John 1:31-34 “I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. “I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ “And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”
In the Holy Bible, we find St. John the Baptist admitting that it was God who sent him to baptize with water. Therefore, baptism was instituted by God who told John the Baptist to baptize for the forgiveness of sins. God never rescinded this command to baptize. In the Holy Bible, we find that Jesus allowed his disciples to baptize (John 3:22 and 4:1-2). After Pentecost, St. Peter also told the people to repent and be baptized (Acts 2:38). After rising from the dead, Jesus commanded His Apostles to go out and baptize all the nations (Matthew 28:19). Thus, this command to baptize has never been rescinded by God, but continues on today. In the Catholic Church, baptism takes place either by full immersion or with the sprinkling of water on the head. The Neocatechumenal Way practices baptism by full immersion. While baptism can take place anytime in the Catholic Church, baptism in the NCW takes place during the 6 hour Easter Vigil.
