from Modern Catholic Dictionary by John A. Hardon, S.J. Doubleday & Co., Inc. Garden City, NY 1980

Shell. An emblem of baptism since the twelfth century. Once pouring water was the accepted mode for baptizing, the shell became a handy accessory. Also a symbol for the pilgrim, explaining probably why the shell is an emblem of St. James the Apostle, whose shrine is a famed place of pilgrimage. It is also the emblem for St. Augustine, who had a vision of a child (believed to be Christ) who told him that he could sooner empty the ocean with a shell than understand the Trinity. The shell is likewise one of the numerous symbols of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

You could say that it was John the Baptist because he was the firt to properly baptise people.

He also baptised Jesus.

John the baptist was not the first Baptist. Many people tend to think that Baptism is a purely Christian Thing, However, this is not the case. In Jewish Tradition there are three forms of Baptism:

1: by Women to attain purification following the completion of their menstrual cycle.

2: by Jewish men to attain a form of ritual purity.

3: as part of conversion to Judaism.

The symbol of water to cleanse and purify has been in human tradition for a long time. John the Baptist was merely performing that what had been in Jewish teaching and tradition for many many years.

The symbolisation is that the person will clean themselves, or wash themselves before entering a new way of life, or to make themselves pure in order to move into a spiritual state of grace. Many Christians like to distance themselves from the Jewish way of life, thinking that they are new and the completion of the Jewish tradition. Yet in doing so they forget their very roots, after all, Jesus was a Jew.

Answer2: The Jews performed cleansing rites upon themselves. The baptism John performed, though, was not a kind of ritual bathing familiar to the Jews. That John came to be known as the Baptizer indicates that the immersion he performed was different. Jewish religious leaders even sent a delegation to him to inquire: "Why . . . do you baptize?"-John 1:25. The cleansing required by the Mosaic Law had to be repeated as often as a worshipper became unclean. This was not true of the baptism John performed nor of that later practiced by Christians. John's baptism indicated repentance and a rejection of a former life course. Christian baptism symbolized the fact that a person had dedicated himself to God. The Christian did so once, not over and over again.

The ritual bathing performed in the homes of the Jewish priests and in the public baths close to the Temple Mount bore nothing more than a superficial resemblance to Christian baptism. The respective meanings of these immersions were completely different. The Anchor Bible Dictionary observes: "A scholarly consensus holds that John [the Baptizer] did not take over or adapt any particular baptism from his milieu," that is, from Judaism. The same can be said of the baptism practiced in the Christian congregation.

Baptismal Innocence is the time after Baptism when a person's soul is spotless. For babies who are Baptized this is from their Baptism until around the age of 7 when they are considered able to reason the difference between Good and Evil. For adults (those over the age of 7) who are Baptized it lasts until their next sin (probably a few minutes later).

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

By Baptism all sins are forgiven, original sin and all personal sins, as well as all punishment for sin. In those who have been reborn nothing remains that would impede their entry into the Kingdom of God, neither Adam's sin, nor personal sin, nor the consequences of sin, the gravest of which is separation from God. (CCC 1263)

At the beginning of the service the infant and her parents will be welcomed into the Church and be brought to the front (Near the Altar and Font). The priest will ask the parents the infant's name and ask what they are asking from the Church. They reply with the infant's full name and that they want baptism. The priest traces the Sign Of The Cross over the infant's forehead and then pours the Holy Water over Ruby's head at the Font while saying 'I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit'. Then the two oils will be applied to the infant's forehead and the Godparents will be called to come up and take the Baptismal Vows. After the oils are applied, they will walk to the Font and the priest again will pour water over the infant's head and then the shawl will be wrapped around to symbolize that we put on Christ in Baptism. The Baptismal Candle (Which is lit by the Easter Candle and represents the one true light of Christ) is given to the parents.

No scripture attests to John baptizing in anyone's name. His baptism unto repentance "prepared the way" for Jesus' baptism [which isn't a baptism of water -- but of the Holy Spirit, for the remission of sins].

John didn't "remit anyone's sins"... he "prepared and pointed the way" to the One who would.

"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire." (Matt.3:11)

Jesus has "two" baptisms that are quite "opposite" from each other: 1] with the "Holy Spirit"; 2] with "fire."

The gift of the Holy Spirit is for those whose sins are remitted. The baptism of "fire" is for those who shall be cast into the Lake of Fire in the Judgment [Rev.20:15].

When John baptized and preached repentance... Jesus had not yet begun His ministry. He had not yet been tested by Satan, that He might defeat him, depose him and qualify to become the "King" of God's prophesied "Kingdom" on the earth.

