Baptism

Baptism signifies the beginning of your journey as a follower of Christ. It serves as a powerful symbol of your decision to walk away from your old ways and embrace a new life guided by faith.

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

II Corinthians 5:17

Romans 6:3. Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

Galatians 2:20. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Colossians 2:12–16. 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,

Acts 8:26–39 Christ is Preached to an Ethiopian

26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. 27 So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.”

30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 The place in the Scripture which he read was this:

“He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;

And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,

So He opened not His mouth.

33 In His humiliation His justice was taken away,

And who will declare His generation?

For His life is taken from the earth.”

34 So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said,

“See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”

37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.”

And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.

Geeky Stuff•
The preparation period was 3 years long. (Nb. It could be shortened).

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  Those in occupations considered incompatible with Christianity could not be admitted for baptism.
  

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  There is a preference fro Easter baptism. This considered by some (e.g. Banks) to be a return to Paul’s notion of dying with Christ and being raised again with him. Interestingly, up to this point, no writer on baptism mentions Paul’s view of baptism.
  

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  As baptism approached, the preparations became more intense. Daily exorcism were performed. Candidates would bathe prior to their baptism; they would fast for 2 days (Friday and Saturday before the Sunday baptism), and go through a final exorcism, performed by the bishop.
  

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  Easter Sunday - baptism day - a prayer would be said over the water.
  

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  Candidates must come into naked contact with the now pure and flowing water.
  

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  Children were baptised first (a family member could answer vows on their behalf).
  

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  Men are baptised next.
  

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  Women are baptised last. Hair must be loose, and no jewellery!
  

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  In the service, Satan was rejected and there was an exorcism of Satan and all demons (evil spirits).
  

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  Three Church leaders took part: Bishop, Presbyters, and Deacons.
  

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  Consecrated oil was applied, one for exorcism and another for thanksgiving.
  

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  Triple interrogation was answered by triple confession, and followed by triple baptism.
  

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  The Bishop laid hands on the newly baptised and prayed that they might receive the Holy Spirit or God’s grace. (This is in relation to a later East / West distinction on when the Spirit was received).
  

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  A second oil anointing took place after the baptism.