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Lord's Day 27

Topics: Baptism, Christ, Holy Spirit, Blood, Forgiveness, Infant Baptism, Covenant, Church

72. Q.

Does this outward washing with water
itself wash away sins?
A.
No, only the blood of Jesus Christ
and the Holy Spirit
cleanse us from all sins. 1
  • 1. Mt 3:11; 1 Pet 3:21; 1 Jn 1:7.
73. Q.

Why then does the Holy Spirit call baptism
the washing of regeneration
and the washing away of sins?
A.
God speaks in this way for a good reason.
He wants to teach us
that the blood and Spirit of Christ
remove our sins
just as water takes away
dirt from the body. 1
But, even more important,
he wants to assure us
by this divine pledge and sign
that we are
as truly cleansed from our sins spiritually
as we are bodily washed with water. 2
  • 1. 1 Cor 6:11; Rev 1:5; 7:14.
  • 2. Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38; Rom 6:3, 4; Gal 3:27.
74. Q.

Should infants, too, be baptized?
A.
Yes.
Infants as well as adults
belong to God's covenant and congregation. 1
Through Christ's blood
the redemption from sin
and the Holy Spirit, who works faith,
are promised to them
no less than to adults. 2
Therefore, by baptism, as sign of the covenant,
they must be incorporated into the Christian church
and distinguished from the children of unbelievers. 3
This was done in the old covenant by circumcision, 4
in place of which baptism was instituted
in the new covenant. 5
  • 1. Gen 17:7; Mt 19:14.
  • 2. Ps 22:10; Is 44:1-3; Acts 2:38, 39; 16:31.
  • 3. Acts 10:47; 1 Cor 7:14.
  • 4. Gen 17:9-14.
  • 5. Col 2:11-13.
Copyright 2010, Standing Committee for the Publication of the Book of Praise of the Canadian Reformed Churches.
Used by permission.
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