I realize that it has been quite a while since we discussed the Heidelberg Catechism, but we must finish what we started. Here is the last section that contains the introduction to the section on the sacraments. Today, the topic is Baptism.
Of Holy Baptism26. Lord's DayQuestion 69. How are you admonished and assured by holy baptism, that the one sacrifice of Christ upon the cross is of real advantage to you?
Answer: Thus: That Christ appointed this external washing with water, (Matthew 28:19) adding thereto this promise, (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Matthew3:11; Mark 16:16; John 1:33; Romans 6:3-4) that I am as certainly washed by his blood and Spirit from all the pollution of my soul, that is, from all my sins, (1 Peter 3:21; Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3) as I am washed externally with water, by which the filthiness of the body is commonly washed away.
This is the notion of not only atonement, but expiation of sin. Sin is completely wiped clean, through the Blood of Jesus and His meritorious work on the Cross.
Question 70. What is it to be washed with the blood and Spirit of Christ?
Answer: It is to receive of God the remission of sins, freely, for the sake of Christ's blood, which he shed for us by his sacrifice upon the cross; (Hebrews 12:24; 1 Peter 1:2; Revelation 1:5, 7:14; Zechariah 13:1; Ezekiel 36:25) and also to be renewed by the Holy Ghost, and sanctified to be members of Christ, that so we may more and more die unto sin, and lead holy and unblamable lives. (John 1:33, 3:5; 1 Corinthians 6:11, 12:13; Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12)
This section is thick with talking points. Starting with the Hebrews, 1 Peter and Ezekiel quotes, we have wonderful scripture for those who insist that sprinkling is not Biblical. Hmmm. Maybe, just maybe, sprinkling is, in fact, Biblical. Next we have the wonderful Revelation 1:5 quote that uses the words firstborn of the dead. We see that Jesus is the firstborn of those who will receive resurrection bodies. He is the first to be whole and complete. He will usher in the Age to Come, but through Him, the Age to Come is already bleeding through into this current evil Age. That's some two kingdom stuff for you. The second set of quotes includes language about us dying with Christ through Baptism and being raised with Him through faith. This gets to the heart of the sacrament.
Question 71. Where has Christ promised us, that he will as certainly wash us by his blood and Spirit, as we are washed with the water of baptism?
Answer: In the institution of baptism, which is thus expressed: "Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." (Matthew 28:19) And "he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned." (Mark 16:16) This promise is also repeated, where the scripture calls baptism "the washing of regenerations" and the washing away of sins. (Titus 3:5, Acts 22:16)
The little verse from Mark is not trivial. This verse is a problem for the Lutheran view of Baptism, and this is why I prefer the Covenantal view on Baptism. Here Mark says something very similar to what Paul says to the Galatians concerning circumcision. In essence, the argument is that if you take the covenant seal of Baptism, believers are saved. But by the same mechanism, unbelievers seal their doom. All will, of course, be sorted out on Judgment Day, but accepting the Seal of the New Covenant without true faith in the meritorious work of Christ on our behalf is as much as seal of doom as it is a seal of faith for the believer. This is tough teaching. It means that there are souls who are Baptized and in our pews who are doomed.
27. Lord's DayQuestion 72. Is then the external baptism with water the washing away of sin itself?
Answer: Not at all: (Matthew 3:11; 1 Peter 3:21; Ephesians 5:26-27) for the blood of Jesus Christ only, and the Holy Ghost cleanse us from all sin. (1 John 1:7; 1 Corinthians 6:11)
More interesting stuff from 1 Corinthians. This verse states that justification and sanctification are both instantaneous and conferred at Baptism to the believer. While many passages discuss the process of Sanctification, the reformation argument is that Sanctification is both instantaneous and a process. This is a difficult concept at first, but the point is that sanctification will never be complete during this lifetime. We make only small steps towards it. But our faith freely given to us by the Holy Spirit confers both justification and sanctification instantly. It is because our bodies remain IN Adam, that we require a process while we are still IN Adam.
Question 73. Why then does the Holy Ghost call baptism "the washing of regeneration," and "the washing away of sins"?
Answer: God speaks thus not without great cause, to-wit, not only thereby to teach us, that as the filth of the body is purged away by water, so our sins are removed by the blood and Spirit of Jesus Christ; (Revelation 1:5,7:14; 1 Corinthians 6:11) but especially that by this divine pledge and sign he may assure us, that we are spiritually cleansed from our sins as really, as we are externally washed with water. (Mark 16:16; Galatians 3:27)
No new stuff here. We do get the image of "putting on Christ" from the Galatians passage, which meshes well with the idea of being clothed in His righteousness.
Question 74. Are infants also to be baptized?
Answer: Yes: for since they, as well as the adult, are included in the covenant and church of God; (Genesis 17:7) and since redemption from sin (Matthew19:14) by the blood of Christ, and the Holy Ghost, the author of faith, is promised to them no less than to the adult; (Luke 1:15; Psalms 22:10; Isaiah 44:1-3;Acts 2:39) they must therefore by baptism, as a sign of the covenant, be also admitted into the christian church; and be distinguished from the children of unbelievers (Acts 10:47) as was done in the old covenant or testament by circumcision, (Genesis 17:14) instead of which baptism is instituted (Colossians2:11-13) in the new covenant.
Just when you thought that it was safe to go into the water, someone let the kids come to the party. The best argument for infant Baptism, of course, is the covenant argument. The Colossians passage hammers home the point concerning covenant, while the other passages bring the children into the discussion. Of particular interest in the discussion of circumcision taking place on or after the eighth day after birth. This truly opens the door for Baptism as the New Covenant Seal.
Baptism has the potential to spark tremendous debate. This section of the Heidelberg Catechism does an excellent job of outlining the Covenant argument for this sacrament. In the next post, we will examine the other sacrament: Holy Communion.
--Troll--
No comments:
Post a Comment