Luther on Baptism of Regeneration

In understanding that through (Sacrament of) Baptism a person is regenerated or born again as new person whose sins are washed away, Luther was in total agreement with the teaching of the Catholic Church.

The significance of baptism is a blessed dying unto sin and a resurrection in the grace of God, so that the old man, conceived and born in sin, is there drowned, and a new man, born in grace, comes forth and rises. Thus St. Paul, in Titus 3[:5], calls baptism a “washing of regeneration,” since in this washing a person is born again and made new. As Christ also says, in John 3[:3, 5], “Unless you are born again of water and the Spirit (of grace), you may not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” For just as a child is drawn out of his mother’s womb and is born, and through this fleshly birth is a sinful person and a child of wrath [Eph. 2:3], so one is drawn out of baptism and is born spiritually. Through this spiritual birth he is a child of grace and a justified person. Therefore sins are drowned in baptism, and in place of sin, righteousness comes forth.

Baptism was foreshown of old in Noah’s flood, when the whole world was drowned, except for Noah with his three sons and their wives, eight souls, who were saved in the ark. That the people of the world were drowned signifies that in baptism sins are drowned. But that the eight in the ark, with animals of every sort, were preserved, signifies-as St. Peter explains in his second epistle-that through baptism man is saved. Now baptism is by far a greater flood than was that of Noah. For that flood drowned men during no more than one year, but baptism drowns all sorts of men throughout the world, from the birth of Christ even till the day of judgment. Moreover while that was a flood of wrath, this is a flood of grace, as is declared in Psalm 29[:10], “God will make a continual new flood.” For without doubt many more people have been baptized than were drowned in the flood.

From this it follows, to be sure, that when someone comes forth out of baptism, he is truly pure, without sin, and wholly guiltless. Still, there are many who do not properly understand this. They think that sin is no longer present, and so they become remiss and negligent in the killing of their sinful nature, even as some do when they have gone to confession. For this reason, as I have said above, it should be properly understood and known that our flesh, so long as it lives here, is by nature wicked and sinful.

Luther, The Holy and Blessed Sacrament of Baptism, from Luther’s Works Vol. 35

Calvin and Baptism

John Calvin wrote commentaries of New Testament books save 3 John and Revelation.  They can be viewed and/or downloaded at http://www.ccel.org/.  On Mark 16:16 he wrote (underlined emphasis is added):

He who shall believe and be baptized shall be saved. This promise was added in order to allure all mankind to believe; as it is followed, on the other hand, by a threatening of awful destruction, in order to terrify unbelievers. Nor is it wonderful that salvation is promised to believers; for, by believing in the only begotten Son of God, not only are they reckoned among the children of God, but receiving the gift of free justification and of the Spirit of regeneration, they possess what constitutes eternal life. Baptism is joined to the faith of the gospel, in order to inform us that the Mark of our salvation is engraved on it; for had it not served to testify the grace of God, it would have been improper in Christ to have said, that they who shall believe and be baptized shall be saved. Yet, at the same time, we must hold that it is not required as absolutely necessary to salvation, so that all who have not obtained it must perish; for it is not added to faith, as if it were the half of the cause of our salvation, but as a testimony. I readily acknowledge that men are laid under the necessity of not despising the sign of the grace of God; but though God uses such aids in accommodation to the weakness of men, I deny that his grace is limited to them. In this way we will say that it is not necessary in itself, but only with respect to our obedience.

Calvin considered Baptism as mark of our salvation and admitted that it is joined to the faith yet he denied its absolute (I use his own word) necessity, i.e. it only shows our obedience.  Compared his statement with that of Luther in my earlier post. On 1 Peter 3:21 he wrote (underlined emphasis is added):

The like figure whereunto I fully think that the relative ought to be read in the dative case, and that it has happened, through a mistake, that ὃ is put, and not ᾧ. The meaning, however, is not ambiguous, that Noah, saved by water, had a sort of baptism. And this the Apostle mentions, that the likeness between him and us might appear more evident. It has already been said that the design of this clause is to shew that we ought not to be led away by wicked examples from the fear of God, and the right way of salvation, and to mix with the world. This is made evident in baptism, in which we are buried together with Christ, so that, being dead to the world, and to the flesh, we may live to God [Romans 6:4]. On this account, he says that our baptism is an antitype (ἀντίτυπον) to the baptism of Noah, not that Noah’s baptism was the first pattern, and ours an inferior figure, as the word is taken in the Epistle to the Hebrews, where the ceremonies of the law are said to be antitypes of heavenly things, Greek writers apply the same word to sacraments, so that, when they speak of the mystical bread of the holy Supper, they call it the antitype. But here there is no comparison made between the greater and the less; the Apostle only means that there is a likeness, and as they commonly say, a correspondence. Perhaps it might more properly be said to be correspondency, (ἀντίστροφον,) as Aristotle makes Dialectics to be the antistrophè of Rhetoric. But we need not labor about words, when there is an agreement about the thing itself. As Noah, then, obtained life through death, when in the ark, he was enclosed not otherwise than as it were in the grave, and when the whole world perished, he was preserved together with his small family; so at this day, the death which is set forth in baptism, is to us an entrance into life, nor can salvation be hoped for, except we be separated from the world.

