Why Baptizing Your Baby Is the Most Important Thing You Can Do

Summary

Father Mike Schmitz discusses the significance of baptism in Christianity, emphasizing its necessity and efficacy as described in the Bible. He explains that baptism is not merely symbolic but actively saves and forgives sins, incorporating individuals into God's family. Schmitz also addresses infant baptism, suggesting that while babies cannot have faith, the faith of parents and godparents plays a crucial role. He encourages those baptized as infants to eventually embrace their faith personally.

Takeaways

• 👶 Baptism makes a person a child of God, and it is not just a symbolic act.
• 📜 Jesus speaks about the importance of being born again of water and the Spirit in John 3:5, which is interpreted as a reference to baptism.
• 🙏 Baptism is efficacious, meaning it does something—specifically, it forgives sins and incorporates individuals into the family of God.
• 📖 The Bible teaches that baptism is necessary for salvation, as seen in Acts of the Apostles and in Peter’s writings, which emphasize that 'baptism saves you.'
• ✝️ Baptism requires faith, but in the case of infants, it is the faith of the parents and godparents that is operative.
• 💡 The example of the paralytic man in Mark 2 illustrates how others' faith (his friends) can work on behalf of an individual.
• 🎁 Baptism, especially infant baptism, emphasizes that salvation is a pure gift of God’s grace, unearned by the recipient.
• 👪 In infant baptism, the parents and godparents profess faith on behalf of the child, with the expectation that the child will later embrace that faith personally.
• 🕊️ Salvation involves multiple conditions: faith, baptism, the Eucharist, and doing the will of God.
• 🤝 Baptism is not an act of magic but a profound action of faith and God’s grace, where the faith of others can initiate the process for the baptized individual.

Q & A

What is the significance of baptism according to Father Mike Schmitz?

Father Mike Schmitz explains that baptism is a profound event where the individual, even a baby, is made into a child of God. It is not merely symbolic but efficacious, meaning it actually does something such as forgiving sins and incorporating the person into the family of God.

Why do some people baptize their infants?

Infants are baptized because the act of baptism is seen as a gift of God's grace, where the faith of the parents and godparents speaks on behalf of the child. The hope is that the child will one day personally embrace and claim the faith that was professed for them at baptism.

How does Father Mike Schmitz describe the community's involvement in the baptism of Owen?

Father Mike Schmitz notes that the baptism of Owen was attended by many people, almost as many as at the parents' wedding, indicating a strong community support and understanding of the significance of baptism.

What does the Bible say about the necessity of baptism?

The Bible, particularly in John chapter 3 and the Acts of the Apostles, presents baptism as necessary for salvation. Jesus says in John 3 that one must be 'born again of water and the Spirit' to enter the kingdom of heaven, and the Acts of the Apostles links baptism with the forgiveness of sins.

What role does faith play in baptism according to the script?

Faith is essential for baptism to be salvific. While the baby cannot have faith itself, the faith of the parents and godparents is operative in the baptismal ceremony, professing the faith in which the child is baptized.

How does Father Mike Schmitz relate the story of the paralytic to infant baptism?

Father Mike Schmitz uses the story of the paralytic, where the faith of the man's friends is credited to him, to illustrate how the faith of parents and godparents can be operative for an infant during baptism.

What is the difference between baptism being symbolic and it being efficacious?

Symbolic baptism implies it is merely an expression of pre-existing faith without any inherent power. Efficacious baptism, as described by Father Mike Schmitz, means that it actively does something, such as forgiving sins and bringing one into the body of Christ.

Why does Father Mike Schmitz say baptism is also necessary for salvation?

Baptism is considered necessary because it is seen as an essential step for entering the kingdom of heaven, as per Jesus' words to Nicodemus, and is directly linked to the forgiveness of sins in the Acts of the Apostles.

What does Father Mike Schmitz suggest about the faith of those baptized as infants?

He suggests that while the faith of the parents and godparents is professed at the baptism, it is hoped that the individual will one day personally embrace and claim the faith for themselves.