Until Jesus did that... He could not preach the Kingdom of God. And until Jesus rose from the dead, there was no "baptism of the Holy Spirit in Jesus' name" until Jesus rose from the dead and made the Holy Spirit available beginning on Pentecost.

Until Jesus died and rose again... for the short period of time of His "cut-off" ministry, He remitted sins as He walked among the people in the flesh. But the Holy Spirit was not yet given.

"Let all the House of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, WHOM YE HAVE CRUCIFIED, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter... WHAT SHALL WE DO?

"Then Peter said unto them, REPENT [John's baptism, the baptism with water that others took over after John's imprisonment], and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

"For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." (Acts 2:36-39)

John's "baptism unto repentance" COMES FIRST. No one can be forgiven if they aren't conscious of the reality that they are a sinner... that they have "broken God's laws" [the Bible's definition of sin] -- I John 3:4. A person has to, first, want forgiveness for his sins in order to seek it. Repentance is the awakening of the spirit to the need of obedience to God.

That was John's job. That's why he was born [see Luke 1]. That was his commission: to herald the coming of the Messiah. To baptize unto and preach: "repentance." To "...turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers..." (Malachi 4:6).

"...Behold, I send My messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight." (Mark 1:2-3)

John's baptism and preaching of repentancewas a "harbinger" to the people that the prophecies of their scriptures regarding their long-awaited Messiah was about to be fulfilled. It was a most exciting time in Judaea.

Everyone was looking for Him to appear, because of John's "voice" and his baptism with water unto repentance. John's baptism didn't need a name to turn peoples' hearts to a consciousness of their scriptures and their sins.

Since Jesus' ascension into heaven, repentance and "baptism for the remission of sins" is a combined and complete process that requires the name of Jesus Christ for the divine authorization of the Remitter.

"...John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him. And I knew Him not: but He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Spirit. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God." (John 1:32-34)

visit this website (below)

This is the number one source for all baptism blankets. Mine said :

Micheal Lee Brody

Baptized on January 1, 2009

At Holy Redeemer Church.

May you grow in faith and love.

They have other inspiring sayings that will help you decide the best wishes on this important day.

My recommendation is a white or ivory blanket with silver or toasted almond thread.

You will love this place.

And you can get great deals on christening/baptism gifts here.

(below)

I GOOD IDEA OF SOMETHING TO BY IS A FIRST BIBLE. A CANDLE OR A PRAYER CARD, I SUGGEST A BIBLE OR CANDLE AS MORE EXITING PRESENTS.

There are more 'worldly' gifts and religious gifts as well as symbolic gifts for a baby's baptism. See the link below for some good ideas in these categories (Best Baptism Gift Ideas).
Have you considered purchasing something instead of a cash gift?

If this is a confirmation gift, chances are, they probably already have a bible. Christian culture has evolved so that you have choices in giving more trendy items that still express faith for around $20.

Funny and modern christian based shirts -

approx $17.00 (see link below)

Christian Caps - approx $14-$15 (see link below)

Christian Jewelry - Christian jewelry is a popular choice, and selections vary from silver purity rings to trendier casual pieces that can be accessorized to match Tees and clothes that are trendy. ($9.99 to $22.99) (See link below)

Scripture says that Jesus instructed His disciples to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age."(Matthew Ch 28)

What is Baptism: "Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, 'Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.' Jesus answered him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' Nicodemus said to him, 'How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?' Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born anew.' The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit.' Nicodemus said to him, 'How can this be?' Jesus answered him, 'Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.'" (John Ch3)

The ceremony of Baptism therefore enables us to enter the Kingdom of Heaven through our spritual birth.

Entry to the Kingdom of Heaven in this way cannot be denied as we see when John the Baptist "saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit that befits repentance." (Matthew Ch 3) and when Jesus said "Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and men of violence take it by force "(Matthew Ch 11)

There are other ways to enter the Kingdom of Heaven e.g. 'Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.'." (Mark 10). "Not everyone who says to me 'Lord, Lord' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew Ch 7) "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ....." (Matthew Ch 5)

Note 1: Jesus was baptised by John "for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness. ..... And when Jesus was baptised, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.'" (Matthew Ch 3) thus confirming His entry into the Kingdom of Heaven and His sonship of the King of Kings.

Note 2: Like our natural birth which is carried out with a certain amount of local custom, necessary and otherwise, a good deal of the the ceremony around our spiritual birth depends on local custom. However the main thing is that we are baptised, the reason being that eternal life comes solely through the Kingdom of Heaven where God the Son is King and the only route to God the Father. For us then the road of eternal life can begin at baptism and end up, throught the power of God, hopefully in the Kingdom of God the Father where the righteous will shine like the sun.