It seems to me Calvin admitted that Baptism is entrance to life.  He considered Baptism as Sacrament in what he further wrote:

Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh This was added, because it might be that the greatest part of men would profess the name of Christ; and so it is with us, almost all are introduced into the church by baptism. Thus, what he had said before would not be appropriate, that few at this day are saved by baptism, as God saved only eight by the ark. This objection Peter anticipates, when he testifies that he speaks not of the naked sign, but that the effect must also be connected with it, as though he had said, that what happened in the age of Noah would always be the case, that mankind would rush on to their own destruction, but that the Lord would in a wonderful way deliver His very small flock.

We now see what this connection means; for some one might object and say, “Our baptism is widely different from that of Noah, for it happens that most are at this day baptized.” To this he replies, that the external symbol is not sufficient, except baptism be received really and effectually: and the reality of it will be found only in a few. It hence follows that we ought carefully to see how men commonly act when we rely on examples, and that we ought not to fear though we may be few in number.

But the fanatics, such as Schuencfeldius, absurdly pervert this testimony, while they seek to take away from sacraments all their power and effect. For Peter did not mean here to teach that Christ’s institution is vain and inefficacious, but only to exclude hypocrites from the hope of salvation, who, as far as they can, deprave and corrupt baptism. Moreover, when we speak of sacraments, two things are to be considered, the sign and the thing itself. In baptism the sign is water, but the thing is the washing of the soul by the blood of Christ and the mortifying of the flesh. The institution of Christ includes these two things. Now that the sign appears often inefficacious and fruitless, this happens through the abuse of men, which does not take away the nature of the sacrament. Let us then learn not to tear away the thing signified from the sign. We must at the same time beware of another evil, such as prevails among the Papists; for as they distinguish not as they ought between the thing and the sign, they stop at the outward element, and on that fix their hope of salvation. Therefore the sight of the water takes away their thoughts from the blood of Christ and the power of the Spirit. They do not regard Christ as the only author of all the blessings therein offered to us; they transfer the glory of his death to the water, they tie the secret power of the Spirit to the visible sign.

As Sacrament, Baptism has two elements, (outward) sign and Grace (Calvin called it “thing”).  The (outward) sign is water – it makes God’s Grace, which is beyond our comprehension (something we cannot feel or sense using our five senses), becomes visible. What God through His Grace does to for us in Baptism, as Calvin wrote (correctly), is washing of the soul by the blood of Christ and the mortifying of the flesh.  Calvin clearly disagreed with those who consider Baptism only as sign, a view that is held by many Protestants today. At the same time Calvin accused Catholics (or papists in his term) to concentrate on the outward sign of Baptism (i.e. water) as mean of salvation and to forget Christ.  This charge is, of course, unfounded – Catholics do consider Baptism as necessity but it is not the only requirement of salvation.  In order to further separate Baptism from salvation Calvin wrote:

What then ought we to do? Not to separate what has been joined together by the Lord. We ought to acknowledge in baptism a spiritual washing, we ought to embrace therein the testimony of the remission of sin and the pledge of our renovation, and yet so as to leave to Christ his own honor, and also to the Holy Spirit; so that no part of our salvation should be transferred to the sign. Doubtless when Peter, having mentioned baptism, immediately made this exception, that it is not the putting off of the filth of the flesh, he sufficiently shewed that baptism to some is only the outward act, and that the outward sign of itself avails nothing.

The problem is, earlier Calvin admitted that Baptism is the washing of the soul by the blood of Christ, i.e. it is not the washing of our bodies as Peter stated as removal of dirt from body. 

