Baptism - The Early Church Fathers
St. Ambrose
Things which are impossible with men are possible with God; and God is able whensoever He wills to forgive us our sins, even those which we think cannot be forgiven. And so it is possible for God to give us that which it seems to us impossible to obtain. For it seemed impossible that water should wash away sin…But that which was impossible God made to be possible, Who gave us so great grace. In like manner it seemed impossible that sins should be forgiven through repentance, but Christ gave this power to His apostles¸ which has been transmitted to the priestly office. That, then, has become possible which was impossible.
On Repentance, Book 2, Chapter 2
Things which are impossible with men are possible with God; and God is able whensoever He wills to forgive us our sins, even those which we think cannot be forgiven. And so it is possible for God to give us that which it seems to us impossible to obtain. For it seemed impossible that water should wash away sin…But that which was impossible God made to be possible, Who gave us so great grace. In like manner it seemed impossible that sins should be forgiven through repentance, but Christ gave this power to His apostles¸ which has been transmitted to the priestly office. That, then, has become possible which was impossible.
On Repentance, Book 2, Chapter 2
St. Ambrose
Therefore read that the three witnesses in baptism, the water, the blood, and the Spirit, are one (1 John 5:8), for if you take away one of these, the Sacrament of Baptism does not exist. For what is water without the cross of Christ? A common element, without any sacramental effect. Nor, again, is there the Sacrament of Regeneration without water: ‘For except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God’ (John 3:5). Now, even the catechumen believes in the cross of the Lord Jesus, wherewith he too is signed; but unless he be baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit¸ he cannot receive remission of sins nor gain the gift of spiritual grace.
On the Mysteries, Chapter 4:20
Therefore read that the three witnesses in baptism, the water, the blood, and the Spirit, are one (1 John 5:8), for if you take away one of these, the Sacrament of Baptism does not exist. For what is water without the cross of Christ? A common element, without any sacramental effect. Nor, again, is there the Sacrament of Regeneration without water: ‘For except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God’ (John 3:5). Now, even the catechumen believes in the cross of the Lord Jesus, wherewith he too is signed; but unless he be baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit¸ he cannot receive remission of sins nor gain the gift of spiritual grace.
On the Mysteries, Chapter 4:20
St. Augustine
Whoever says that those children who depart out of this life without partaking of the sacrament shall be made alive in Christ, certainly contradicts the apostolic declaration, and condemns the universal Church, in which it is the practice to lose no time and run in haste to administer baptism to infant children, because it is believed, as an indubitable truth¸ that otherwise they cannot be made alive in Christ.
Letters, 166:7:21
Whoever says that those children who depart out of this life without partaking of the sacrament shall be made alive in Christ, certainly contradicts the apostolic declaration, and condemns the universal Church, in which it is the practice to lose no time and run in haste to administer baptism to infant children, because it is believed, as an indubitable truth¸ that otherwise they cannot be made alive in Christ.
Letters, 166:7:21
St. Cyril of Jerusalem
For you go down into the water, bearing your sins, but the invocation of grace¸ having sealed your soul, suffers you not afterwards to be swallowed up by the terrible dragon. Having gone down dead in sins, you come up quickened in righteousness.
Catecheses 3:12
For you go down into the water, bearing your sins, but the invocation of grace¸ having sealed your soul, suffers you not afterwards to be swallowed up by the terrible dragon. Having gone down dead in sins, you come up quickened in righteousness.
Catecheses 3:12
St. John Chrysostom
Weep for the unbelievers; weep for those who differ in nowise from them, those who depart hence without the illumination, without the seal! They indeed deserve our wailing, they deserve our groans; they are outside the Palace, with the culprits, with the condemned: for, ‘Verily I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven’ (John 3:5). Mourn for those who have died in wealth and did not from their wealth think of any solace for their soul¸ who had power to wash away their sins and would not…Let us weep for these; let us assist them according to our power; let us think of some assistance for them, small though it be, yet still let us assist them. How and in what way? By praying and entreating others to make prayers for them, by continually giving to the poor on their behalf…Not in vain did the Apostles order that remembrance should be made of the dead in the dreadful Mysteries. They know that great gain results to them, great benefit; for when the whole people stands with uplifted hands, a priestly assembly, and that awful Sacrifice lies displayed, how shall we not prevail with God by our entreaties for them And this we do for those who have departed in faith.