How does Father Mike Schmitz view the role of baptism in relation to salvation?

Father Mike Schmitz views baptism as a gift of God's grace that is necessary for salvation. It is not something that is earned or deserved but is a pure gift that requires faith to accept.

Outlines

00:00

🛑 The Significance of Infant Baptism

Father Mike Schmitz discusses the profound impact of baptism, particularly infant baptism, on a person's spiritual life. He shares his experience of baptizing a baby named Owen, which was attended by a large gathering of family and friends. Father Mike emphasizes that baptism is not merely symbolic but is efficacious, meaning it actively does something to save us, forgive our sins, and incorporate us into the family of God. He references biblical passages, such as John 3:5, where Jesus tells Nicodemus that one must be born of water and the Spirit to enter the kingdom of heaven. He also mentions that baptism is necessary for salvation, and although it requires faith, the faith of the parents and godparents can stand in for the infant's during the baptismal ceremony.

05:02

🙏 The Role of Faith in Baptism

Father Mike Schmitz explains the role of faith in the process of baptism, especially in the context of infant baptism. He draws a parallel to the story of the paralytic man carried by his friends to Jesus, where it was the friends' faith that was credited for the man's healing. Similarly, in baptism, it is the faith of the parents and godparents that is operative, not the infant's. Father Mike clarifies that baptism is a gift of God's grace that requires faith, and it is the adults' faith that is essential for the efficacy of the sacrament. He encourages those baptized as infants to eventually embrace the faith personally and claim the graces offered to them at baptism.

Keywords

💡Baptism

Baptism is a Christian sacrament that symbolizes the washing away of sins and admission into the Christian church. In the video, Father Mike Schmitz discusses the profound effect of baptism, particularly infant baptism, emphasizing that it is not merely symbolic but efficacious, meaning it actually does something for the person being baptized, such as forgiving sins and making them a child of God.

💡Child of God

The concept of becoming a 'child of God' is central to the Christian belief in baptism. Father Mike explains that through baptism, like little Owen in the video, one is made into a child of God, indicating a spiritual rebirth and a new relationship with the divine.

💡Efficacious

Efficacious refers to something that is effective or produces a desired result. In the context of the video, Father Mike argues that baptism is efficacious, meaning it has a real impact on the spiritual state of the person being baptized, rather than being a mere symbol or expression of faith.

💡Symbolic

Symbolic actions represent something else, often abstract ideas or concepts. Father Mike addresses the view of some non-Catholic Christians who see baptism as merely symbolic, without any inherent power or effect. He counters this by explaining the traditional understanding of baptism as something that actively does something for the person being baptized.

💡Necessity

The necessity of baptism is discussed in the video, with reference to it being required for salvation according to Christian belief. Father Mike cites the Acts of the Apostles to support the idea that baptism is not optional but is a necessary step for forgiveness of sins.

💡Faith

Faith, in this context, refers to belief in God and trust in His promises. The video explains that baptism requires faith, not just on the part of the baptized individual, but also on the part of the community of believers, such as the parents and godparents in the case of infant baptism.

💡Salvation

Salvation is the concept of being saved or delivered from sin and its consequences, typically through divine intervention. In the video, Father Mike discusses how baptism is a means of salvation, offering forgiveness of sins and entry into the kingdom of heaven.

💡Grace

Grace is the free and unmerited favor of God. The video emphasizes that baptism is an act of God's grace, a gift that is received without any merit on the part of the individual being baptized, especially in the case of infants who are baptized.

💡Infant Baptism

Infant baptism is the practice of baptizing young children, often as babies. Father Mike discusses the significance of infant baptism, explaining that the faith of the child's parents and godparents is operative in the sacrament until the child can embrace the faith personally.

💡Community

The community aspect of baptism is highlighted in the video, with the example of the large gathering for little Owen's baptism. This demonstrates the communal nature of the sacrament, where the support and faith of the community are integral to the baptismal process.

💡Sacrament

A sacrament is a religious rite considered to have been instituted by Christ and to convey divine grace. In the video, baptism is described as a sacrament that conveys the grace of God to the individual, emphasizing its importance in Christian theology.

