The Bible: The Rite Of Baptism

Baptism can be interpreted in many different ways. It is the religious rite of sprinkling water onto a person's forehead or of immersion in water, symbolizing purification or regeneration and admission to the Christian Church. The Bible describes Baptism as the sacrament in which, by pouring water upon a person or immersing them in water, and using the words, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” the one baptized is cleansed of original sin. Also, the Bible describes Baptism as an appeal to God, “This prefigured baptism, which saves you now. It is not a removal of dirt from the body but an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” ( 1 Peter 3:21). The Catechism

has a more broad view of Baptism. I explains the initiation to be the basis of the whole Christian life, or the gateway to life in the Spirit. Once someone is Baptized they are freed from sin and reborn as sons and daughters of God. After they become members of Christ, they are then incorporated into the Church and made sharers of her mission.
There are five symbolic actions, phases, or other components of the Rite of Baptism.

They are water, paschal candle, white garment, oil of the catechumen, and sacred chrism oil. Water is known as a component of the Rite of Baptism because it has been seen as a way to cleanse and give life. Water has been symbolic in Biblical history such as the Great Flood, which marked the end of sin and gave way to a new beginning of goodness. The paschal candle is symbolic in receiving the light of Christ. The white garment is know as a component because it is a sign of acceptance and belonging in the community of faith to the new members of the Church who are wrapped in it. The garment is white because it is symbolic of Jesus’ light. When someone is dressed in the white garment during baptism, it is a visible sign of Jesus’ light and life that is present in the child. Oil of the catechumen is a component of the Rite of Baptism because it has a history that heals, comforts, and protects. During Baptism, the oil of catechumens is put on the child’s chest in the sign of the cross. The child is strengthened by the oil that imparts the power to resist evil. The child will be guided and guarded through life with the strength and gift of God’s spirit. Lastly, the sacred chrism oil is a component because it calls us to be the “good fragrance of Christ”. It attracts others to the person who has the oil on their head, but in contrast, sets them apart. The oil is an olive oil and balsam fragrance

that is placed on the forehead. The Church has used oil throughout the centuries as a sign of God’s favor.
From what the information displays, Baptism is a beautiful ceremonial initiation that is a beginning for many in the Church.