Baptism - Parish of Morphett Vale

 The gift of eternal life, bought for us by Our Lord’s death on the cross, is given to us as individuals through the sacrament of Baptism.

Jesus commanded his Apostles to make disciples of all nations, baptising in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit all who repent and accept His sacrifice for their sins.

At first those baptised were adults, but there is no record in the New Testament of the refusal of the Church to baptise children. There is evidence of whole families, which could have included children, being baptised, and in time it became the general practise to baptise the infants of Christian parents.

The order of the service is as follows:

The example and teaching of Jesus and the Apostles about baptism is stated; the godparents are required on behalf of the child, to renounce evil, to believe the teaching of the Church, and to obey the Commandments; the water in the font is set apart with a prayer that the child will receive the fullness of God’s grace; the godparents are asked to name the child and, saying the name, the priest pours water over the child’s head “in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; a cross is signed on the forehead of the child who is then received into the Church of God. The Cross is a token that he she who has been adopted as a child of God shall never be ashamed to admit the faith of the crucified Christ and to fight against evil, continuing in the service of Christ until he she reaches God’s Kingdom. Prayers are offered for his her home and all who will influence his her life; the parents and godparents are told that he she is to be taught the Christian Faith and brought to the bishop to be confirmed when he she has reached the years of discretion so that in the strength of the Holy Spirit, he she will receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion and continue to serve God faithfully as a living part of the Church.

Adults who are baptised should understand the Christian Faith. Before their baptism they should confess their sins. They should be confirmed as soon as possible, after being baptised.

Baptism represents the death, burial and resurrection of our lord. It also represents the death of the sinful nature which we inherit from all mankind, the burial of that nature as we were covered by the water, and the resurrection to new life as members of Christ’s Church as children of God and inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven