BAPTISM

BAPTISM

Resurrection of Christ.

The greatest of all Christ's miracles and the proof of His divine mission. For although He worked many other wonders, yet without His Resurrection, as Saint Paul states (1 Cor. 15:17), our faith would be vain and we would still be in our sins. The reason for this is that resurrection from the dead was the sign which Christ Himself promised as the proof of His divine mission (Matt. 12:38 - 41; John 2:19), and had He failed to return to life on the third day He would have been convicted of being an imposter. His enemies, the priests and Pharisees, understood full well the importance of this sign, and therefore took precautions to seal the tomb and post guards (Matt. 27:62 - 66). Since these arrangements excluded the possibility of fraud, they thereby increased for posterity the certainty of the miracle.

The Resurrection was not an apparent return or a mere hallucination of the Apostles, but resumption by Christ of His human body. It is a historical fact attested by witnesses who could neither deceive, wish to deceive, nor be deceived. Those whom the Bible mentions as having seen the Risen Christ include: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome; the Apostles; Cleophas and another disciple at Emmaus; Saint Paul; more than 500 disciples.

Of the fact of Christ's Resurrection, therefore, there can be no doubt (Matt. 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20). The Apostles bore witness to it constantly; in fact, it formed the basis of their entire preaching (e.g., Acts 2:24-32; 2 Cor. 5:15; 2 Tim. 2:8). Not only is it the foundation of our faith; it is also the pledge and example of our own resurrection. Easter Sunday is the Feast of the Resurrection.

Resurrection of the Body.

The doctrine that the souls of all men, both good and bad, will be reunited to their bodies at the second coming of Christ. Just as the body shares in the good acts or in the sins of the soul in this life, so it will share in its reward or in its punishment in eternity. Each soul will be reunited, by the power of God, to identically the same body which it inhabited in this life. The risen body, will be without any defect of human nature and will be invested with the special qualities of the glorified body. This doctrine is the 11th article of the Creed, and one of the principal doctrines of our Faith. This consoling truth was known to the orthodox Jews of the Old Testament (2 Mach. 7:9-11) and was more clearly and emphatically taught by Our Lord on various occasions (Matt. 22:23-32; John 5: 28-29). Indeed, by Himself rising from the dead, Christ gave us a pattern and a pledge of our own resurrection (1 Cor. 15:20-23; 1 Thess. 4:13); for at His command on the last day our bodies will be restored to us in a condition like to His own glorified body: subject to our souls, and immune from decay, suffering, and death (1 Cor. 15:42-44).

Prophecies, The. The 12 lessons taken from the Old Testament which are chanted before the blessing of the Baptismal Font on Holy Saturday morning. The Prophecies treat of Old Testament history and the prophecies. They were read in the early Church to instruct those about to be baptized.


From St. Irenaeus’ Against Heresies:

BOOK I CHAP. X. - UNITY OF THE FAITH OF THE CHURCH
THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE WORLD.  { note that St. Irenaeus is the first to record the creed later called the apostles creed – with a lot more than we usually see }

I.  The Church, though dispersed throughout the whole world, even to the ends of the earth, has received from the apostles and their disciples this faith; [She believes] in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven, and earth, and. the sea, and all things that are in them; and in one Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who became incarnate for our salvation; and in the Holy Spirit, who proclaimed through the prophets the dispensations of God, and the advents and the birth from a virgin, and the passion and the resurrection from the dead, and the ascension into heaven in the flesh of the beloved Christ Jesus, our Lord, and His [future] manifestation from heaven, in the glory of the Father, “to gather all things in one,” and to raise up anew all flesh of the whole human race, in order that to Christ Jesus, our Lord, and God, and Saviour, and King, according to the will of the invisible Father, “every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that I every tongue should confess” to Him, and that He should execute just judgment towards all; that He may send spiritual wickednesses,” and the angels who transgressed and became apostates, together with the ungodly, and unrighteous, and wicked, and profane among men, into everlasting fire but may, in the exercise of His grace, confer immortality on the righteous, and holy, and those who have kept His commandments, and have persevered in His love, some from the beginning [of their Christian course] and others from [the date of] their repentance, and may surround them with everlasting glory.

2. As I have already observed, the Church, having received this preaching and this faith, although scattered throughout the whole world, yet, as if occupying but one house, carefully, preserves it. She also believes these [points of doctrine] just as if she had but one soul, and one and the same heart, and she proclaims them, and teaches them, and hands them down, with perfect harmony, as if she possessed only one mouth. For, although the languages of the world are dissimilar, yet the import of the tradition is one and the same. For the Churches which have been planted in Germany do not believe or hand down anything different, nor do those in Spain, nor those in Gaul, nor those in the East, nor those in Egypt, nor those in Libya, nor those which have been established in the central regions of the world { Jerusalem, the mother of all the Churches is here referred to }. But as the sun, that creature of God, is one and the same throughout the whole world, so also the preaching of the truth shineth everywhere, and enlightens all men that are willing to come to a knowledge of the truth. Nor will anyone of, the rulers in the Churches, however highly gifted he may be in point of eloquence, teach doctrines different from these (for no one is greater than the Master) ; nor, on the other hand, will he who is deficient in power of expression inflict injury on the tradition. For the faith being ever one and the same, neither does one who is able at great length to discourse regarding it, make any addition to it, nor does one, who can say but little, diminish.it.

