John The Baptist Research Paper

Ultimately, when an individual responds to their baptismal call, a community of Christian believers are united under the goal of guiding the initiated. Thus, this attained unity allows the faith to prosper like a living religion. Furthermore, re-birth from sin is intrinsically connected to the death and resurrection of Jesus. This is a fundamental belief throughout Christianity, though it is practiced differently. “Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word.” (CCC, 1213). Regardless of the denomination, all baptism rituals symbolise beliefs in the Christian faith, all involves water. Some denominations, like Lutheran practice the sprinkling of water over the head of an initiate, while Pentecostals, practice immersing the head of the initiate in the water. Thus a reminder that, “Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.”, for individuals who have been initiated that they made a commitment to the teachings, practices and life of of the community. The baptised should live a life of faith as modelled on the example of Jesus, who forgave their sin. The last belief derived from Baptism, is the believed in the Trinity. Through the guidance and support of the Holy Spirit, an individual's is able to carry out God’s word, and evangelise and spread the message of Jesus. “One will come more powerful that I, and he

For Orthodox Christians the significance of the sacrament of baptism is in the entry into the church as members of body of Christ. It is the ‘new birth ‘by which we die to the world, and are raised with Christ to external life. It is through baptism

Centuries ago, the Bible was written when God gave his only son who died on the cross for our sins. “Our” is standing for everyone in the world that God calls his children. Jesus Christ died on the cross with active and passive obedience. This means Jesus actively kept Gods Law for us, which we live by today. Jesus passively took away all of our sins, he died on the cross to take them away and we receive righteousness. Even if we are un-deserving, when Jesus died on the cross for everyone, it gives everyone the opportunity to have everlasting life with God. Baptism is one of the few things that God asks of everyone. The purpose of Baptism is to cleanse your sins and you will be forgiven. With the blessing of God, the Holy Water cleanses the person’s sins and they are given everlasting life.

Baptism is often understood to symbolise the resurrection of Christ-the revival of the sinner to a life of righteousness. Romans 6:3-11: “Do you not know that all of

Connection: The biblical story, Jonah and the Whale, is an example of Baptism. God gave Jonah a job, but he set off in another direction. Suddenly, there was a storm. The boat was tossing in the middle of the sea. No one on the boat knew what to do. Jonah knew that the storm was because of him. God was with him. Everyone prayed for forgiveness and they threw Johan into the water. The storm immediately stopped. God heard Jonah’s prayers and sent a fish to rescue him. Jonah lived in the fish’s stomach for three days. He prayed to God for help. When it was safe, the fish spit Jonah out onto the land. Jonah was cleansed when he returned back to the land. Being tossed into the water was symbolic. He was reborn after the incident.

Often held as a rite of passage and entrance into the Christian church, baptism is much more than just symbolic ritual. Baptism was commanded by Jesus Christ in the Great Commission recounted in the book of Matthew. Even though we are simplistically called to be obedient by being baptized the Christian church has long debated the aspects of this ordinance. Denominations are divided on the basic meaning, types and modes of baptism even two thousand years after the founding of the Christian church. Just as the other ordinance, the Lord’s Supper, congregations find themselves at odd with tradition, biblical interpretation and even individual understanding. However, the simple message of this awe inspiring act can be explained out of the

Baptism has been a sacrament and also a regulation of Jesus Christ. In some denominations, baptism is also known as christening, but many people know christening as baptism for infants. The most common form of baptism known among the earliest Christians was for the person getting baptized that their whole body be submerged underwater or like a quick dunk, also another way is by standing or kneeling in water and having water poured on the person. Another form of baptism now in use includes pouring water on the person’s forehead;

Baptism serves a vital role in the development of Christianity as a living religious traditions in most denominations. It is the ritual used in the

It is to be administered in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and allows believers to participate in the death and resurrection of Christ, which is revealed in Romans 6:4: “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the death through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life”. Baptism has origins with of John the Baptist as described in the Gospels, available through the recounts from Paul.

No further reports are made within the Gospel on the life of Jesus until eighteen years later, at which point, it is stated that Jesus appears before John the Baptist on the Jordan River seeking baptismal. At that time, John was calling people to the River for the purpose of repenting their sins and become sanctified and through immersion in the river they would become spiritually purified. John was reluctant to perform this ceremony on Jesus, under the premise that he (Jesus) is believed to be without sin; however, it was Jesus that insisted. One interpretation behind this, as Fisher explains, is that this was seen as Jesus’ “consecration to God as the Messiah” (Fisher pg. 290). An additional theory offered, is that he (Jesus) was undergoing this ceremony of baptismal on behalf of all mankind. Lastly, is it said that the baptism was

Another way John portrays Jesus is the symbol of the Lamb which is a sign of purity. The Lamb represents sacrifice in which Jesus is preparing his sacrifice for the world. Even with knowing the result, Jesus continues on his journey as the Lamb of God, going forth into the world and preparing the path for others, explaining, showing the possibility of an eternal afterlife . I found the Gospel of John more emotionally charged because of how he represents Jesus as a sacrifice for the sins of the world, which has no choice in accepting and following till the end. By having such a heavy burden to carry, Jesus still manages to help society understand the reasons behind the sacrifice.

All Christians know about the Great Commission, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20, English Standard Version). In that command, Jesus tells us to baptize in the name of the Trinity. What does the word “baptism” mean? Baptimsa and sometimes baptismos, the Greek word origin of “baptism”, can translate to “immersion” or “bathing” without any religious implications (McGowan, 2014). Nearly every Christian church practices baptism with a religious implication; however, they do not agree on God’s activity in, the qualifications for admitting a person to, and methods of administering baptism. For instance, many churches do not baptize people until they become adults and make a profession of faith, while others encourage baptizing an infant soon after they are born. The practices and philosophy for baptism changed throughout its use in the New Testament, the Early Church, and the Medieval era.

John the Apostle was a disciple, who would preach the word of God and spread Christianity through his life.

It is considered to be the act of washing away of original sin and a sign of purification (Bishop Barron, 2013) and therefore should be undertaken as soon as possible. Christians utilise baptism as their tool of salvation and the remembrance of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Religion Facts, 2015). All of these are extremely important to the Christian faith.

Jesus gave His life to purchase His Bride, the church. We are told that we were purchased with His blood in Acts 20:28 NKJV, "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he hath purchased with His own blood." We are also told in Galatians 4:5 KJV why Jesus paid the bridal price of His blood, "To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." John the Baptist had already been baptizing with water, before Jesus ever began His ministry, but Jesus told the disciples before His Ascension "…, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which