Means of Grace 7: Baptism
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Biblical, Devotional & Informational
May 14, 2007
Vol. 2, No. 9
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We return to our multi-part series on the means of grace. Having
explained what a sign and seal were we continue with baptism. We have
especially included the idea of "improving" our baptism, to encourage
us to grow in grace.
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VII. Understanding the Means of Grace: The Initiatory Rite
Having explained that a sacrament is a sign and seal of the Covenant
of Grace-a sign outwardly displaying what the inward reality should be
and a seal testifying of God's faithfulness and encouraging our faith-
we proceed to Baptism.
As an initiatory rite, Baptism brings one into the Church visible.
This is not seriously debated by any Protestant. As a sign of
regeneration, it portrays the truth of the Spirit's work in the lives
of His people. As a seal, it confirms our adoptions as children of
God. These truths are less known. So, as the goal is more
instructional than polemic, let us define our terms:
Q94: What is baptism?
A94: Baptism is a sacrament, wherein the washing with water in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,[1] doth
signify and seal our ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of the
benefits of the covenant of grace,[2] and our engagement to be the
Lord's.[3]
1. Matt. 28:19; 2. Rom. 6:3; 3. Rom. 6:4
It is 1) a "washing with the water"-meaning that the mode presumably
should follow the Biblical pattern. Historically, the Reformed (both
Presbyterian, Anglican and Congregational) have understood that mode
to follow the prophecies of the Older Testament, pouring or sprinkling
(just as the Spirit was promised, Ez. 36, Acts 2). This "washing" 2)
signifies, or symbolizes or points to our engrafting into Christ,
partaking of His benefits and the demand to be the Lord's own in
thought, word & deed. In parallel with the signifying (at least for
the elect), there is 3) a sealing aspect to baptism (as just explained
in part 6). It more confirms our consciences (increases our
subjective awareness) of our part in Christ & all His benefits. As a
seal it does not transmit grace, it confirms what is already ours. It
highlights what is already ours. It strengthens what is already
ours. That is why it is dubbed a "means of grace," for it increases
saving faith (cp. WCF 14:1).
Naturally, just as baptism may be meaningless to some adult converts
who publicly profess Christ (but inwardly are full of dead man's
bones), so too, children may never be regenerate (cp. WCF 28.5). Yet
in both instances, they were baptized. This is because baptism does
not regenerate nor transmit saving faith to the recipient. That is
the work of the Spirit. And the Spirit may work spiritual life
before, during or after baptism because His ways are inscrutable (John
3:5, 8). Again, this is a Presbyterian dogma: "Although it be a great
sin to contemn or neglect this ordinance, grace and salvation are not
so inseparably annexed unto it, as that no person can be regenerated,
or saved, without it; or, that all that are baptized are undoubtedly
regenerated" (WCF 28.5).
The fact that children are given the sign of Baptism in many
Protestant churches (Anglican, Congregationalists & Presbyterians) is
because of Abraham (Gen. 17:7) & Peter. Yes, I said Peter. Note Acts
2:38-39:
Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to
your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our
God will call."
The promise-the Gospel-is "to you and to your children." Just as the
Gospel call is given to all, yet only those who are born-again will
respond (John 3), so the call is especially given to those children of
Covenant households, yet only the elect will respond. The children
have greater illumination; hence, they have greater responsibility.
To whom much is given much is required. They must own their baptism
through public confession.
And that moral truth is the basis of question 167 of the Larger
Catechism:
"How is our Baptism to be improved by us? Answer: The needful but
much neglected duty of improving our Baptism, is to be performed by us
all our life long, especially in the time of temptation, and when we
are present at the administration of it to others..." What this entails
is the fact that our baptism is not a relic of our past. Although
objective insofar as God is publicly declaring our entrance into the
Church, it is also subjective insofar as it is part of our past and
conscience. Our baptism (whether as an infant or an adult) is for our
comfort ("in the time of temptation") & our encouragement as we are
faced with "the administration of it to others..." The answer continues
in detail how both of these are accomplished (with a plethora of
verses!): by considering what baptism signifies and seals; by humbling
ourselves for not living faithfully; by "growing up to assurance of
pardon of sin..."; by clinging to our spiritual baptism into Christ's
death and resurrection (Rom. 6:3-5); by living in faith; by obeying
the call to holiness; by walking in the brotherly love because of our
unity in the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13).
Although justification and regeneration should not be confused with
baptism, baptism is for our own good. It should encourage us as part
of our overall sanctification in righteousness. It should be part and
parcel of our living in obedience (1 John 2:3ff.). The Spirit uses
this tool to point to His work & confirm our faith; thus having begun
in grace, we should continue in grace.
SDG