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Orthodox Doctrine (Summary of Christian Divinity)
Metropolitan Platon of Moscow, tr. Pinkerton, 1814
31. Part 2, Section 31: Of Baptism
Baptism is a mystery, in which, by the washing of the body with water, the soul of the believer is washed from its sins by the blood of Christ.
This mystery was instituted by the Lord himself, in the command which he gave to his disciples: “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost;” Mat. xxviii. 19. And it is administered in the following manner: 1st, The person who comes to be baptized, if an adult, ought to be properly instructed in the faith of the Gospel. 2d, After having been thus instructed, he shall renounce the devil, the world, and himself; for our Saviour saith, “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself;” Mark viii. 34. 3d, He shall be immersed in water at the pronouncing of these words by the servant of Christ: The servant of God is baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
These are the visible signs, and the invisible effects, which are only attained by faith, are the following:
1st, The person is washed from all his sins by the blood of Christ, that is, our heavenly Father, for the sake of the merits of our Mediator, pardoneth the sins of him who is baptized in faith.
2d, He is received into the divine covenant, that is, he enters into covenant with God, to devote his future life to his holy service; for this is the signification of being baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and through this he receives a right to the inheritance of eternal life.
3d, He is born again, according to the words of Christ, John iii. v. that is, he receives new affections and spiritual powers; namely, in the understanding an enlightened conception of God, of virtue, and of the real happiness of man; in the heart, the fear and love of God, and a strong conviction of the magnitude of that love wherewith his heavenly Father hath loved him.
Such are the power and effects of this exalted Christian mystery, which, if a man has not received, he has no hope of salvation; not on account of his not having been plunged in water, but because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God; for the words of the gospel remain unalterable. John iii. 5. “Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
In the baptism of infants, in place of their own faith, that of their parents and sureties serves, and is effectual.1
Notes
- The ordinance of baptism is either performed in the church or in a private house, and the prayers, exorcisms, and ceremonies attending its administration, are long and complicated. The Greeks and Russians always use the trine immersion; the first in the name of the Father, the second of the Son, and the third of the Holy Ghost. When a priest cannot be obtained in cases of extremity, they permit lay baptism, and never rebaptize on any account whatever. The number of sponsors is not fixed. If a boy, he generally has two godfathers and one godmother; if a girl, two godmothers and one godfather; but there may be either fewer or more. The sponsors are not allowed to marry their godchildren, and they consider themselves as related to each other, in consequence of the conjoint obligations they come under on the part of the child.