In Matthew 28:19 one of Christ’s final commandments to the apostles was that they should baptize all nations. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that no man can be assured of Heaven without having first received this sacrament. (Catechism section1257). As will be shown below, Scripture completely embraces this idea along with the Church’s other teachings on Baptism, without any opposition. The Church teaches that all who can be baptized should be, and if a person has heard the Gospel message and has been given the chance to get baptized, then it is a necessity for salvation. This may sound harsh for those who have not been baptized, but the important thing to remember on this subject is that God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but He is not bound by His sacraments. In Chapter three of the Gospel of John, Jesus himself says that Baptism is necessary for salvation . In verse four Nicodemus specifically asks how a man can be reborn once he is old, and Jesus responds telling him how one can be reborn when he says by “water and the Spirit” (John 3:5). When read in the whole context of Scripture this verse can only refer to Baptism. Also a couple of chapters before that, John the Baptizer states that his Baptism is of water, but Jesus’ Baptism is of the Holy Spirit (John 1:33). Also in Acts 2:38, Peter states that with Baptism comes the forgiveness of sins, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. In these two particular verses water must be present for Baptism, and both verses tell that the Holy Spirit is there as well; thus the two elements for the rebirth of which Christ spoke are both present. A problem arises with Christ’s words in John 3:5 when some attempt to define the word “reborn” so that it refers to some experience other than Baptism. Besides having to deny the nature of the passage, one would also have to deny its interpretation by the early Church Fathers. The “Catholic Answers” web site provides many quotes from the early Church Fathers (www.catholic.com). One of which is by Hermas who wrote in the year 80 A. D. He says “’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'“ Justin Martyr stated his interpretation of Christ’s words in the year 151 A.D. when he said "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 3:5]" (First Apology 61). Hippolytus in the year 217 A. D. states: "[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.' Therefore, fly to the water, for this alone can extinguish the fire. He who will not come to the water still carries around with him the spirit of insanity for the sake of which he will not come to the living water for his own salvation" (Homilies 11:26 ). Writing around the year 200 A. D. there can be no doubt as to what Tertullian felt on the subject when he said "Without baptism, salvation is attainable by none". One of the most popular Christians writers of all time, Saint Augustine of Hippo, writes: "[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 [ 412 A.D.]. This condition for salvation causes a question to arise on the subject of an unbaptized martyr. The Church has always held the firm conviction that those who suffer death for the sake of the faith without having received Baptism are baptized by their death for and with Christ (Catechism 1258). Christ, in Scripture, speaks of this Baptism of blood when he says, “I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished!”(Luke 12:50). Because he had already received water Baptism in Luke 3:21, another form of Baptism must have been meant. The writers of the early Christian Church also believed in this baptism. Tertullian quoting Scripture around the year 200 A.D. wrote "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, and restores it when it has been lost” In 381 A.D. Gregory of Nazianzen wrote " [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). Another Church Father, named Saint John Chrysostom wrote "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 these reasons the Church has always recognized the Baptism of blood. Some people feel that an infant does not need Baptism for eternal salvation. What these people neglect is the fact that no one is born with a free ticket to heaven, and according to Scripture people are not even born as children of God. Rather, people are born as creatures of God and become adopted children of God when they are Baptized. St. Paul writes that because Christ has redeemed mankind, all have a chance to become adopted sons of God (Galatians 4:4). St. John writes that those who accepted Him he empowered to become his children ( John 1:12). These two verses imply that humans are not born as children of God, rather they are given the chance to “become” children of God during this lifetime. Since there is overwhelming evidence for the necessity of Baptism, a concern arises for the situation where a child has died without receiving the sacrament. In the event that this should happen to a child, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God (Catechism 1261). Because of the tenderness that Jesus displayed towards children in Mark 10:14, it is reasonable that God provides some other method of salvation for the poor souls of unbaptized children. There is not an occasion of a specific child receiving Baptism in Scripture. However, when Lydia’s household was Baptized in Acts 16:15, and Stephanas’ household was baptized in 1 Corinthians 1:16, it is very likely that young children or infants would have been present. Because of ineffective methods of birth control, it is almost assured that there were many children in those households. Often the child who perishes before being Baptized is in the same situation as a person who hopes to become a Christian, yet passes away all too soon. For those who have heard the Gospel message and sincerely hope to be baptized, yet suffer death before the sacrament takes place, there is still a type of baptism called the “Baptism of Desire” (Catechism 1259). Saint Augustine of Hippo addressed this specific matter as well. Writing in the year 400 he states the following: "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. . . . For Cornelius, even before his baptism, was filled up with the Holy Spirit [Acts 10:44-48], while Simon [Magus], even after his baptism, was puffed up with an unclean spirit [Acts 8:13-19]" (On Baptism, Against the Donatists 4:21:28. The writings that appear in this article are but a fraction of the writings of early Christians on the subject of Baptism. It can be proven that in every century back until the time of Christ mainstream Christians what the Church has always taught on this subject and others. However, there is no substantial evidence to oppose the Catholic viewpoint on this matter in any century. The writers of the early Church are not quoted here in order to diminish the importance of Scripture; rather they are used so that a deeper understanding of Scripture might be obtained. Living much closer to the time of Christ, it is more likely that they understood the Scriptures more thoroughly than we. Let us not dismiss them for writing those things that appear harsh to us, but let us appreciate them for leaving behind indications as to how Jesus meant for His word to be understood.
Mary Ever Virgin
Origin of Different Christian denominations
The Bible, Tradition, and the Church
Purgatory
Flesh of Christ
Immaculate Conception and Sinlessness of Mary
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Peter the first Pope
