Question by XINIO654-THE NOLDOR GAYTHEIST: Is baptism a pagan ritual?
I heard it was adopted by Christians from an ancient Egyptian pagan ritual.
Best answer:
Answer by Michael K
That would be likely as a lot of the rituals and holidays were taken from Pagan and other religious practices.
Add your own answer in the comments!
Yes…everything Christians do was borrowed from other religions. Nothing is Christianity is original to itself…
//sarcasm
In my opinion the entire gamut of Christianity is stolen from somewhere. If people used more of those funny things with all those pages surrounded by cardboard plates then half of these arguments would never exist.
No, but many other christian customs are from pagan rituals and beliefs…not baptism.
No.
The baptism of Messiah Yashua – (Jesus) – was actually a Hebrew ritual cleansing called a “Mikva”. It is essential for a Hebrew priest to do this.
The Mikva is an imersion in living waters – (like the moving waters of the Jordan river). The word immersion translates to Baptismo in Greek and when the testaments were translated, there wasn’t really a word in english for ritual bath, so they didn’t translate the word – it stayed Baptism.
Shalom
Christ did it (his disciples did under his command, while he was with them), it wasn’t added later. You could ask where Jesus Christ got it from but Christians get it from the Bible.
that would explain why Jesus had it done to Him right?
No. Baptism is simply symbolizes the outward cleaning of the inside. It’s not a pagan ritual adopted by the Christians, It’s probably just the same notion. Some holidays are pagan and Christians follow it. Reason being is the Roman Catholic church
and the government work together sometime during the reign of Constantine, but Constantine didn’t want to get rid of the pagan celebrations;so the church and him changed them from pagan to Christian holidays around the same time as a Christian historic mark.
no it wasn’t and baptisim was born when John the Baptist was baptising Jesus and other people. 🙂
No it is not a pagan ritual
dont think that is where John got it from.
Not that I know of.
The world is a big place and history is a lot of time. It’s fully possible that other cultures practiced it and used the basic context but that does not mean Christianity “stole” it persay. I haven’t done enough research on it to know to be honest.
The ritual of baptism is prefigured in the purification rites of Jewish law and tradition. In the Tanakh and tradition of the teachers of the Torah, a ritual bath for purification from uncleanness used to be required under specified circumstances in order to be restored to a condition of ritual purity. For example, women after menses, and after a number of blood-free days following child-birth, were washed in a ritual bath, called a mikvah. Those who became ritually defiled by contact with something infectious, would also use the mikveh as part of their healing. Washing was also required for converts. Through practices such as these, immersion in the mikveh came to represent purification and restoration, and qualification for full religious participation in the life of the community (Book of Numbers Chapter 19). Traditional conversion to Judaism also requires a mikvah, so for converts Jewish initiation is in some ways similar to Christian initiation, although the term baptism is not used to describe the Jewish conversion.
Baptism in the Gospels
St. John the Forerunner
A preliminary understanding of baptism starts with St. John the Forerunner, the cousin of Jesus. John spoke of a baptism of repentance in preparation for the coming of the Messiah.
“And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” (Luke 3:3-6 KJV, also see Matthew 3:1-6, Mark 1:1-5)
In regards to his relationship to the coming Messiah, John also spoke of another kind of baptism.
“John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.” (Luke 3:16-17 KJV, also see Matthew 3:7-12, Mark 1:6-8)
Baptism of Christ
Baptism of Christ (Theophany)During John’s earthly ministry Jesus came to receive baptism from John:
“And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.” (John 1:32-34 KJV, also see Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11)
There also seems to be some reference to Jesus and/or his disciples baptizing individuals, before His death on the cross (see John 3:22-26, John 4:1-3).
The Great Commission
After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples and spoke to them saying,
“…All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-20 KJV, also see Mark 16:14-20, Acts 2:38)
The commandment of the Lord to baptize “in the name of Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” was the practice of the early Church and is still the Orthodox method for baptizing today. (see Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5).
Most christian traditions were adopted from pagan rituals.
Maybe pagans did it thousand of years ago but no one can know if it’s true or not. All I know is that John the Baptist baptised Jesus and then it became a christian thing.
Yes Consider John the Baptist couldn’t have been the Baptist if the occupation did not exist since there was no baptism. I mean you cant be John the Mechanic with out machines to fix.
Go to the link below for more info on Baptism.
