1. What is baptism?

Baptism is not mere water, but that water which is comprehended in God’s command, and connected with his word. (Smaller Catechism)

2. What is that word of God?

Matt. 28:19. “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

Mark 16:16. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

3. Is baptism necessary to salvation?

Certainly; on account of the divine injunction. “For what God has instituted and commanded, cannot be a vain thing, but must be exceedingly valuable, even if in appearance it should be more insignificant than a shadow.” (Larger Catechism. Compare Augsburg Confession, Art. ix.)

4. What does baptism confer or profit?

It works forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and gives everlasting salvation to all who believe it, as the words and promises of God declare.

Secondly, since we know what baptism is, and how it is to be regarded, we must also learn, why and for what purpose it was instituted, that is, what it profits, gives, and works. This can be best understood from the words of Christ, namely: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” Matt. 16:16. Therefore understand in all simplicity, that it is the power, work, use, fruit, and design of baptism, to save. For no one is baptized that he may be made a prince, but that he may be saved, as the words of institution inform us. But it is well known that to be saved means nothing else than to be delivered from sin, death, and Satan, to come into the kingdom of Christ, and to live with him forever. (Compare Larger Catechism.)

5. Does Holy Scripture teach the same concerning the benefit and efficacy of baptism?

Yes; for St. Paul to Titus, chap. 3:5, says: “But according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he also shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Saviour, that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

And Christ himself confirms this, John 3:5: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

And St. Peter, 1 Epistle, chap. 3:21, says: “Baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

6. How can water do so great things?

“Water indeed does not do it, but the Word of God, which accompanies and is connected with the water, and our faith, which relies on this Word of God, connected with the water. For the water, without the Word of God, is simply water and no baptism; but with the Word of God it is a baptism, that is, a gracious water of life, and a washing of regeneration by the Holy Ghost, as St. Paul says to Titus, in the third chapter.” (Smaller Catechism.)

7. Then the water in baptism dare not be separated from the Word of God?

The water in baptism may be distinguished from the Word of God, but not separated from it. For this water is so sanctified by the Word of God, that it is none other than divine water: not as if this water in itself and of itself were better than every other water, but because the Word and command of God is added to it. If, therefore, the Word is separated from the water, it is not water other than that which is used in ordinary life; but if this Word is connected with it, then it is a sacrament and the baptism instituted by Christ.

From this learn to understand correctly, and be able to answer the question, What is baptism? — namely, thus: that it is not merely common water, but a water comprehended in the Word and command of God, and thereby sanctified, that it is nought else than a divine water: not that the water in itself is nobler than other water, but that the Word and command of God is joined to it.

It is therefore purely a piece of rascality and the mockery of the devil, when our new spirits, in order to revile baptism, now omit the Word and order of God from it, looking at nothing but the water drawn from the well, and then vent their spleen: What good shall a handful of water do to souls? Yes, my friend, who does not know that water is water, if pulling asunder is to prevail? But how dare you thus interfere with the arrangement of God, and tear away the best jewel, with which God has connected and set it, and which he will not have removed from it: for this kernel in the water is the Word and command of God, and the name of God, which is a treasure, greater and nobler than heaven and earth. Therefore comprehend the difference, that baptism is quite different from all other waters, not because of its natural essence, but because something nobler is joined to it. God himself honors it and aids it by his might and power. It is therefore not merely a natural water, but a divine, heavenly, holy, and blessed water, and deserving of all additional praise which can be given to it, solely on account of the Word of God, which is a heavenly, holy Word, which no one can praise sufficiently, for it has divine possessions and power: hence, it also derives its essence, being called a sacrament, as St. Augustine too has taught: “If the Word is joined to the element, or natural essence, it becomes a sacrament, that is, a holy and divine thing and sign.” (Larger Catechism.)

8. Who are to be baptized?

Children, shortly after birth. (Augsburg Confession, Art. ix; Apology, Art. vi; Larger Catechism.)

9. Prove that little children are to be baptized.

(1.) Christ has commanded all nations to be baptized, and therefore infants.