Highlights

Baptism is not merely symbolic; it is efficacious and actually does something.

At baptism, a person is made into a child of God and forgiven of their sins.

In John 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus that unless one is born again of water and spirit, they cannot enter the kingdom of heaven, which the Church understands as a reference to baptism.

Baptism is a necessary condition for salvation, as stated in various parts of the New Testament, including Acts of the Apostles and 1 Peter.

Baptism not only forgives sins but also incorporates a person into the family of God and the body of Christ.

Faith is required for baptism to be effective, but it is not the individual’s faith that matters in the case of infant baptism—it is the faith of the parents and godparents.

In Mark 2, the paralytic is forgiven and healed because of the faith of his friends, which parallels how infant baptism works through the faith of others.

Infant baptism highlights the idea that salvation is a pure gift from God, as the child does nothing to earn or deserve it.

The parents and godparents profess the faith on behalf of the child during infant baptism, with the hope that the child will one day embrace this faith personally.

Baptism saves, as explicitly mentioned by St. Peter, and is necessary for entry into the kingdom of heaven.

Non-Catholic Christians may view baptism as symbolic, but the Bible consistently portrays it as a powerful, transformative act.

Baptism is a work of God's grace, not magic, and involves faith as well as the action of God.

Salvation is a gift from God, and infant baptism further emphasizes that this gift is given without merit from the individual.

The hope for those baptized as infants is that they will later accept and claim the faith personally as they grow older.

Baptism brings individuals into the Church and makes them adopted sons and daughters of God, fully embraced in God's family.

