1909
Fulgentius of Ruspe
“From that time at which our Savior said, ‘If anyone is not reborn of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven’ [John 3:5], no one can, without the sacrament of baptism, except those who, in the Catholic Church, without baptism, pour out their blood for Christ, receive the kingdom of heaven and life eternal” (The Rule of Faith 43 [A.D. 524]).
Theodore the Studite (759-826 A.D.)
“Therefore, I believe in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit—the holy and consubstantial and primal Trinity, [in whose name] I was baptized and regenerated and perfected. I confess God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit—the three are one with respect to divinity just as conversely the one is three with respect to individual persons. For the Trinity is one God according to substance although it is divided by the distinction of persons. I also confess that one of the Trinity, our Lord Jesus Christ, came into the flesh out of immeasurable charity, that is to say for
the salvation of our race, having assumed the flesh from the holy and blameless Mother of God.” –Testament: Concerning Faith 1
Non-Catholic Quotes:
Martin Luther, Protestant Reformer:
“Baptism is a most wonderful thing, which God alone works and accomplishes, but He does it through a visible, created means. Baptism, therefore, is a divine work, not a human work. God Himself baptizes. … In baptism, God takes hold of us. It is the external water which does such things, not just plain water but the Word of God in and with the water” (Sermons on the Small Catechism).
“Baptism is a pure and splendid water of divine grace, and is of such great excellence and power that it not only purges away sin and death but also procures the righteousness of God and eternal life” (Large Catechism).
“The soul is baptized with the Holy Spirit and clothed with the divine Word, while the body is washed with pure water. The former, that is, the soul, is washed by the Spirit and the Word from sins, death, and hell, and the latter, that is, the body, is washed by water for purity” (Sermons on the Small Catechism).
John Calvin, Protestant Reformer:
”Baptism is the sign of initiation by which we are received into the fellowship of the church, in order that, engrafted in Christ, we may be washed and purified by his blood, that we may be sanctified by his Spirit, and, finally, invested with the righteousness of Christ and made heirs of eternal life” (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 4.15.1).
“We assert that all the benefits conferred by baptism are apprehended by us as often as we are touched by a sense of divine grace” (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 4.15.9).
Ulrich Zwingli, Protestant Reformer:
“Baptism is a solemn act by which God adopts us for his children, and makes us the heirs of his kingdom” (Selected Works of Huldreich Zwingli).
“The sacrament of baptism is a sign of the covenant and the remission of sins” (Selected Works of Huldreich Zwingli).
Thomas Cranmer, Protestant Reformer:
“Baptism is not only a sign of profession and mark of difference, whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not christened, but it is also a sign of regeneration or new birth, whereby, as by an instrument, they that receive baptism rightly are grafted into the church, the promises of forgiveness of sin, and of our adoption to be the sons of God by the Holy Spirit are visibly signed and sealed” (Book of Common Prayer, Public Baptism of Infants).
John Wesley, Protestant Reformer;
“Baptism is not only a sign of profession and mark of difference whereby Christians are distinguished from others that are not baptized, but it is also a sign of regeneration or the new birth” (Sermon 44, “The New Birth”).