Do You Need A Baptism Do-Over?
In a bizarre turn of events, the bishop of the Diocese of Phoenix has ruled that countless Catholics must now re-do their sacrament of baptism.
Father Andres Arango resigned from St. Gregory Catholic Church in Phoenix after it was determined he used the words "We baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," instead of the correct phrase “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," according to Thomas J. Olmsted, the bishop of the Diocese of Phoenix.
Olmsted explained, "The issue with using ‘We’ is that it is not the community that baptizes a person, rather, it is Christ, and Him alone, who presides at all of the sacraments, and so it is Christ Jesus who baptizes," with the priest presumably acting as Christ’s surrogate to perform the sacrament.
The priest in question had performed hundreds, maybe thousands of baptisms over the course of his 20+ year career. But the Diocese determined that because he used the wrong word, "... all of the baptisms he has performed until June 17, 2021, are presumed invalid." He suggested this was a particularly serious error, since, according to the Catholic Church, "Baptism is a requirement for salvation."
"It saddens me to learn that I have performed invalid baptisms throughout my ministry as a priest by regularly using an incorrect formula,” said Father Arango.
So, do all of these people whom Father Arango baptized now need a do-over? Well, if any of them actually believed that the validity of their baptism hinged on just how precisely a ritual was performed, then yes, they most certainly do -- not so that the priest can correct his words, but rather that they might correct their faith.
The Scriptures teach that if we have sincerely placed our trust in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus for the eternal salvation of our souls, then our salvation is eternally secure. There is no human “formula” which can either codify or nullify it.
This story illustrates just how tenuous it is to place one's confidence in rituals. But the good news is that it is our faith in Christ, not in the proper performance of rituals, that saves us.
"Those flood waters were like baptism that now saves you. But baptism is more than just washing your body. It means turning to God with a clear conscience, because Jesus Christ was raised from death" (1 Pet 3:21, CEV).
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph 2:8-9 NKJV).
Connecting The Dots
As a child, I loved games that involved connecting the dots. I always thought it was so cool to start off with a bunch of dots that appeared to be random and watch the mystery resolved as the dots were connected.
Growing in one’s faith is also like a game of connecting the dots. That's because it involves a process of discovering the relationship between the things Christian are supposed to do and the meaning behind those things.
Take the Sacraments as an example. On their own, they’re like a floating dot. Bread and wine are but bread and wine, waiting to be connected to something. That’s exactly what Jesus did on the night He was betrayed when He connected the Pascal meal to His death. This connection made their meaning clear.
Of course, in the game of connecting the dots, there is always the danger that we might connect the wrong dots. Likewise, in the Christian life, we must avoid connecting God’s dots to the wrong things. For example, some have mistakenly connected the baptism dot to their salvation when what it should be connected to The Great Commission. When we make the right connection, we understand that it’s supposed to be a witness to a watching world, performed by those who have already been saved.
Once the dot of baptism is connected to the right thing, God’s intentions become evident.
"And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:21).
Burial Does Not Cause Death
Burial does not cause death, it declares the finality of death.
The Bible teaches that when we are baptized it is symbolic of our death, burial and resurrection with Christ. Baptism doesn't cause any of those things, it simple declares that they have happened. To say you believe one must be baptized in order to be saved is like saying you have to be buried in order to be dead. No, you are buried because death has already occurred.
"For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead" (Colossians 2:12).