Orthodox Dogmatic Theology by Fr. Michael Pomazansky

Author:Fr. Michael Pomazansky [Pomazansky, Fr. Michael]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: St. Herman Press
Published: 2014-11-24T05:00:00+00:00

THE MYSTERY (SACRAMENT) OF BAPTISM

The Establishment of the Mystery of Baptism

In the first place in the series of Mysteries of the Holy Church stands the Mystery of Baptism. It serves as the door leading into the Kingdom of Grace, or the Church, and it grants access to participation in the other Mysteries. Even before the establishment of the Mystery of Baptism, the Lord Jesus Christ in His conversation with Nicodemus indicated the absolute necessity of it for salvation: Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. When Nicodemus expressed his perplexity, How can a man be born when he is old? the Saviour replied that the new birth would be accomplished by water and the Spirit: Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (John 3:3–6).

The establishment of this Grace-giving Mystery occurred after the Resurrection of Christ. Having appeared to His disciples, the Lord said to them that He had received from His Father all authority in heaven and on earth, and He continued: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world (Matt. 28:19–20). And to this He added: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned (Mark 16:16). On the day of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, when after the speech of the Apostle Peter his listeners asked what they should do, the Apostle Peter said to them: Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:37–38). In the same book of Acts are recorded several instances of Baptism performed by the Apostles. Thus, the Apostle Peter baptized Cornelius (chap. 10), the Apostle Paul baptized Lydia and those of her household (chap. 16), as well as the guard of the prison with his whole household (chap. 16).

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