Transcripts

a what's the profound thing that happens

to a person at baptism and B

but if this child is just a child if

this child is just a couple months old a

couple weeks old however old this child

is why would you baptize a baby and

that's a good question I love it hi my

name is father Mike Schmitz and this is

essential presents so last weekend I had

the opportunity uh to do a baptism I

don't often get to do baptisms right

because I could do a lot of marriage

preps and then a lot of weddings and

then they're like see you later and they

take off and I don't get to see them

again well this is a couple Kyle and

Nicole they're amazing um they have

three kids now they have four so I got

to baptize little Owen who has an older

brother two older sisters it was amazing

not only because of the baptism itself

but what was really made well I was

struck by was this is their fourth child

they had almost as many people at this

baptism as they did at their wedding I

mean that's maybe a little bit of an

exaggeration but it wasn't just so

here's mom and dad maybe some

grandparents it was people drove from

out of town to be part of this baptism

and and I thought this is incredible

because it's as it's almost as if these

parents understand what the profound

thing that's about to happen to their

child at baptism because it's kind of a

big deal first

um we recognize that here little Owen

when he got baptized one of the things

that happened was Edwin was made into a

child of God we'll have another video

about that at some point but Owen was

made into a child of God what I'm trying

to say is baptism did something a lot of

times there are some some non-catholic

Christians who see baptism as merely

symbolic it's it's not it's not

efficacious it's the word it just is an

expression of an already pre-existing

Faith

um the interesting thing about that is

that that was never

expressed in the Bible in fact the Bible

talks about it like this you know

actually well how about this in John

chapter 3 Jesus is talking to Nicodemus

and he says unless you're born again of

water in the spirit you cannot enter the

kingdom of heaven so this is pretty

powerful you know from the very

beginning the church saw those words of

Jesus talking to Nicodemus baptism or

unless you're born again of water in the

spirit they saw that as baptism now

thousand well a couple hundred years

bunch of hundred years a long time later

people had the thought of like no no

maybe that means something different

maybe that's uh Jesus is saying unless

you're born of water that means like

natural birth you have to be born first

and of the spirit like that's some kind

of spiritual kind of a thing

um then you can't enter Heaven but for

centuries Millennia now

Christians have always understood that

to be baptism the necessity of baptism

in fact

um in the Acts of the Apostles

it says be baptized then for the

Forgiveness of your sins the baptism is

is talked about as if it actually does

something right it's efficacious it's

not merely an expression of belief it's

not merely symbolic it is actually

powerful it does something in fact Saint

Peter when he's writing in the New

Testament he says baptism saves you now

so baptism saves you

the Bible when it talks about baptism it

talks about it doing something and what

it does is it saves us it forgives our

sins it brings incorporates us into the

family of God it brings us into the body

of Christ it makes us God's sons and

daughters again as I said another video

on that

so it does something it's efficacious

and it's also necessary talk about that

maybe another time as well because what

if someone doesn't get to have the

chance to be baptized what then glad you

asked that question another video okay

so it does something scripture points to

the fact that it does something it's not

merely an expression of an already

pre-existing faith but I can hear you

ask

but don't you need faith in order to

have that baptism be salvific in order

to have that baptism like do something I

think you actually probably need a

degree of faith and you'd be correct you

actually do baptism is not a it's not

Magic

it's it's a miracle it's an act of God's

grace it's an act it's a gift of the

Lord and it requires faith in fact

salvation requires faith and baptism I

think there's two other things I think

the Eucharist because John 6 Jesus says

unless you eat the Flesh of the son of

man and drink is blood you don't have

life within you and also Jesus makes it

very clear that he says that not

everyone who says to me Lord Lord will

enter the kingdom of heaven but only

those who do the will of my Father in

heaven so it seems like there's four

things baptism Eucharist Faith obviously

and doing the father's will these are

for pretty much conditions uh for

salvation but going back to baptism we

need faith and baptism okay

but if there's a baby getting baptized

how can that baby have faith great

question camper

maybe it's not the baby's faith that's

operative in this situation

if you go back to Mark's gospel chapter

two there's this story I know you know

this story it's the story of this

paralyzed man the paralytic he's on a

mat and he has four friends who are

carrying him to Jesus

but there's so many people who want to

come to Jesus to be healed that they

can't get him in the house so what do

the four friends do they climb up on the

roof they do a little uh remodeling make

a little Skylight there a little chip

and Joanna Gaines kind of situation and

they lure the man down on the mat in

front of Jesus

the next line in Mark's gospel and in

Matthew's gospel is when Jesus saw their

faith meaning the faith of the friends

he says to the man your sins are

forgiven

so it's not the man's Faith itself

himself it's not him it's not his faith

that speaks for him

it's actually

the faith of the four friends

that speaks for the man

and if that can happen with this man

who's paralyzed in his four friends that

also is operative that also can happen

in baptism

because here's parents who profess the

faith in fact the right of baptism is

the parents and godparents profess the

faith and this is the faith in which we

want this child to be baptized and so

yes it's not it's not magic it's an

action of faith and this work of God's

grace it is completely a gift in fact I

would say this we would all agree

Catholics and non-catholic Christians

we would agree that salvation is a gift

right it's a pure gift we do nothing to

deserve it we do nothing to earn it

baptism infant baptism in fact makes

even more sense that way doesn't it

because I mean you could say I'm

baptized as an adult because I express

my faith I chose my faith I started you

know following after the Lord and and

now I'm baptized well in that sense I

mean you wouldn't automatically believe

you were earning salvation but the

temptation to believe that might be a

little stronger when you get baptized

when I got baptized as an infant on

March 1st 1975 when I got baptized on

that day there was nothing nothing that

merited God's salvation there was

nothing married in God's grace it was

pure and complete gift I just got to

receive this gift of forgiveness this

gift of being brought into the church

this gift of being made into a adopted

son of God it was complete Grace it was

the faith of my parents that spoke for

me on that day Faith in my godparents

that spoke to me on that day with the

expectation and the hope that one day I

would Embrace that Faith personally and

that's the hope for you too if you were

baptized as an infant

the hope is the Hope was and the hope is

that one day it'd be your faith that

spoke on on your behalf one day it'll be

your faith that would say I claim and

accept The Graces the gift the Salvation

offered to me in baptism if you haven't

yet you haven't yet claimed that faith I

invite you today to claim that faith for

yourself anyways we're always here at

attention presents my name is father

Mike God bless

[Music]