Invalid!
On the morning I am writing this article, I have just finished reading a story found on The Christian Post. This story is about a Catholic priest in Phoenix, AZ who had thousands of his baptisms over a period of 20 years invalidated by the Roman Catholic Church. His crucial mistake was that he used the wrong baptismal formula. As he baptized each baby or parishioner, he said, “We baptize you,” instead of “I baptize you.” In the many baptisms I have performed through the years, I have always said, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” This is referred to as the Trinitarian formula. My reason for saying, “I baptize,” is much different than the demands of Roman Catholicism that insist it must be “I baptize.” Rome says “We baptize” is incorrect because “I baptize” means that Christ baptizes. I want to take a moment to note some critical errors in the baptism of Roman Catholicism.
- Infant baptism – the scriptures do not record a single incident of the baptism of babies and neither any without the expressed faith of the one baptized. The baptism of the scriptures is credobaptism not paedobaptism.
- Baptismal regeneration – Roman Catholics consider baptism a sacrament whereby special saving grace is conferred. In their theology, baptism washes away original sin and brings the baptized into the grace of God. However, this baptism is not a guarantee of heaven. Other sacraments must be kept which neither in themselves give any assurance of eternal life. Pity those thousands who did not get the memo that their baptisms did not count. Roman Catholics are not uniform in their belief of whether a child dying in infancy without baptism is in the grace of God.
- Sacerdotal salvation – This means the priest stands between the individual and God. His activity is required for the soul’s salvation. Thus, the priest incorrectly performing sacraments condemns the soul to hell. No priest at all to administer sacraments is hell-condemning or at least confers far less assurance of heaven than their already nonexistent confidence.
Secondly, the Catholic Church invalidated these baptisms based on “We” not “I,” saying it is Christ who baptizes, and “We” does not signify Christ. The “I” identifies the priest as standing in the place of Christ with the same power and authority over the soul. His activity is the same as Christ’s and has saving efficacy.
There are multitudes of other issues that flow out of this such as the priest having the power to give or withhold forgiveness of sin. Another is the purpose of baptism. Still another the work of the Holy Spirit as a technical aspect of the Trinity. I do not care to argue the point, but I am reminded of John 4:2 which says Christ did not baptize. At least the “We” vs. “I” argument suffers because the disciples did the baptizing. I wonder if on the Day of Pentecost, the twelve would have their three thousand baptisms invalidated by using the collective “We baptize you” in their formula.
- Affusion vs. Immersion – Affusion is the pouring of a small amount of water on the head making sure some runs down further on the skin. This does not satisfy the scriptural mode of baptism. Baptize means “to dip” or “submerge (immerse)” the whole body in water. This symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. The believer is also immersed to show his death to his old way of life and his resurrection to new life in Christ (Romans 6:3-14).
Here we have considered one small part of only one doctrine taught in Roman Catholicism. This well is deep and difficult to touch the bottom. Heresies and blasphemies abound that condemn souls forever. Our deepest sympathies and prayers go out to those mesmerized and entrapped by the perversions of Rome. If they stay there, they will meet their popes and priestly companions in the fires of eternal hell.
There is no salvation in the Roman Catholic Church or in any of its priests. All their works and sacraments are INVALID. Sad to say the problem is not for a thousand with invalid baptisms but for millions worldwide who will die and meet those many, many millions more who through the centuries died believing their diabolical doctrines.
Salvation is in Jesus Christ alone.
Pastor V. Mark Smith