Holy Baptism (1)

In a short series, we wish to consider the meaning of Holy Baptism. Just as in the history of the church, so also today, departure from the Reformed Confessions has serious consequences. It defines our perception of the congregation, how we approach young people, the emphasis in the preaching, religious upbringing, the teaching in the classroom, and similar situations. Recent (youth) meetings about this subject have raised questions and even, unfortunately, confusion. It is for this reason that, at the request from our readers among whom are office bearers, we provide these articles.

What is proposed

The following central themes are put forward:

1. The sentence which is written, as it were, in red letters above the Form for Baptism serves—if it is well— to provide the emphasis for the explanation of the entire contents. This sentence is as follows:” insomuch that we cannot enter into the kingdom of God except we are born again.” That is what we hope to discuss.

2. The theme that “baptism is come in the place of circumcision.”

3. The thought expressed in the first prayer with the administration of baptism, “by which baptism is signified.”

4. The differentiation of how our forefathers spoke about “we and our children” and about “this child.”

5. The value which our forefathers at Dort attached to the baptism of children, as is apparent in the conclusion of the Canons of Dort where they state against slanderous accusations that “the mouths of calumniators of sound doctrine be shut.”

The starting point

The essence of the doctrine of Baptism in our Form is expressed in the same three parts as our Heidelberg Catechism, namely, misery, deliverance, and gratitude. It is there that we will begin our discussion of baptism—not, as one frequently hears, “that we are admonished of, and obliged unto new obedience,” for then we have already reached the part of thankfulness, and we have skipped over two of the parts.

When we, very simply, begin to read the Form for Baptism, we hear of our misery and the misery of our baptized children. The doctrine of Baptism begins with “children of wrath, insomuch that we cannot enter the kingdom of God except we are born again.” In the first place, the impurity of our souls is signified. Therefore, the clear absolute necessity of our conversion, as God’s work of grace, is first confessed. The water in baptism calls out to us in the first place how impure we are and that we stand outside of the kingdom of God’s grace. We can hear that there is only one way to be saved. This way is the “regeneration” of which we read in the Canons of Dort Head 3/4, article 12, “so highly celebrated in Scripture and denominated a new creature: a resurrection from the dead, a making alive, which God works in us without our aid.”

To be clear, regeneration is spoken of here in the narrow as well as the broader sense, meaning, the making alive as well as the renewal. Let us quote and use our Form honestly. That is why we begin the discussion of our Form in this manner. If this does not remain our starting point, we do not deal honestly with our tried and tested baptismal doctrine. It is a question to me when in reflecting upon this subject, the word regeneration is not even used. Why is it, in some circles that even the word “regeneration” appears to be disputed? One must consider that it is the starting point in the entire explanation. It is exactly upon this point that the Canons of Dort teach us so completely in the third/fourth head of doctrine: of man’s depravity, the conversion to God, and the manner thereof.

The compelling question in our life, “How do I come to Jesus?” is answered in this chapter by the Canons of Dort with these words: “through this regeneration.” This forms a unity between the instruction and the significance of our confession. We may and should not deal selectively with these subjects.

It is so instructive to then read in the Form that when we are regenerated, we “loathe and humble ourselves before God, and seek for our purification and salvation without ourselves.” That happens when the sovereign deed of God’s grace goes before and remains. Then only is the certainty of it sure. Baptism is the visible preaching of God’s grace in the line of the generations, of the necessity and possibility…of regeneration. I can still hear Rev. A. Vergunst say, “We can never appreciate the value of baptism highly enough, as long as it never makes the necessity of regeneration unnecessary.” In this manner we go, according to this baptismal

In this manner we go, according to this baptismal instruction, from the part of misery to the part of deliverance. The grace in the Deliverer as the work of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is placed before us in this all determining instruction.

This is all about the doctrine of free grace, which works all in all. That is also true in our consideration of Holy Baptism. In the church at Jerusalem, many believed in His name (John 2:23b), but what do we read immediately following? “But Jesus did not commit Himself unto them, because He knew all men (verse 24). Why did He keep His distance? “And needed not that any should testify of man: for He knew what was in man”(verse. 25).

Is that not the reason that immediately after this we read time and again, “Verily, verily…, Amen, amen…, ye must be born again”? (John 3:5&7). Marvel not, therefore, that this is also the principal thrust of our baptismal doctrine. For what is faith without a regeneration which precedes it? That is also how it is written in John 3:1-21.

(To be continued)

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