Saints LightWhat Does Baptism Actually Do?
Baptism wipes away all sin, makes you God's own child, joins you to the Church, and marks your soul as Christ's forever. The struggle against sin remains, but now you face it with grace.
The Church sums up what Baptism does in two movements: it takes away, and it gives. It purifies from sin, and it gives new birth in the Holy Spirit (CCC 1262). Parishes usually explain it as five gifts.
Forgiveness. Baptism washes away original sin, the wound we inherit as members of Adam's family, and in an adult it also forgives every personal sin committed before, together with all the punishment due to them (CCC 1263). An adult baptized at the Easter Vigil walks away from the font with nothing left to pay. That is why the unbaptized do not go to Confession first: Baptism itself does all that Confession does, and more.
Baptism does not, however, remove every weakness. Suffering, illness and death remain, and so does an inclination toward sin the Church calls concupiscence (CCC 1264). It is not itself a sin, but it is a struggle. The baptized face it with grace, and never alone.
New birth as a child of God. Baptism makes you a new creature: an adopted son or daughter of the Father, a member of Christ, and a temple of the Holy Spirit (CCC 1265). You receive sanctifying grace, God's own life in the soul, together with faith, hope and charity (CCC 1266). This is not a title only. God really shares his life with you.
Member of the Church. Baptism joins you to the Body of Christ, which means joining a family of brothers and sisters in every nation and century (CCC 1267). You share in the priesthood of Christ, the common priesthood of all the baptized, lived out in prayer, worship and a holy life (CCC 1268). From now on you belong not only to yourself but to the Lord who died and rose for you (CCC 1269). Baptism even creates a real bond with Christians of other churches who are validly baptized (CCC 1271).
The indelible mark. Baptism seals the soul with a spiritual mark, called a character, which shows that you belong to Christ. No sin can erase it (CCC 1272). A baptized person can wander far, even turn away from the faith, and the mark still remains. That is why a Catholic coming home after years away is welcomed back through Confession, never baptized again. Baptism is given once, for life and for eternity (CCC 1274).
Put simply: you go into the water as one person and come out as God's child, washed clean, part of a family, and marked as his forever.
Key points
- Baptism forgives original sin and, for adults, every personal sin and all punishment due to sin.
- It makes us adopted children of God, members of Christ and temples of the Holy Spirit, filled with sanctifying grace.
- It joins us to the Church and gives us a share in the common priesthood of all the baptized.
- It leaves an indelible mark, so it is never repeated, though the inclination to sin remains to be fought with grace.
The Word of God
For you are all the children of God by faith, in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized in Christ, have put on Christ.
For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether bond or free; and in one Spirit we have all been made to drink.
Now he that confirmeth us with you in Christ, and that hath anointed us, is God: Who also hath sealed us, and given the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts.
Catechism paragraphs for this lesson
- CCC 1262-1264
- CCC 1265-1266
- CCC 1267-1270
- CCC 1271-1274
CCC means the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Saints Light teaches it in its own words and never quotes it. Look up any paragraph in a printed copy or at vatican.va. See every lesson by paragraph in the Catechism index.
From the tradition
Q. Are actual sins ever remitted by Baptism? A. Actual sins and all the punishment due to them are remitted by Baptism, if the person baptized be guilty of any.
Live it this week
Each morning this week, before you get out of bed, say slowly: I am a child of God, I belong to Christ, the Holy Spirit lives in me. Notice whether it changes how you treat one person that day.
Check yourself: three questions
1. An adult is baptized at the Easter Vigil. What happens to the sins he committed before?
- Only original sin is forgiven; personal sins must be confessed first
- Personal sins are forgiven, but he still owes the punishment for them
- All sins and all the punishment due to them are forgiven
- Nothing changes until he makes his first Confession afterward
Show the answer
All sins and all the punishment due to them are forgiven. Baptism forgives original sin and every personal sin, along with all punishment due to sin (CCC 1263). That is why the unbaptized do not confess before Baptism.
2. After Baptism, why do Christians still feel pulled toward sin?
- Because the Baptism did not really work
- Because an inclination to sin, called concupiscence, remains to be fought with grace
- Because original sin returns each time we sin
- Because only Confirmation takes away temptation
Show the answer
Because an inclination to sin, called concupiscence, remains to be fought with grace. The lesson explains that concupiscence remains after Baptism; it is not a sin in itself but a struggle we face with God's grace (CCC 1264).
3. A Catholic who left the faith for twenty years wants to return. Does he need to be baptized again?
- No, because Baptism leaves an indelible mark; he returns through Confession
- Yes, because leaving the faith erases Baptism
- Yes, but only if he joined another religion
- Only if the priest decides his first Baptism has expired
Show the answer
No, because Baptism leaves an indelible mark; he returns through Confession. The baptismal character cannot be erased by any sin (CCC 1272). A returning Catholic is reconciled through Confession, never rebaptized.
Words to know
- Concupiscence
- The inclination toward sin that remains after Baptism. It is not a sin itself, but a weakness to be resisted with grace.
- Sanctifying grace
- God's own life dwelling in the soul, first given in Baptism.
- Character
- The permanent spiritual mark given by Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders, which is why they are never repeated.
More terms in the Catholic glossary. More passages in the Scripture index.
For catechists: a one hour class plan
Goal. Help the group name the five gifts of Baptism and see what they mean for daily life.
Opener. Ask: Have you ever had a debt or a burden completely cancelled, or been welcomed into a family or group where you suddenly belonged? How did it feel? Let a few people share, then explain that Baptism does both at once.
Discussion questions
- Which of the five gifts surprises you most, or moves you most? [Expect forgiveness and the indelible mark to come up. Let people say why.]
- If Baptism forgives all sin, why do baptized people still struggle so much? [Explain concupiscence simply: the wound is healed, the weakness remains to be fought with grace (CCC 1264).]
- What does it mean that you no longer belong only to yourself? [Draw out belonging to Christ and to a family, and the freedom that comes with it (CCC 1269).]
- How should knowing that a baptized Protestant is truly baptized change the way we speak about other Christians? [Baptism creates a real bond (CCC 1271). Encourage respect and charity.]
Activity. Give each person a sheet with five boxes labeled Forgiven, Child of God, Temple of the Spirit, Member of the Church, Marked forever. In silence, have them write in each box one way that truth could change their week (or their child's life). After eight minutes, pair people up to share one box each. Parents can write the boxes as a letter to their child.
Closing prayer. Father, through Baptism you forgive, you adopt, you dwell within, you gather us into one family and you mark us as your own. Let us never forget who we are, and let us live as your children. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Timing. 0 to 5 minutes: welcome and opener. 5 to 20: teach the five gifts using the lesson. 20 to 35: discussion questions. 35 to 50: five boxes activity and sharing in pairs. 50 to 55: questions. 55 to 60: closing prayer.
Related lessons
- Why Does Baptism Matter So Much? (The Sacraments)
- Which Path Is Yours? (Becoming Catholic, free)
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