Baptism

I [John the Baptist] indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11).

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

No athlete is admitted to the contest of virtue, unless he has first been washed of all stains of sins and consecrated with the gift of heavenly grace.
~ St Ambrose

An outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us.
~ Book of Common Prayer

To be baptized is to be born according to Christ; it is to receive existence, to come into being out of nothing.
~ St Nicholas Cabasilas

You have been baptized, but think not that you are straightaway a Christian . . . The flesh is touched with salt: what then if the mind remains unsalted? The body is anointed, yet the mind remains unanointed. But if you are buried with Christ within, and already practice walking with Him in newness of life, I acknowledge you as a Christian.
~ Desiderius Erasmus

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
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