(2.) The kingdom of Christ is found only where the Word and sacraments are found: “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” John 3:5. If infants, therefore, are to be incorporated into the kingdom of Christ, this cannot be done otherwise than by means of baptism.

(3.) The promise of salvation belongs to children also, according to the Word, Matt. 19:14; Mark 10:14: “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God.” And Matt. 18:10, 14: “Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.” Therefore the means by which the promise of salvation is applied and sealed, also appertain to those little ones.

(4.) God himself has testified that the baptism of children is agreeable to him, by gathering a congregation from the human race, throughout so many centuries, during which this sacrament was applied to children; and this he has done by giving the Holy Ghost to those who were baptized, and by finally saving the greater part of them.

(5.) Baptism has taken the place of circumcision. Col. 2:12. Just as circumcision was applied to children as the sign of the covenant, so also must baptism be used. (Apology, Art. iv; Larger Catechism.)

10. Then you maintain that all baptized children are truly born again and received into the grace of God?

Yes, this I maintain; for thus saith the Apostle: “Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” Rom. 6:13. And,

“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ.” Gal. 3:27.

Yes, Christ himself says: “He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved.” Mark 16:16. (Augsburg Confession, Art. ix.)

11. In this way you seem to maintain that baptized children truly believe in Christ?

Certainly; for that children, through baptism, are presented with true faith by the power of the Holy Ghost, already appears from the fact that they are born again. But regeneration cannot take place without faith. And Christ himself also distinctly assures us that the little children believe in him. Matt. 18:6.

12. May adults also be baptized?

Yes; as many as come over to our church and are able to make a confession of the true faith.

13. And do you maintain, that all baptized adults are born again, in like manner as children are?

Here a distinction must be made: for if the adults truly believe in their hearts, what they confess with their lips, they receive a truly salutary baptism; but if they harbor craft or hypocrisy, then they indeed receive baptism in full, according to its essence, but not in a salutary manner. For without faith baptism profits nothing; and only faith makes man worthy to receive this salutary and divine water profitably.

In the third place, since we have the great benefit and efficacy of baptism, let us further see, who the person is that receives what baptism gives and profits; this is again expressed most exactly and clearly, just in these words: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” That is, faith alone makes the person worthy to receive this divine water profitably. For inasmuch as this is prescribed and promised in these words, accompanying the water, it cannot be otherwise received, than by faith of the heart. Without faith it is of no use, although it is of itself a divine, superabundant treasure. This one word, “He that believeth,” is, therefore, possessed of so much power as to exclude and repel all works, which we can do, in the opinion that we shall thereby obtain and merit salvation. For it has been decided that whatever is not of faith, adds nothing, neither does it receive anything. (Larger Catechism.)

14. May baptism be repeated?

It may not; for the baptism is and always will remain true, and its essence unchanged. For that which God has once ordained cannot be subverted or abolished by the unbelief of man.

It is therefore determined that baptism is always right, and will remain in its full essence, even if only one human being were baptized, even though he had not the true faith, for the order and Word of God cannot be moved or changed by men. (Larger Catechism.)

15. But if the person baptized should fall from the grace of God, must not the baptism then be repeated?

No; for even if one were to lose the salutary fruit of baptism by his sins, he can afterward return, if he mortify and drown the old man by repentance. But it is not necessary that the water should again be applied to him. (Larger Catechism.)

16. How is this?

Because, if such a one were to be immersed in water a hundred times, he would only receive one baptism, namely, that which is the covenant of a good conscience with God. For this covenant continues unchanged on the part of God. If a person, therefore, fall from the grace of God, after being baptized, but return by means of true contrition and repentance, the baptism once received immediately begins to be salutary to him.

17. In the act of baptism what does the immersion into water and the drawing out from it signify?

It signifies that the old Adam is to be drowned in us by daily contrition and repentance, and that he is to die with all his sins and evil lusts, and again come out and arise a new man, who is to live forever in righteousness and holiness before God. For St. Paul to the Romans, in the sixth chapter, says: “We are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Smaller Catechism; compare Larger Catechism.)