St. Gregory, Baptismal Vows

[Mary Naeem]

St. Gregory, Thaumaturgus





Baptismal Vows
by Bishop Richard Challoner (18th Century)

This solemn renouncing of Satan, and his works, raid his pomps, in the receiving of baptism, is a practice as ancient as the church itself, and in a particular manner requires our attention: because it is a promise and vow that we make to God, by which we engage ourselves to abandon the party of the devil, to have nothing to do with his works, that is, with the works of darkness and sin; and to cast away from us his pomps, that is, the maxims and vanities of the world. It is a covenant we make with God, by which we, on our parts, promise him our allegiance, and to fight againstHis enemies: and He, on His part, promises us life everlasting, if we are faithful to our engagements. But in the moment we break this solemn covenant by wilful sin, we lose both the grace of baptism, and all that title to an eternal inheritance which we received in baptism, together with the digmty of children of God; and become immediately slaves to the devil, and children of hell.