THE MYSTERY OF BAPTISM

OPENING PRAYER

LETTER TO THE ROMANS

• Written 58 AD from Corinth
• Last, longest and most theological of Paul's letters
• Written to Jewish Christians and Gentiles in Rome
• Paul had not visited or established church in Rome
• To stop in Rome on Mission to Spain

PAUL'S JOURNEY TO ROME

• Paul's conversion 34 AD
• Letter to the Romans 58 AD
• Return to Jerusalem. Arrested.
• Prison in Caesarea 2 years
• Journey to Rome
• Roman Imprisonment 2 years
• Death 64 AD

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LETTER TO THE ROMANS (CONT.)

• Reason for writing: introduction, present ideas about faith, explain mission
• Themes: justification by faith, salvation, Israel in God's plan, ethical demands
• Literary style: letter, diatribe

Diatribe:
A rhetorical device used to further one's position. The form of the diatribe could vary but often included rhetorical questions posed of a hypothetical opponent.

WHAT IS MOSAIC LAW?

• Decalogue
• Civil Laws
• Moral Laws
• Religious and Ceremonial Precepts

DECALOGUE: NAURAL LAW

SUMMARY OF OLD TESTAMENT LAW

• The Shema Deuteronomy 6:4-5:
• "Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with your whole heart, and with your whole being, and with your whole strength".
• Leviticus 19:18:
• "...You shall love your neighbor as yourself...".

"Do not think I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill..." (Matthew 5:17-20).
The Greatest Commandment:
(Matthew 22:34-40)

JUSTIFIED

JUSTICE OF GOD

• Justification: acquittal of sin
• Righteousness: right relationship with God
• Gentiles did not have to become Jews and observe laws
• Free gift of God

Justification

God's action through Christ to bring us into a right relationship with God, with our response to this divine action being faith. God the judge has pronounced a verdict of acquittal despite our sinfulness.

JUSTIFICATION IS A PROCESS

• Initial Justification at Baptism: restores righteousness
• Progressive Justification: living out our faith
• Final Justification: eternal life

Humanity under Adam:
Through the disobedience of Adam, sin was brought into the world and the many were made sinners.

Humanity under Christ:
Through the grace of God and the gift of Jesus Christ there was acquittal for man's many transgressions.

Paul explains the Mosaic Law:
"The law entered in so that transgression might increase but, where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more, so that as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through justification of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 5:20-21).
Moral laxity?

Paul declares that grace outmatched the productivity of sin.

ROMANS 6:1-11

• Foundation for Paul's understanding of true nature of Baptism into Christ
• Foundation for development of Paul's argument further in Romans 7 and 8 (how life of faith provides freedom from Mosaic law and calling to life of the spirit)

ROMANS 6:1-2

• Asks two question in response to Romans 5:20-21 about sin, law and grace.
• Denies moral laxity
• Develops points he was making in Romans 5:12-21

Metaphors: Death & Burial

"We were indeed baptized with him through baptism into death..."
(Romans 6:4a).

"...So that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life"
(Romans 6:4b).

Romans 6:5-10
Consists of principles: We participate in Christ's death so as to participate in his eternal life.

Roman 6:7
"For a dead person has been absolved from sin".
Death with Christ brings release from Sin through God's power by Justification.

Personification of Sin

Sin is a controlling power, capable of orienting a person away from God and toward evil. Through Baptism Sin no longer has control over Christian because of divine grace.

HOW DO YOU USE GRACE TO OVERCOME SIN?

Paul's perspective on Sin: an independent power whose opposite is found in Christ who gives salvation and life.

BEING TRANSFORMED AND UNITED WITH CHRIST

BAPTISM

• Past: Share in Christ's death. Freed from sin in Baptism
• Present: Live in domain of grace and righteousness. Living out our faith.
• Future: Share in Christ's resurrection into eternal life

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CREATION

THE GREAT FLOOD AND NOAH'S ARK

THE GREAT FLOOD AND NOAH'S ARK

THE EXODUS: CROSSING THE RED SEA

With the gift of baptismal grace we can choose the direction in which we want our lives to move.

The sign of the cross with holy water reminds us that we have been baptized into Christ Jesus.

The story of divine liberation through Baptism and the challenging journey is available to us through faith, the sacraments and the Holy Spirit.

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Mystery of Baptism

Participation in Christ's own death and resurrection.

In dying Christ conquered sin, in rising he conquered death.

CLOSING PRAYERS

Motto for the Journey?

Pray to know God's will.
Ask for the strength to do God's will.