HC 69
Heidelberg Catechism
Q69. How does holy baptism signify and seal to you that the one sacrifice of Christ on the cross benefits you?
In this way: Christ instituted this outward washing and with it gave the promise that, as surely as water washes away the dirt from the body, so certainly His blood and Spirit wash away the impurity of my soul, that is, all my sins.
Proof texts
- Matt. 28:19 — [19] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
- Matt. 3:11 — [11] “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
- Mark 16:16 — [16] Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
- John 1:33 — [33] I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
- Acts 2:38 — [38] And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Rom. 6:3-4 — [3] Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? [4] We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
- 1 Pet. 3:21 — [21] Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
For discussion
- The Assembly cited Matt. 28:19 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
- 7 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
- WSC Q88 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
- WLC Q149 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
Read alongside
WSC Q88 · WLC Q149 · WCF 27.1 · BC 8.1 · BC 8.2 · BC 8.3 · 1689 28.1