3 It does not follow because men are endowed with greater and less degrees of intelligence, that they should therefore change the  subject-matter of the faith itself, and should conceive of some other God, besides Him who is the Framer, Maker, and Preserver of this universe ( as if He were not sufficient for them ), or of another Christ, or another Only-begotten.

…while the Catholic Church possesses one and the same faith throughout the whole world, as we have already said.

(Pg.) 332 T&T Clark Erdmans edition; also see CCEL on-line http://www.ccel.org/


(Pg.) 497 ibid
Book 4 Chapter XXVI Section 4. ibid


( Concerning how we act towards heretics – the evolutionary Gnostics )
From all such persons, therefore, it behoves us to keep aloof,…but to adhere to…the doctrine of the Apostles.

From Jesus Christ the God-Man Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit created everything, period:

Ahiyah Asher Ahiyah I Am Who I Am Yahweh El Olam eth Abba Our Father and Son Jesus Christ OLS and Ruach Yahweh Holy Spirit our Paraclete, Pantocrator Omniscient Ubiquitos, Yahweh Elohim eth Creator and ruler of all the Lord thy God Incarnate, subsuming flesh of all men, Jesus Christ our only Saviour, [See St. Luke:3:1-38: Verse 38  Who was of Henos, who was of Seth, who was of Adam, who was of God. (DRV)] 70 generations from Adam and the beginning of all creation through Whom, the Immortal Son and Word of God, all that has been created was created and without Whom was nothing that has been created, Who hast commanded all men:
1. “Thou shalt not have strange gods before Me;
2. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain;
3. Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath Day;
4. Honor thy Father and thy Mother;
5. Thou shalt not kill;
6. Thou shalt not commit adultery;
7. Thou shalt not steal;
8. Thou shalt not bear false witness;
9. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife;
10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods;
3. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4. Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth.
5. Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
6. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.
7. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
8. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God
9. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
10. Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11. Blessed are you when men reproach you, and persecute you, and, speaking falsely, say all manner of evil against you, for my sake.
12. Rejoice and exult, because your reward is great in heaven; for so did they persecute the prophets who were before you.
"Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
22. Blessed shall you be when men hate you; and when they shut you out and reproach you, and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
23. Rejoice on that day and exult, for behold your reward is great in heaven. For in the selfsame manner their fathers used to treat the prophets.
24. But woe to you rich! for you are now having your comfort.
25. Woe to you who are filled for you shall hunger.
Woe to you, who laugh now! For you shall mourn and weep.
26. Woe to you when all men speak well of you! In the selfsame manner their fathers used to treat the false prophets!”

The Disciples Compared to Salt and Light

13. "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its strength, what shall be salted with it? It is no longer of any use but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men.
14. "You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
15. Neither do men light a lamp and put it under the measure, but upon the lamp-stand, so as to give light to all in the house.
16. Even so let your light shine before men, in order that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

The Old Law and the New

17. "Do not think that I have come to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
18. For amen I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle shall be lost from the Law till all things have been accomplished.
19. Therefore whoever does away with one of these least commandments, and so teaches men, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever carries them out and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20. For I say to you that unless your justice exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul with thy whole depth of being and with thy whole strength. 38. This is the greatest and the first commandment.
39. And the second is like it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
40. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.

I say it now.

34. A new commandment I give you, that you love one another: that as I have loved you, you also love one another. 35. By this will all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

Forgive us our sins as we also do forgive those who trespass against us"
Blessed art Thou, O Lord, teach us Thy statutes and therefore remember us when Thou comest in Thy Kingdom
Blessed art Thou, O Lord, grant us understanding of Thy statutes and therefore remember us when Thou comest in Thy Kingdom
Blessed art Thou, O Lord, enlighten us by Thy statutes and by our obedience of them therefore remember us when Thou comest in Thy Kingdom

From St. Paul, the Apostle of Christ; and from the Gospel of St. Matthew, the words of Our Lord Himself.