Homilies on Philppians, 3:4
Weep for the unbelievers; weep for those who differ in nowise from them, those who depart hence without the illumination, without the seal! They indeed deserve our wailing, they deserve our groans; they are outside the Palace, with the culprits, with the condemned: for, ‘Verily I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven’ (John 3:5). Mourn for those who have died in wealth and did not from their wealth think of any solace for their soul¸ who had power to wash away their sins and would not…Let us weep for these; let us assist them according to our power; let us think of some assistance for them, small though it be, yet still let us assist them. How and in what way? By praying and entreating others to make prayers for them, by continually giving to the poor on their behalf…Not in vain did the Apostles order that remembrance should be made of the dead in the dreadful Mysteries. They know that great gain results to them, great benefit; for when the whole people stands with uplifted hands, a priestly assembly, and that awful Sacrifice lies displayed, how shall we not prevail with God by our entreaties for them And this we do for those who have departed in faith.
Homilies on Philppians, 3:4
St. Irenaeus
The Lord also promised to send the comforter, who should join us to God (John 16:7). For as a compacted lump of dough cannot be formed of dry wheat without fluid matter, nor can a loaf possess unity, so, in like manner, neither could we, being many be made one in Christ Jesus without the water from heaven. And as dry earth does not bring forth unless it receive moisture, in like manner we also, being originally a dry tree, could never have brought forth fruit unto life without the voluntary rain from above. For our bodies have received unity among themselves by means of that laver which leads to incorruption; but our souls by means of the Spirit. Wherefore both are necessary, since both contribute towards the life of God.
Against Heresies, Book 3, Chapter 17
The Lord also promised to send the comforter, who should join us to God (John 16:7). For as a compacted lump of dough cannot be formed of dry wheat without fluid matter, nor can a loaf possess unity, so, in like manner, neither could we, being many be made one in Christ Jesus without the water from heaven. And as dry earth does not bring forth unless it receive moisture, in like manner we also, being originally a dry tree, could never have brought forth fruit unto life without the voluntary rain from above. For our bodies have received unity among themselves by means of that laver which leads to incorruption; but our souls by means of the Spirit. Wherefore both are necessary, since both contribute towards the life of God.
Against Heresies, Book 3, Chapter 17
St. Leo the Great
Men’s souls did not exist until they were breathed into their bodies, and they were not there implanted by another than God, Who is the Creator both of souls and of the bodies. And because through transgression of the first man the whole stock of the human race was tainted, no one can be set free from the state of the old Adam save through Christ’s sacrament of baptism.
Letters, No. 15:10
Men’s souls did not exist until they were breathed into their bodies, and they were not there implanted by another than God, Who is the Creator both of souls and of the bodies. And because through transgression of the first man the whole stock of the human race was tainted, no one can be set free from the state of the old Adam save through Christ’s sacrament of baptism.
Letters, No. 15:10
St. Methodius
For I think that the Church is here said to give birth to male; since the enlightened receive the features¸ and the manliness of Christ¸ the likeness of the form of the Word being stamped upon them, and begotten in them by a true knowledge and faith, so that in each one Christ is spiritually born. And, therefore, the Church swells and travails in birth until Christ, has been born a Christ. According to which meaning it is said in certain scripture, ‘Touch not my anointed, and do my prophets no harm’ (Psalm 104:15), as though those who were baptized into Christ had been made Christs by communication of the Spirit, the Church contributing here their clearness and transformation into the image of the Word.
The Banquet of the Ten Virgins, Chapter 8:8
For I think that the Church is here said to give birth to male; since the enlightened receive the features¸ and the manliness of Christ¸ the likeness of the form of the Word being stamped upon them, and begotten in them by a true knowledge and faith, so that in each one Christ is spiritually born. And, therefore, the Church swells and travails in birth until Christ, has been born a Christ. According to which meaning it is said in certain scripture, ‘Touch not my anointed, and do my prophets no harm’ (Psalm 104:15), as though those who were baptized into Christ had been made Christs by communication of the Spirit, the Church contributing here their clearness and transformation into the image of the Word.
The Banquet of the Ten Virgins, Chapter 8:8
St. Theophilus of Antioch
The things proceeding from the waters were blessed by God, that this also might be a sign of men’s being destined to receive repentance and remission of sins, through the water and laver of regeneration (Titus 3:5), --as many as come to the truth, and are born again, and receive blessing from God.
To Autolycus, Chapter 2:16
The things proceeding from the waters were blessed by God, that this also might be a sign of men’s being destined to receive repentance and remission of sins, through the water and laver of regeneration (Titus 3:5), --as many as come to the truth, and are born again, and receive blessing from God.
To Autolycus, Chapter 2:16
St. Cyril of Jerusalem
If any man receive not Baptism, he has not salvation; except only Martyrs, who even without the water receive the kingdom.
Catechetical Lectures/Catecheses, 3:10
If any man receive not Baptism, he has not salvation; except only Martyrs, who even without the water receive the kingdom.
Catechetical Lectures/Catecheses, 3:10