I hope it helps
Ritual baptism is far OLDER than the Christian religion … the Jews used ritual baptism as part of the bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah when a Jewish child becomes an ‘adult’ at the age of 12 long before it was used by St. John the Baptist (who baptized Jesus, when the ‘holy spirit’ came down as a dove and landed on Jesus’ head). There are similar ‘bathing’ or ‘washing the body’ rituals in other religions … the Hindus believe that they must ‘make a pilgrimage’ to the Ganges river and get into it up to their necks to ‘wash away’ their version of ‘sins.’ The Buddhists use washing at several different stages of their ‘road to enlightenment.’ (Buddhism is not technically a ‘religion’ … it’s a philosophy, and can be practiced by people of ANY religion.)
Baptism is about ‘washing away’ the ‘bad’ so that what is left is ‘good.’ The Christians believe on ONE baptism and ONLY one baptism, although I know of several priests in both the Episcopal and Roman Catholic church that ‘rebaptize’ people, and also in some of the Protestant ‘religions’ or ‘sects.’ Yes, there is an ancient Egyptian ritual of ‘bathing’ according to their religion, but even then there were ‘bathing rituals’ in EVERY RELIGION AROUND THE WORLD. Even the ‘Native Americans’ of long ago had ‘washing’ as ritual, as well as in China, Japan, Mongolia, etc. WE ALL BATHE to ‘rid ourselves of sin.’ What is ‘weird’ is that now that people ‘bathe’ on a more or less ‘daily’ basis to get rid of ‘dirt’ from our bodies, most people don’t ‘think’ about the reasons for the ‘symbolic bathing’ in a religous setting to ‘rid ourselves of sin’ … so that we can better SERVE GOD, no matter what our ‘religion’ or belief.
The devil knew many things about the temple in heaven, but God hid Salvation and the Blood from Satan. The baptism is a washing in water symbolized for the blood of Jesus washing away our sins.
Pagans only knew what the demon spirits and fallen angels told them. God withheld information from Satan. If Satan had known about the blood at Calvary, he would never have let Jesus be crucified.
Regardless of origins, it is now a sacrament instituted by Christ Himself to produce grace.
I’ve read that is was originated in a Jewish ritual called a Mikvah and people would submerge under water a certain amount of times to convert to Judiasm. Considering that this practice began long before John the Baptist in the wilderness, it would be accurate to say that the early Christians took the idea from that Jewish ritual and alternated it slightly to get baptism….
In and of itself, no, Baptism is not a pagan ritual.
However, many cultures practice or have practiced initiation rites, with or without the use of water, including the ancient Egyptian, the Hebraic/Jewish, the Babylonian, the Mayan, and the Norse cultures, which are analogous to Christian Baptism. In some, such evidence may be archaeological and descriptive in nature, rather than a modern practice.
Apuleius, a second-century Roman writer, described an initiation into the mysteries of Isis:
“The priest brought me to the next baths, surrounded by the pious troop, and after I had had an ordinary bath, he prayed for the grace of the gods and cleansed me completely, sprinkling me with water from all sides.”
Christian Baptism has been practiced for approximately 2000 years. If there are any pagan baptismal rites that exist now, I have never heard of them. I also never heard of any kind of baptism before Christ.
If there are any pagan baptisimal rights going on now, do they bear any resemplance to Christian baptism? Let’s look at a few scriptures:
John3: Jesus tells Nicodemus …”truly, truly (Jesus said “truly” twice which I am sure is for emphasis. )…unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
Acts 22:16 …..”And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins on his name.”
In just these two scriptures baptism makes it possible for us to enter the kingdom of Heaven and also washes away our sins.
I have never heard of any pagan religions that would do these things.
Baptism is unquestionably Christian!
No is not pagan. The word of God was written by prophets
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
NO!
Baptism, is the immersion of the Believer in water whereby he obeys Christ’s command, which sets forth his identification with Christ in His death, burial and resrrection.
[ Mtthew 28:17-20].
Baptism is not a pagan ritual. Never has been and never will be.
John the Baptist preached and baptized many in the rivers Jordan and Aenon. According to the Bible, he baptized many unto repentance.
When Jesus came to be baptized of John, John didn’t think that it was necessary and didn’t want to do it, saying that he should, instead, be baptized by him. But, Jesus said to allow it to be so to complete all righteousness (Matthew 3:13-17).
When Jesus was baptized, the heavens opened up, the Holy Ghost descended upon him as a dove, and God spoke saying, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”
John continued to baptize many, until his beheading.
After his death, burial and resurrection, Jesus gave the Great Commission to the disciples, telling them to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:18-20) “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned (Mark 16:15-16).
