Final answer:
Baptism is tied to personal repentance because it represents a deliberate choice to renounce sin and start a new life of faith, particularly seen in the views of groups like the Anabaptists who stressed adult baptism. The rite was necessary to cleanse original sin and became a central act of commitment within Christianity, with personal repentance deeply linked to its significance and efficacy.
Step-by-step explanation:
Baptism is seen as requiring personal repentance because it is a Christian rite of purification, signifying the washing away of sins and a rebirth into a new life of faith. Personal repentance is crucial because it demonstrates the individual's conscious decision to turn away from sin and commit to a Christian way of life, aligning with beliefs that one must truly understand and renounce sin in order to be spiritually reborn. The medieval church emphasized the need to purge original sin through baptism. Anabaptists argued that only adults capable of making a conscious decision to follow Christ should be baptized, indicating a belief in the importance of personal choice and repentance in the sacrament of baptism.
In cases of necessity, such as the lack of a priest, the church believed that anyone could baptize, emphasizing baptism's foundational role in the Christian faith. This notion supports the idea that the sacrament is valid as long as the essential component of repentance is present. Moreover, the reformers highlighted that any truly repentant Christian has the right to full remission of penalty and guilt, placing personal repentance at the core of the ritual's effectiveness.