Luther on Baptism

Most Protestants and “Bible only” Christians deny the necessity of Baptism for salvation.  Interestingly this is not what Martin Luther taught. On his sermon on Baptism he said (English translation from Luther’s Works, Vol. 51 : Sermons I. Philadelphia : Fortress Press, 1999, c1959 (Luther’s Works 51), S. 51:III-188):

Baptism is recorded in the last chapter of Mark: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16). Even if a person is baptized but is without faith, he is lost. But we shall at this time omit discussion of that which serves us in disputation and controversy with the adversaries. In connection with baptism the words themselves, which are recorded here, must be understood. These every person must know. In the first place, note the command of God, which is very stern when he says: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). This is a strict command; if a person wants to be saved, let him be baptized; otherwise he is in God’s disfavor.

Luther also explained why water used in Baptism is not the same as ordinary water we use:

Say, therefore, that baptism is water and God’s Word comprehended in one. Take the Word away and it is the same water with which the maid waters the cow; but with the Word, it is a living, holy, divine water. He who considers the words: “will be saved” (Mark 16:16) will find it [salvation]; for with his words, “will be saved,” Christ puts salvation into baptism. Therefore it is impossible that this should be simple water when through it salvation, forgiveness of sins, and redemption from death and the devil is given.

Against those who denied the necessity of Baptism he further wrote:

But nobody believes what an excellent thing is in these words. The fanatics laugh at us and say: You neo-papists teach the people to trust in water. But when I ask them: What do you say about these words, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved”? they flutter away. So you say to them: We do not teach that one should trust in water, but we do teach that the water, when it becomes one thing with God’s Word, is baptism. The water does not do it because of itself, but rather because of the Word, which is connected with it. But if you take away the Word, then don’t go telling us that baptism is useless water. Then it is a figment of the devil, who is seeking to sow bad seed among us. You hear your Savior say: If you believe and are baptized, then salvation follows, not because of the water, but because you believe the Word. It is not for nothing that I insist so emphatically that you say that baptism is natural, physical water connected with the Word of God. When these two come together, water and the Word of God, then it is a baptism.

On the benefit of Baptism Luther wrote:

Furthermore, the benefit of baptism must also be learned. If baptism is water with the Word of God, what is its purpose, work, fruit, and benefit? It saves those who believe, as the words say. A child is baptized, not in order that it may become a prince; it is baptized in order that it may be saved, as the words say, that is, in order that it may be redeemed from sin, death, and the devil, that it may become a member of Christ, and that it may come into Christ’s kingdom and Christ become its Lord. Accordingly, baptism is useful to the end that through it we may be saved. There you have the transcendent excellence of baptism. The first honor is that it is a divine water, and when you see a baptism remember that the heavens are opened. The fruit is that it saves, redeems you from sin, liberates you from the devil, and leads you to Christ. The fanatics insist that one must first become holy. But I am not contending with them now, but teaching the simple.

Augustine on Baptism

How did Augustine (354 to 430 AD) view Baptism?  Did he follow the current view of many Protestants and “Bible only” Christians of today that Baptism is only symbol or public declaration of one’s faith in Christ?   The Catholic Church, on the other hand, teaches that through Baptism all our past sins (original and personal sins) are forgiven and we will be reborn as new person (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church # 1263, 1265). In one of his sermons Augustine wrote (English translation from Augustine through the Ages, an Encyclopaedia, page 88):

If the forgiveness of sins were not to be had in the Church, there would be no hope of future life and eternal liberation. We thank God, who gave his Church such a gift. Here you are; you are going to come to the holy font, you will be washed in saving baptism, you will be renewed in the “bath of rebirth” [Titus 3:5], you will be without any sin at all as you come up from that birth. All the things that were plaguing you in the past will be there be blotted out.

Augustine, Sermon 213.9

Augustine also compared Baptism with the crossing the Red Sea in Exodus.  Just like the Israelites who crossed the Red Sea while the pursuing Egyptians were drowned, the candidates must cross the Red Sea of Baptism and their sins will be left drown in the water.  In his other work, based on Romans 6:4, he wrote (English translation from Augustine through the Ages, an Encyclopaedia, page 88):

Paul spoke of the great mystery of holy baptism as bound up with the cross of Christ; and this he does in terms that make us understand that baptism in Christ is nothing but an image of Christ’s death, and the Christ’s death on the cross is nothing but an image of the remission of sin. Just as his death was real, so also the remission of ours is real; and just as his resurrection was real, so also our justification is real.

Augustine, Enchiridion ad Laurentium de fide spe et caritate

(A Handbook of Faith, Hope and Love) 8.52

He also stated that Baptism marks the beginning of our renewal process and this process is gradual, following 2 Corinthians 4:16: our inner nature is being renewed every day (cf. De peccatorum meritus et remissione et de baptismo parvulorum or On the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins and on Infant Baptism, 2.7.9 – 2.8.10)