“You were baptized into union with Christ, and now you are clothed, so to speak, with the life of Christ himself. So there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, between slaves and free people, between men and women; you are all one in union with Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:27-28)

 

The Catholic Church identifies baptism as the first sacrament of initiation into the Church. We are taught in the New Testament that we are saved through baptism. (see 1 Peter 3:21 and John 3:5). Jesus also says according to the Gospel of Mark that the one who believes and is baptised will be saved. (see Mark 16:16). Through baptism we are buried with Christ, incorporated into His body, washed from our sins and reborn into the family of God. Baptism isn’t just imitating Jesus, but rather participating in Jesus’ life. Becoming a Christian of any sort requires the person to change their ways of living to follow Christ, not just change their thoughts. Baptism is where we become sons and daughters of God, where we share in the missions of the Church. It is also where we start to follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit. 

 

Water gives life and takes away life. It is what we live on in our life, we drink water, we are cleansed in water. We see this throughout the Scriptures. The Spirit and water gives life.