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Do You Need A Baptism Do-Over?

Baptism Ritual Eternal Security

Source: “Priest incorrectly performed thousands of baptisms by changing word, making them invalid” by David Aaro, FoxNews.com, 2/15/22

Link to Source: Click here to view source

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2022-02-17

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8 ; 1 Peter 3:21

Author: Illustration Exchange
7

ILLUSTRATION

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.

APPLICATION

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).

Loving Church Not God

Religion Atheism Ritual

Source: Various

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2013-10-07

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:5

Author: James Kelly
2

ILLUSTRATION

"We love all the incense, the stained glass windows, the organ music, the vestments, and all of that. It's drama. It's aesthetics, It's the ritual. That's neat stuff. I don't want to give all that up just because I don't believe in God."

- James Kelly, church-going Episcopalian from Washington, D.C.

APPLICATION

Of course, the incense, the stained glass windows, the organ music, the vestments, the drama, the aesthetics, the ritual, etc., are all intended to point us to God. Why would anyone want the but not the real thing? Perhaps the answer is found in the fact that ritual has the capacity to make us feel better about ourselves without demanding any real change.

"They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!" (2 Timothy 3:5, NLT).

Right Game, Wrong Clothes

Righteousness Spirituality Jesus, Savior

Contributed By: Ron Hipwell | Date Posted: 2025-04-19

Scripture: Isaiah 61:10 ; Galatians 3:27

Author: Ron Hipwell
4

ILLUSTRATION

Most of us have great memories from our youth where we dreamed of emulating our favorite sports heroes. Who doesn't wanna aspire to play baseball like a Barry Bonds, basketball like LeBron James, hockey like Wayne Gretzgi, or football like Tom Brady?

Pass any park on a beautiful Saturday afternoon and you're likely to see a bunch of kids tossing a football around, running plays, and tackling each other to the ground like the Superbowl championship was at stake.

Maybe for Christmas or your birthday one year, your parents bought you a football uniform, complete with helmet, pads, and a jersey and pants from your favorite team. You'd have looked like a regular little football player.

Eventually, though, you'd have likely discovered that a football uniform does not make one a football player!!! You can't just dress up and make it so.

APPLICATION

Some of us sitting in church pews today are not so unlike those young kids dressing up like their sports heroes. We want to be Christian. We wanna be a good Christian, maybe even a great one.

We come to church each Sunday dressed in our Sunday best. We carry our Bibles or our iPads with the latest Bible app. We maybe even mount the stage to lead songs of worship and praise.

We do all of the expected things of a church goer. But just as the old saying goes: Just because a mouse is in the cookie jar, it doesn’t make the mouse a cookie!!!

The only way we can be properply suited up for this thing we call the Christian life is to have a personal RELATIONSHIP with Jesus Christ the Risen Savior through faith in Him and His completed work on our behalf!

Don't show up to the right game in the wrong clothes. We need to be clothed in HIS righteousness alone!

"I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels" (Isaiah 61:10, NIV).

"... for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ" (Galatians 3:27, NIV).

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21, NIV).

 

Thou Shalt Not Fish

Law (of God) Sin Nature Legalism

Contributed By: Adonis Randolph | Date Posted: 2024-08-24

Scripture: Romans 7:8 ; Romans 3:20

Author:
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Mysteries on the Walls of our Faith and Worship

Tradition Worship Legalism

Contributed By: Neal Pollard | Date Posted: 2024-07-09

Scripture: Mark 7:13

Author: Neal Pollard
0

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The Dating Stamp of Approval

Dating Relationships Spirituality

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2024-04-11

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:22

Author: Illustration Exchange
3

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Asking The Wrong Question

Love for God Motivation Legalism

Contributed By: Neal Pollard | Date Posted: 2020-08-16

Scripture: Hebrews 10:25

Author: Neal Pollard
9

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Be Perfect!

Grace Religion Works Salvation

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2020-05-28

Scripture: Matthew 5:48

Author: Illustration Exchange
5

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Drawn to the Well

Legalism Calling God's Love

Contributed By: Gabriel Carnes | Date Posted: 2019-03-29

Scripture: John 4:14 ; John 10:27

Author: Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch
14

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The Law of Love

Legalism Love (Divine) Reconciliation

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2017-03-19

Scripture: Galatians 5:14

Author: Illustration Exchange
6

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