Any Christian can baptise another Christian and it is done by completely submerging them in water as a symbol of washing away an old life and beginning a Christ-like life. The act itself is a showing of our obedience to Christ's instructions. Be aware, that some churches require you to be baptised at their church in order to be a member of it. In reality, it is between yourself and Christ and doesn't require the blessing of a man-made religion or church.

..............................

Answer

Baptism serves four purposes: 1. It is for the remission of sins. 2. It admits the repentant person to membership into the Church and to the kingdom of God on earth. 3. It is the gate to the highest degree of glory in the kingdom of heaven, that is, it start a person out on the straight and narrow path which leads to eternal life. 4. It is a means whereby the door to personal sanctification is opened.

Baptism is also symbolic of a new birth.

Robert

BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT -

It is an infilling of the Holy Spirit that empowers the believer to operate in the Gifts of the Spirit

BAPTISM IN WATER -

John said that he batised in water but there was one coming after him that would baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Water baptism is obsolete for the remission of sins. Water baptism was done prior to the death and resurrection of Christ to PREPARE THE WAY for the Lord.

After Christ died and rose we baptise in water as a profession of our faith and we Baptise with the Holy Spirit because He came at Pentecost as instructed by Christ Himself.

The ceremony of Baptism is when you the holy water clears your mortal sin from Adam and Eve. It also makes you become a part of God's family.

I believe that Baptism is a symbol, an IMPORTANT Symbol, but a symbol. It symbolizes that you are Christian to the church(or community), and are in need of advice and consoling on God and his teachings. Now, as you read through The book of Acts, you will notice that most of the people who are saved happens at different times that people are saved. So we see that Baptism itself is just a ceremony and it is the intent itself that matters(like sin). HOWEVER, this is just my viewpoint on the matter and not everyone will agree with me. FEEL FREE TO RESPOND TO MY ANSWER AND TELL ME WHT YOU THINK!!!!!!!!! And I'm sorry i can't give you a more detailed description, Class is about to end.

Baptism is a sign of submission to God's will and a remission of sins. This makes Jesus baptism curious as it suggests that he was not without sin before his baptism. Also curious that John The Baptist is recorded in the gospels as hearing the voice of God say "This is my son, of whom I am well pleased," and yet apparently forgets this later on when he asks from his prison cell "Are you the one the prophesies speak of." Not the only interesting case of forgetfulness by those close to Jesus but one of the most interesting

Depending on which baptism you are referring to either the baptism by fire or water baptism. I will only add something to the question pointed toward water baptism. Water baptism is portrayed as an outward portrayal of an inward decision to identify oneself to the lordship of the Jesus Christ in faith and practice.

We are in essence, being lowered (emmerced) into water portraying Christ as He washed Himself completely in His own blood by death for the remission of our sins. We are in fact, identiying ourselves dead to sin in agreement with His work.

Please see question "What is the ceremony of Baptism"

Answer: The word "baptize" comes from the Greek ba·pti'zein, meaning "to dip, to plunge." (A Greek-English Lexicon, by Liddell and Scott) Christian water baptism is an outward symbol that the one being baptized has made a complete, unreserved, and unconditional dedication through Jesus Christ to do the will of Jehovah God. The Scriptures also refer to John's baptism, baptism with holy spirit, and baptism with fire, among others. Mark 1:9, 10: "Jesus . . . was baptized ["immersed," ED, Ro] in the Jordan [River] by John. And immediately on coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being parted. Not baptismal water, but the blood of Jesus cleanses from sin. Jesus made baptism a requirement for his followers. Are children in a position to make an intelligent dedication? The Scriptures give no age requirements for baptism. Still, infants certainly could not become believers, exercise faith, or make a dedication to God. (Acts 8:12) Regarding first-century Christians, historian Augustus Neander states in his book General History of the Christian Religion and Church: "Baptism was administered at first only to adults, as men were accustomed to conceive baptism and faith as strictly connected." Among those who came to John to be baptized was Jesus himself. But why? Knowing that Jesus had no sins to confess, John said: "I am the one needing to be baptized by you, and are you coming to me?" But Jesus' baptism was to symbolize something different. So Jesus replied: "Let it be, this time, for in that way it is suitable for us to carry out all that is righteous." (Matthew 3:13-15) Because Jesus was without sin, his baptism did not symbolize repentance over sin; nor did he need to dedicate himself to God, since he was a member of a nation already dedicated to Jehovah. Rather, his baptism at 30 years of age was unique to him, and it symbolized the presenting of himself to his heavenly Father to do His further will.

Answer: The word "baptize" comes from the Greek ba·pti'zein, meaning "to dip, to plunge under water." (A Greek-English Lexicon, by Liddell and Scott) . Christian baptism therefore means being fully dipped, or immersed in water.