Since the beginning of the Church, we have understood that Baptism actually affects us.

Since the beginning of the Church, we have understood that Baptism actually affects us.

It is something that God does to us. Protestants (in one way or another) have rejected the idea that the Sacraments actually do stuff to us.

Depending on the denomination, they may be closer or farther from the full truth of what Baptism does, namely:

•Allows us to go to Heaven (CCC 1257, John 3:3-7)

•Forgives all sins (CCC 1263)

◦Original sin

◦Actual sins (obviously none for babies)

◦Punishment due to sin (if you died right then, you'd go straight to Heaven--nothing to be purified in Purgatory)

•Gives new life in the Holy Spirit (makes each person a new creature, CCC 1265-1266)

◦Adopted by God as a son or daughter

◦Given sanctifying grace (made a partaker in God’s life)

◾Given Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Fortitude, Counsel, Piety, Fear of the Lord)

◾Given Theological Virtues (Faith, Hope & Love)

◾Given Moral Virtues (prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude)

◾Made co-heir with Christ

◾Made into a temple of the Holy Spirit

•Incorporates us into the Body of Christ (the Church)

◦Unites us with each other (CCC 1267)

◦Share in Christ’s priestly, prophetic, and royal mission (1268-1270)

◾Priestly - we offer sacrifices to God, uniting them to the Sacrifice of the Mass

◾Prophetic - we must help spread the faith

◾Royal

◾We have the dignity of God’s family

◾We are at the service of others (servant leadership)

◾We belong to the Church

◾We respect the Church’s leaders

◾We’re allowed to receive the other Sacraments

•Seals our souls with an unremovable mark (CCC 1272)

◦We call this an “indelible character”

◦Kind of like branding our souls as “belonging to Christ”

◦No sin can erase this mark, but we must still be faithful to it in order to spend eternity w/God in Heaven (CCC 1274)

◦This mark is given only once, and cannot be changed or given again

•Consecrates us for religious worship (CCC 1273)

#love

Baptism