WCF 28.1

28.1. Of Baptism

Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible Church; but also, to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins, and of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ, to walk in the newness of life. Which sacrament is, by Christ’s own appointment, to be continued in His Church until the end of the world.

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,
• 1 Cor. 12:13 — [13] For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body — Jews or Greeks, slaves or free — and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
• Rom. 4:11 with Col. 2:11, 12
• Gal. 3:27 — [27] For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
• Rom. 6:5 — [5] For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
• Tit. 3:5
• Mark 1:4 — [4] John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
• 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.
• Matt. 28:19, 20 — [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, [20] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Matt. 28:19 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 9 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WSC Q94 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. WLC Q165 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WSC Q94 · WLC Q165 · WLC Q149 · WSC Q88 · BC 8.1 · BC 8.2 · BC 8.3 · HC Q65 · 1689 28.1 · SD 28.1 · IAR 7.1 · SC60 6.1 · SC60 6.2 · SC60 6.3 · SC60 6.4 · SC60 6.5 · SHC 6.1 · SHC 6.2 · IAR 8.1 · SC60 7.1 · SC60 7.2 · SC60 7.3 · SHC 7.1 · SHC 7.2 · SHC 7.3