Effects of Baptism

There are 3 major effects of baptism.

Original sin (the sin committed by Adam) and all other sins are forgiven and "washed away" by the waters of baptism. The visible "washing" with water is a sign of a total, spiritual cleansing.

This teaching is supported first in scripture:

It is through Baptism that we first die to sin and become "alive for God" (Rom 6:3-4). Thus we read : "Be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins; and you shall receive the Holy Ghost. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, whomsoever the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:38). Later on in the Acts of the Apostles this is again confirmed with the words "Be baptized, and wash away thy sins" (Acts 22:16). Even before the Acts of the Apostles, the effect of baptism was prophesised by Ezechiel - "I will pour upon you clean water, and you shall be cleansed from all your filthiness".

Then again the Church affirms the teaching that our sins are forgiven in baptism:

In the profession of faith prescribed by Pope Innocent III in 1210 we again read "We believe that all sins are remitted in baptism, both original sin and those sins which have been voluntarily committed". The saints and theologians of the Church profess this teaching also where St Justin Martyr declares that "in baptism we are created anew, that is, consequently, free from all stain of sin". St. Ambrose says of baptism: "This is the water in which the flesh is submerged that all carnal sin may be washed away. Every transgression is there buried." Tertullian writes: "Baptism is a carnal act in as much as we are submerged in the water; but the effect is spiritual, for we are freed from our sins." Finally, the words of Origen are classic: "If you transgress, you write unto yourself the handwriting of sin. But, behold, when you have once approached to the cross of Christ and to the grace of baptism, your handwriting is affixed to the cross and blotted out in the font of baptism."

It is through the sacraments that God pours forth the supernatural sanctifying grace needed to become holy and the adopted sons of God conferring the right to heavenly glory. The grace flows from Christ on the cross with the sacraments as a channel of that grace.

In baptism, Jesus sends us the Holy Spirit to dwell within us, making us "temples of the Holy Spirit" (see 1 Cor 6:19). Because of original sin, the Spirit of God could not dwell in any person in the Old Covenant. But since Jesus' death and resurrection, the cleansing from original sin that Chrisitians receive in baptism makes it possible for the Holy Spirit to make His home in us as His temples. The new life in Christ is also life in the Spirit.

"For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body..." (1 Cor 12:13). Baptism is the first 'sacrament of initiation' and the newly baptized are initiated into both the life of Christ and the life of his body (or people) - the Church.

Baptism forms a 'sacramental bond of unity' among all who have received the holy and indellible mark and seal conferred at baptism.

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