Baptisal Symbols
The primary symbol of Baptism is water. Water, present almost everywhere, is basic to life. Without it there is no life. Powerful, gentle, so pure in its God-given form, water is a rich symbol for the meaning of Baptism. For Christians, water becomes the sign of our immersion into God's life as expressed to us in Jesus Christ. Water is used liberally with each person celebrating baptism to demonstrate the abundant love of God. Water also symbolizes the washing away of the "Original sin" which was handed down by our first parents, Adam and Eve.The person who is to be baptized is signed with the cross, and parents and godparents may also be invited to mark the sign of the cross on the child's forehead. The cross is the badge of Christians, and is given to the candidate both as a symbol of their new allegia
In some churches the cross is marked not just with a dry thumb, but with oil. This draws on the way in which, in the time of the early Christians, athletes preparing for a contest would be rubbed down with oil to loosen their limbs and prepare them for either the race or the fight. Making the cross in this way reminds people that life is often a struggle in which the baptized person is enlisted to compete on the side of God and the good. The anointing represents the way in which the baptized are given God's Spirit: the same Spirit of love that Jesus shared with his Father. In this way, just as Jesus was God's Son, God adopts the baptized as his sons and daughters. All Christians need to treat each other with the same love and respect as members of God's royal family. This light is a reminder that we are all called to live our lives in a way
Some topics in this essay:
Eve Cross,
Paschal Candle,
St Paul,
God Anointing,
Symbols Water,
Son God,
Christians God's,
Christ Water,
Baptism Christians,
God Water,
baptized person,
Join now to see the rest of the essay!
Approximate Word count = 571
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
Example Essays Home
