From Discipleship Weekly

(a publication of the Presbyterian Church of Islip)

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A Word from Our Sponsor "I say to you . . .love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For he is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful." -- Luke 6:35-36 The Heidelberg Catechism: Part 2- Of Man's Redemption Week 27: Holy Baptism 72. Q. Does merely the outward washing with water itself wash away sins? A. No; for only the blood of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit cleanse us from all sins. [Matt. 3:11; I Pet. 3:21; I John 1:7] 73. Q. The why does the Holy Spirit call baptism the water of rebirth and the washing away of sins? A. God does not speak in this way except for a strong reason. Not only does he teach us by Baptism that just as the dirt of the body is taken away by water, so our sins are removed by the blood and Spirit of Christ; but more important still, by the divine pledge and sign he wishes to assure us that we are just as truly washed from our sins spiritually as our bodies are washed with water. [Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:3-4; I Cor. 6:11; Gal. 3:27; Rev. 1:5; 7:14] 74. Q. Are infants also to be baptized? A. Yes, because they, as well as their parents, are included in the covenant and belong to the people of God. Since both redemption from sin through the blood of Christ and the gift of faith from the Holy Spirit are promised to these children no less than to their parents, infants are also by baptism, as a sign of the covenant, to be incorporated into the Christian church and distinguished from the children of unbelievers. This was done in the Old Covenant by circumcision. In the New Covenant baptism has been instituted to take its place. [Gen. 17:7,9-14; Ps. 22:11; Is. 44:1-3; Matt. 19:14; Acts 2:38-39; 10:47; 16:31; I Cor. 7:14; Col. 2:11-13] Suggestions for discussion and review: Using what we've learned so far about this Sacrament, respond to the following objections to infant baptism: "Babies haven't done anything needing forgiveness, so baptism is just a formality like a naming ceremony. Anyway, everyone should make their own decisions about religion, so being baptized should be done when the child chooses it." * * * * * * * * * * The moment I realized that God existed, I knew I could not do otherwise than to live for Him alone. -- Charles de Foucald