The Mystery of Baptism: Part 2

 

Baptism is far more than an outward ritual; it is a divine mystery through which God grants new life, forgiveness of sins, and union with Christ. In this second part, we explore some of the invisible graces bestowed through baptism, as revealed in Holy Scripture and faithfully preserved by the teaching of the Church.

In the fourth century, St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430 A.D.), reflecting on the words of St. John—“በፊተኛው ትንሣኤ ዕድል ያለው ብፁዕና ቅዱስ ነው ሁለተኛው ሞት በእነርሱ ላይ ሥልጣን የለውም” (Revelation 20:6)—explained that the “first resurrection” refers to baptism, through which we receive the gift of adoption as children of God (ሀብተ ወልድ) and the Christian name (ስመ ክርስትና). This understanding is consistent with our Lord’s own teaching: “ሰው ዳግመኛ ካልተወለደ በቀር የእግዚአብሔርን መንግሥት ሊያይ አይችልም።” (John 3:3). Thus, Christ reveals that baptism is the mystery of new birth through which we enter the Kingdom of God.

Though administered outwardly, baptism conveys many invisible graces (የማይታዩ ጸጋዎች); the following are some of the invisible graces received through this holy mystery.

1. Salvation (ድኅነት)

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, clearly taught that whoever seeks eternal salvation must both believe and be baptized in the faith of the One Son. After His resurrection, Christ affirmed this truth to His disciples, declaring, “ያመነ የተጠመቀም ይድናል፤ ያላመነ ግን ይፈረድበታል።” (Mark 16:16).

Saint Peter, faithfully reflecting the Lord’s teaching, wrote: “ጥቂቶች ማለት ስምንት ነፍስ በውኃ የዳኑበት መርከብ ሲዘጋጅ፥ የእግዚአብሔር ትዕግሥት በኖኅ ዘመን በቈየ ጊዜ ቀድሞ አልታዘዙም። ይህም ውኃ ደግሞ ማለት ጥምቀት ምሳሌው ሆኖ አሁን ያድነናል፥ የሰውነትን እድፍ ማስወገድ አይደለም።” (1 Pet. 3:20–21). He explains that the water by which Noah and his family were saved symbolizes baptism, through which believers are saved—not by the outward washing of the body, but through the saving work of Christ. Salvation, therefore, is entrance into the Kingdom of God and the gift of eternal life.

Likewise, our Lord revealed to Nicodemus—who approached Him with reverence and a desire to know the truth—that baptism is the door to salvation: “እውነት እውነት እልሃለሁ፥ ሰው ከውኃና ከመንፈስ ካልተወለደ በቀር ወደ እግዚአብሔር መንግሥት ሊገባ አይችልም።” (John 3:5). This profound declaration confirms that baptism is not optional, but essential for salvation.

2. Born Again (ዳግም ልደት)  

Baptism is called “being born again” because it is distinct from physical birth. Through it, we are restored to the grace of sonship that was lost through the transgression (መተላለፍ) of Adam and Eve, and we are born anew into the life of the Holy Trinity. Our Lord clearly declared to Nicodemus: “እውነት እውነት እልሃለሁ፥ ሰው ከውኃና ከመንፈስ ካልተወለደ በቀር ወደ እግዚአብሔር መንግሥት ሊገባ አይችልም።” (John 3:5), showing that baptism is the mystery through which we receive this divine sonship.

Moreover, Saint Peter teaches that we are born again through God’s incorruptible grace (የማይጠፋ ጸጋ), saying, “ዳግመኛ የተወለዳችሁት ከሚጠፋ ዘር አይደለም፥” (1 Pet. 1:23). These passages affirm that through baptism we receive the incorruptible grace of sonship and enter into the life of God—not merely through hearing the word alone, as some claim, but through participation in the sacramental mystery established by Christ. Thus, through baptism, we become children of God and are united with Christ, receiving the promise of His Kingdom, as the Lord Himself has declared.

 3. Remission of Sin (የኃጢአት ሥርየት)

One of the articles of the Creed (ጸሎተ ሃይማኖት), handed down by the Church Fathers, clearly proclaims that the remission of sins (የኃጢአት ሥርየት) is found in baptism: “ወነአምን በአሐቲ ጥምቀት ለሥርየተ ኀጢአት፣ ኀጢአትን በምታስተሠርይ በአንዲት ጥምቀት እናምናለን።” The Fathers established this Creed to safeguard the true faith, to correct false teachings introduced by internal adversaries, and to preserve the faithful from confusion. Their declaration is firmly rooted in Holy Scripture, as demonstrated in many passages. For instance, Saint Paul—who was miraculously called—was told: “አሁንስ ለምን ትዘገያለህ? ተነሣና ስሙን እየጠራህ ተጠመቅ ከኃጢአትህም ታጠብ።” (Acts 22:16). This verse clearly affirms that baptism is also the mystery through which the remission of sins is granted.

When the Apostle Peter, through the power of his preaching, was asked by those gathered at Pentecost, “ምን እናድርግ?” he replied, “ንስሐ ግቡ ኃጢአታችሁ ይሰረይ ዘንድ እያንዳንዳችሁ በኢየሱስ ክርስቶስ ስም ተጠመቁ።” (Acts 2:37–38). This instruction was addressed to those who were coming to the faith from outside the Church and were being received into it, not to those who were already members. Peter's words, “በኢየሱስ ክርስቶስ ስም ተጠመቁ,” affirm the divine identity of Christ and call all people to believe in Him. This does not prescribe a different baptismal formula, but rather emphasizes that those receiving baptism must place their faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. The sacrament itself is administered in the name of the Holy Trinity, in accordance with Christ's command (Matthew 28:19).