On the birthday of the Lord’s church, the first Pentecost after His resurrection, the Holy Ghost came upon the twelve disciples, now known as the Apostles, endowing them with power from on high, as promised to them by Jesus (John 14:16-17; 15:26-27; 16:7,13). Peter gave the first gospel sermon, and all those who heard and were pricked in their hearts asked, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Peter told them to “repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” The bible then records that “Then they that gladly received his word was baptized: and the same day was added unto them about three thousand souls (Acts 2:41).”
Many are under the impression that baptism is an “outward sign (or symbol) of an inward grace” or “inner cleansing.” However, the Bible indicates and states that it is much more.
Baptism came from the original Greek word “baptizo” which is defined “to dip, to plunge, to immerse.” In other instances, it is said to mean, “to overwhelm.”
When one is baptized, they are baptized in something, as well as into something.
In the biblical sense, baptism was always done in water.
John the Baptist baptized in the Jordan and Aenon rivers because there was much water present (John 3:23).
The Ethiopian Eunch made the statement “See, here is water. What’s hindering (stopping) me from being baptized? (Acts 8:36-37).
When one heard the gospel of Christ preached and believed it, they were then baptized into Christ (Romans 6:3) by being immersed, or dipped, or plunged in water. This was done to all those who heard the word of God, believed it, repented of their sins, and confessed Jesus Christ to be the Son of God.
If one was saved by belief only, then Jesus would’ve said so. The Apostles would’ve taught so.
There are ten examples of one being saved after the establishing of the church found in the Book of Acts and every one of them ends in the believer being baptized.
1. The Jews at Pentecost (Acts 2:14-41)
2. The Samaritans (Acts 8:5-13)
3. The Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:26-39)
4. Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:1-18)
5. Cornelius and his household (Acts 10:1-47)
6. Lydia (Acts 16:13-15)
7. The Philippian Jailer (Acts 16:25-34)
8. The Corinthians (Acts 16:24-28)
9. Apollos (Acts Chapter 18-Chapter 19:11)
10. The Ephesians (Acts 19:1-5)
At any time that these were preached to, if it were for them to believe only, and ask Jesus into their hearts in order to be saved, they would’ve been told to do so. Apparently, this is not the case. Neither of these believed only. Neither of these had to utter a prayer of some sort (which is not found in scriptures) in order to ask Jesus into their heart. All they did was obeyed the gospel.
Jesus said that one must believe and be baptized in order to be saved (Mark 16:15-16).
Peter said to repent and be baptized for the remission (forgiveness) of sins (Acts 2:38).
When Philip preached to him, the Ethiopian Eunuch confessed that he believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. Philip immediately stopped the chariot and he and the eunuch went into the water where he baptized him.
When Saul had a confrontation with Jesus on the road to Damascas, Jesus could’ve told him to utter a simple prayer and he would be saved, or just believe and you’ll be saved, or anything else. However, Jesus told him to go to Damascas and it will be told him what he must do (Acts 9:6). What was he told to do? Ananias, who Jesus had alerted in a vision, met Saul on the street called Straight, told him why he was there, restored his sight, then asked him “Why tarriest thou?” In other words, what are you waiting for? “Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 9:17-18; 22:16).”
From what we see, baptism is the final step to becoming a Christian.
Why is this?
When one is baptized, they are baptized into Christ, they put on Christ (Galatians 3:27), they are baptized into his death (Romans 6:3).
The Bible even tells us that baptism now saves us (1 Peter 3:21).
If this was only a symbol, it does a great deal!!!
However, baptism is not a symbol. It’s not an outward sign of an inward grace or cleansing. It is a commandment.
If one believes and is to be saved, they are to be baptized.
If one wants to be in Christ, one must be baptized. If one is to be considered a member of the body of Christ, one must be baptized.
If one is not baptized, one is not saved.
You may believe that you’re saved, but, according to the scriptures, you are not if you have not been baptized for the remission of your sins.
That leaves another question open: what about infant baptism?
Go back to what Jesus said in Mark 16:15-16. “Go into all the world and preach the gospel. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
Babies can hear, but can they understand enough to believe the gospel? Additionally, they have no sins to remit, nor repent of, and they can’t confess Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Therefore, they are disqualified from baptism. Those who baptize babies are, in essence, wasting their time.
All who wish to come to Christ must be baptized. There’s really no way around it, if you believe the Bible.
Paul had to do it, Philip had to do it, Simon the Sorcerer had to do it, about three-thousand Jews on Pentecost had to do, and you have to do it, too, if you haven’t done it already.
Baptism is a must!!