Heidi R. answered • 07/02/19
Focused, Fun and Effective!
The origin of Christian baptism comes from a variety of events in the Bible. There are Old Testament precursor events and New Testament events leading to the practice.
In Exodus 30, instructions are given for Aaron and his sons as priests in the new temple. Multiple references are given to washing to be clean, to avoid dying due to angering God when unclean, and more.
The theme of washing to clean a person from sins continues in multiple places in the Old Testament (a few examples: Psalm 26:6, Isaiah 1:16; and Jeremiah 4:15).
In the New Testament, a key action by the Christ is recorded that takes the Old Testament references and gives them new life. The first chapter of John records his actions of baptizing people in preparation for the Christ and of the Messiah coming to him to be baptized (also in Matthew 3).
A specific instruction is recorded in one Gospel of the disciplines being instructed to baptize those who followed their teachings ( Matthew 28:19). Other Gospels have a report that the disciples baptized others, not Jesus (John 4:2).
Thanks to the history and significance of cleansing with water to avoid sin in the Old Testament and the events of the New Testament, baptism is an establish sacrament of the Faith.