The Twelve Prophecies

See the Prophecies below; which were read on the day (Holy Saturday) before Easter Sunday in preparation for baptizing into the faith on Easter or any other Sunday or at any time. Note that it was imperative and not optional that in the confession of the faith in Christ that the catechumen (or sponsors for children who the sponsors promised would be raised in the faith) professed literal 6 day creation (see the first Prophecy).  This was constant from the early Church until Vatican II.  Vatican II, Paul VI, John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Christoph Cardinal Schonborn and all the rest of the apostates have no business trying to, not can they, change when and how God created His creation, our universe.  Theistic Universal Evolution in any form including Intelligent Design is absolute heresy and total apostasy.

The First Prophesy:    Genesis 1: 1-31; 2: 1-2

The creation of the world. - The man created after the Image of God and His likeness had dominion over all living creatures.


In the beginning God created Heaven and earth: and the earth was void and empty, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God moved over the waters. And God said, Be light made; and light was made. And God saw the light that it was good: and He divided the light from the darkness; and He called the light day and the darkness night: and there was evening and morning, one day. And God said, Let there be a firmament made amidst the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made a firmament, and divided the waters that were under the firmament from those that were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven; and the evening and morning were the second day. God also said, Let the waters that are under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so done. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas: and God saw that it was good. And He said, Let the earth bring forth the green herb, and such as may seed, and the fruit-tree yielding fruit after its kind, which may have seed in itself upon the earth; and it was so done. And the earth brought forth the green herb, and such as yielded seed according to its kind, and the tree that beareth fruit, having seed each one according to its kind: and God saw that it was good; and the evening and the morning were the third day. And God said, Let there be lights made in the firmament of heaven to divide the day and the night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years; to shine in the firmament of heaven, and to give light upon the earth: and it was so done. And God made two great lights, a greater light to rule the day, and a lesser light to rule the night; and the stars; and He set them in the firmament of heaven to shine upon the earth, and to rule the day and the night, and to divide the light and the darkness; and God saw that it was good; and the evening and the morning were the fourth day. God also said, Let the waters bring forth the creeping creature having life, and the fowl that may fly over the earth under the firmament of Heaven. And God created the great whales, and every living and moving creature, which the waters brought forth, according to their kinds, and every winged fowl according to its kind: and God saw that it was good. And He blessed them, saying, Increase and multiply, and fill the waters of the sea, and let the birds be multiplied upon the earth: and the evening and morning were the fifth day. And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature in its kind, cattle and creeping things, and beasts of the earth, according to their kinds: and it was so done. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds, and cattle, and every thing that creepeth on the earth after its kind: and God saw that it was good. And He said, Let us make man to our image and likeness: and let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and the beasts, and the whole earth, and every creeping creature that moveth upon the earth. And God created man to His own image; to the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. And God blessed them, saying, increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and all living creatures that move upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed upon the earth, and all trees that have in themselves seed of their own kind, to be your meat; and to all the beasts of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to all that move upon the earth and wherein there is life, that they may have to feed upon: and it was so done. And God saw all the things that He had made, and they were very good: and the evening and morning were the sixth day. So the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the furniture of them. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

The Second Prophesy:    Genesis 5: 32; 6; 7: 6: 11-14, 18-21, 23-24; 8: 1-3, 6-12, 15-21
The deluge.-The ark is the prefigure of the true Church, which is the Ark of Salvation.

The Third Prophesy:    Genesis 22: 1-19
The offering of Abraham is a figure of the Sacrifice of the Cross. Faith and obedience of Abraham.

The Fourth Prophesy:    Exodus 14: 24-31; 15: 1
As Moses freed the Israelites from the captivity of Egypt, so Christ by baptism reserves the catechumens from the yoke of satan.

The Fifth Prophesy:    Isaias 54: 17; 55: 1-11
We are through the Sacrament of Baptism incorporated into the new nation: the Church, which with God enters into a covenant superior to the covenant of Sinai.

The Sixth Prophesy:    Baruch 3: 9-38
We shall enjoy everlasting peace in heaven, if we observe the lessons of life and wisdom which the prophet (the Church) teaches us.

The Seventh Prophesy:    Ezechiel 37: 1-14
The prophet tells us if the resurrection of men. The Sacrament of Baptism infuses new life into our souls.

The Eighth Prophesy:    Isaias 4: 1-6
Our Lord Jesus Christ, after cleansing our souls in Baptism, will take us under His protection.

The Ninth Prophesy:    Exodus 1-11
The children of Israel are to sacrifice the Paschal Lamb; the Israelites will put the Lamb of God to death on the Cross.

The Tenth Prophesy:    Jonas 3: 1-10
Pardon granted to the Ninivites, who, moved by the exhortations of Jonas, fasted and covered themselves with ashes for forty days.

The Eleventh Prophesy:    Deuteronomy 31: 22-30
We who have been baptized must, like the Israelites led by Moses, recall to mind the precepts of God and His munificence.

The Twelfth Prophesy:    Daniel 3: 1-24
We are, after Baptism, protected by God in the midst of all adversities, as were the three young men in the furnace.