Likewise, the phrase in the Creed, “ኀጢአትን በምታስተሠርይ በአንዲት ጥምቀት እናምናለን,” refers to actual (existing) sins (ነባር ኃጢአት). It applies primarily to those who have reached maturity, received instruction in the faith, believed, and completed the period of preparation for Orthodox Christian baptism—not to infants, as the wording itself makes clear.

Regarding child baptism, you may follow this link: https://tewahedoperspective.blogspot.com/2024/12/understanding-child-baptism-ethiopian.html.

 4. Imitating Christ

The Apostle Paul teaches that baptism unites us with Christ in both His death and His resurrection: “ከክርስቶስ ኢየሱስ ጋር አንድ እንሆን ዘንድ የተጠመቅን ሁላችን ከሞቱ ጋር አንድ እንሆን ዘንድ እንደ ተጠመቅን አታውቁምን? እንግዲህ ክርስቶስ በአብ ክብር ከሙታን እንደ ተነሣ እንዲሁ እኛም በአዲስ ሕይወት እንድንመላለስ፥ ከሞቱ ጋር አንድ እንሆን ዘንድ በጥምቀት ከእርሱ ጋር ተቀበርን።” (Romans 6:3–4).

Accordingly, baptism is normally performed with running water (ፈሳሽ ውኃ). If running water is unavailable, it is administered in a basin filled with water (ውኃ በሞላበት ገንዳ); if even this is not possible, water is drawn and poured over the entire body of the person being baptized. The immersion of the body in water (በውኃ እንዲጠልቅ መደረጉ) visibly expresses the truth: “ከሞቱ ጋር አንድ እንሆን ዘንድ በጥምቀት ከእርሱ ጋር ተቀበርን” (Romans 6:4), while the emergence from the water (ከውኃ ብቅ ማለቱ) clearly manifests the new life proclaimed in: “በጥምቀትም ከእርሱ ጋር ተቀብራችሁ፥ በጥምቀት ደግሞ፥ ከሙታን ባስነሣው በእግዚአብሔር አሠራር በማመናችሁ፥ ከእርሱ ጋር ተነሣችሁ።” (Col. 2:12).

Similarly, the priest baptizes the child three times, saying: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, I baptize you in the name of the Son, I baptize you in the name of the Holy Spirit - “አጠምቀከ/ኪ በስመ አብ ፣ አጠምቀከ/ኪ በስመ ወልድ ፣ አጠምቀከ/ኪ በስመ መንፈስ ቅዱስ.” This threefold baptism expresses faith in the oneness and Threeness of the Holy Trinity. It also commemorates the Lord’s resurrection on the third day after His burial, and prefigures the general resurrection of humanity at the Second Coming of Christ. Thus, baptism is a profound mystery through which we are united with Christ in His death and made partakers of His resurrection, according to the Apostle's teaching: “ከክርሰቶስ ጋር ከሞትን ከእርሱ ጋር ደግሞ በሕይወት እንድንኖር እናምናለን” (Rom. 6:8).

 5. Incorporation into the Body of Christ

In the Old Testament, the children of Abraham were marked and confirmed as members of God’s covenant people through circumcision (ግዝረት), which served as the sign of the covenant established in the Torah (ኦሪት). According to God’s command, anyone who remained uncircumcised was to be cut off from the covenant community (Gen. 17:14).

The Apostle Paul teaches that this Old Testament sign, which foreshadowed the greater reality to come, is fulfilled and brought to completion in the New Testament through baptism. He writes:

“የሥጋንም ሰውነት በመገፈፍ፥ በክርስቶስ መገረዝ፥ በእጅ ባልተደረገ መገረዝ በእርሱ ሆናችሁ ደግሞ ተገረዛችሁ፤ በጥምቀትም ከእርሱ ጋር ተቀብራችሁ፥ በጥምቀት ደግሞ፥ ከሙታን ባስነሣው በእግዚአብሔር አሠራር በማመናችሁ፥ ከእርሱ ጋር ተነሣችሁ።” (Col. 2:11–12).

Just as circumcision was the sign of God’s covenant with the descendants of Abraham, baptism likewise makes all who believe in our Lord Jesus Christ partakers of the grace entrusted to the Holy Church, the treasury of grace. Through baptism, we are joined to our Lord Jesus Christ, as the Apostle Paul writes: “ከክርስቶስ ጋር አንድ ትሆኑ ዘንድ የተጠመቃችሁ ሁሉ ክርስቶስን ለብሳችኋልና።” (Gal. 3:27). Thus, in baptism we become united with Christ, receiving the new life renewed by God and becoming true followers of Him.

Conclusion

The Scriptures and the teaching of the Church testify that baptism is the mystery through which we receive salvation, new birth, the remission of sins, union with Christ in His death and resurrection, and incorporation into His Body, the Church. Far from being a mere symbol, baptism is the God-ordained means through which believers are renewed by grace, enter the life of the Holy Trinity, and become partakers of the communion of His Church.