Salvation
Initiation into forgiveness and new life; linked to willing faith.
See how he set the water and the cross together. For this is what he means: blessed are those who hoped in the cross and went down into the water.
αἰσθάνεσθε, πῶς τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ τὸν σταυρὸν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ὥρισεν. τοῦτο γὰρ λέγει: μακάριοι οἳ ἐπὶ τὸν σταυρὸν ἐλπίσαντες κατέβησαν εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ.
For before a person bears the name of the Son of God, he says, that person is dead; but when he receives the seal, he puts away the deadness and takes up life. The seal, then, is the water: into the water the dead go down, and they come up living.
πρὶν γάρ, φησί, φορέσαι τὸν ἄνθρωπον τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ, νεκρός ἐστιν· ὅταν δὲ λάβῃ τὴν σφραγῖδα, ἀποτίθεται τὴν νέκρωσιν καὶ ἀναλαμβάνει τὴν ζωήν. ἡ σφραγὶς οὖν τὸ ὕδωρ ἐστίν· εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ οὖν καταβαίνουσι νεκροὶ καὶ ἀναβαίνουσι ζῶντες.
As many as are persuaded and believe that what we teach and say is true, and who undertake to be able to live accordingly, are taught to pray and ask God with fasting for the forgiveness of their past sins, while we pray and fast with them.
We were not called children and infants for a childish, contemptible lesson. Regenerated, we have at once received the perfect — which is why we were hurrying. For we were illuminated; and that means to know God.