The True Christ

BAPTISM ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY

   Jesus Christ is the Head and Lord of the Orthodox Church and every member is under the command of the Lord.   The Lord sent His Apostles out ordering triune immersion baptism . The Apostles baptized everyone and after the Apostolic period came the period of the Seven Ecumenical Synods from 325AD to 783 AD. The Ecumenical Synods are the rudder that keeps the Church on course. The Canons are binding upon all, and all heretics and schismatics need baptism.

   The Synod of Carthage was a regional Synod held in Carthage, Africa in 256 AD, and was ecumenical in character being approved,  and this Canon is included in the rudder of the Church, for it bears it bears the authority of the Seven Ecumenical Synods.

CANON OF THE THIRD REGIONAL SYNOD 

HELD IN CARTHAGE IN THE TIME OF CYPRIAN

(PARTIAL TEXT)

“We declare that no one can be baptized outside of the catholic Church, there being one baptism, and this being existent only in the catholic Church.” 

     “While assembled in parliament, dear brethren, we have read letters sent by you concerning those who are presumed among heretics or schismatics to have been baptized and who are joining the catholic Church, which is one single institution in which we are baptized and are regenerated, concerning which facts we are firmly convinced that you yourselves in doing so are ensuring= the solidity of the catholic Church, yet inasmuch as you are of the same communion with us and wished to inquire about this matter on account of a common love, we are moved to give you, and conjoin in doing so, not any recent opinion, but, on the contrary one which has been tried and tested with all accuracy and diligence of yore by our predecessors, and have been observed by us. 

     Decreeing this also now, which we have been strongly and securely holding throughout time, we declare that no one can be baptized outside of the catholic Church, there being one baptism, and this being existent only in the catholic Church. For it has been written: ‘They have forsaken me who am a fountain of living water, and have dug themselves shattered pits, which can hold no water’ (Jer.2:13). And again the Holy Bible forewarningly says: ‘Keep away from another’s water, and drink not from another’s fountain’ (Prov. 5:15) . . .”But even the question itself which arises in Baptism is a witness to the truth.  For in saying to the one being baptized, ‘Do you believe in an everlasting life, and that you shall receive forgiveness of sins?’ we are saying nothing else than that it can be given in the catholic Church, but that with heretics outside the church it is impossible to receive forgiveness of sins . . .”                

Interpretation 

     For all these reasons and others, then, the present Canon, with an eye to accuracy and strictness, insists that all heretics and schismatics ought to be baptized, adding the remark that this opinion – that any baptism, that is to say, administered by heretics or schismatics is unacceptable – is not a new one of the fathers of this Synod, but on the contrary, is an old one, tried and tested by their predecessors (the former Bishop of Carthage). And it is consistent with all respects with Apostolic Canon # 46, 47 and 68 (the Rudder).

   Many leaders of the Orthodox Church of our time no longer call heretics heretic, or schismatics schismatic,  but address them as brothers, even though they are not brothers for they are outside the Church. But whatever the leaders do, the Church will always remains the Body of Christ. The one and only Church with Jesus Christ as our Head. Even if they embrace and kiss the pope he still and his flock still remain outside the Church. Even if they accept their mysteries they still remain invalid, for the Church like its Master does not change. 

   With baptism, there is only one and there can be no other, for those outside the Church, the heretics  desperately need to enter the Church and be baptized with the only true baptism of three immersions and three emmersions in the name of each of the Trinity. Every human being needs to be baptized in the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church by these immersions.

  This can only bring the newly baptized to joy and gladness as they join heaven and earth when the happy days of baptism of heretics and schismatics  in the Church is reestablished now in 2015.

     Some types of vessels to be used as fonts can be purchased to perform adult baptisms.  When baptism is restored in the Church and every adult entering is baptized, then the Angels and Heavenly Powers will praise God and sing for joy,  gladly crying out: “As many as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Alleluia!