Baptism, theology and formula is Trinitarian.
October 8, 2008
Baptism is always Trinitarian. The teaching & theology of the NT Letters proves this (1 Pet. 1:2 / Tit. 3:4-6). Both the economic but most important an ontological reality in God’s Triune unity and character. There can be no economy of God without also His own ontology: being & substance!
On Acts 2:38, Calvin wrote: “I maintain that Peter is not speaking in this passage of the form of baptism but simply declaring that the whole efficacy of baptism is contained in Christ; although Christ cannot be grasped by faith without the Father by whom he was given and the Spirit by whom he renews and sancifies us.“
Calvin knew that the Greek prepositions in the Book of Acts as to the doctrine of baptism supports the reality of Christ being the one in authority and sovereign in the command to baptise, rather than the formula, etc. And we need to also note that the Gentiles were not regenerated by the water in baptism, as they were filled (made regenerate) with and by the Holy Spirit even before the act and action of baptism (Acts 10:44..etc.) “And he (Peter) ordered them to be baptised in (by the authority of) the name of Jesus Christ.” (verse 48)
Fr. Robert
October 8, 2008 at 11:57 am
Baptism, as Augustine said: is the ‘visible form of invisible grace’ or ‘a sign of the sacred thing’. It is both sign and seal, of God’s work and grace!
“Sacraments ordained of Christ be not only badges or tokens of Christian men’s profession, but rather they be certain sure witnesses, and effectual signs of grace, and God’s good will towards us, by the which he doth work invisibly in us and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm our Faith in him.” Article XXV, Anglican Thirty-Nine Articles…in the Book of Common Prayer.
October 8, 2008 at 12:20 pm
The act of creation is the Trinitarian God in action, as the Fathers taught: Father, Word, and Spirit; man is created by the Word of God in order to image His ‘holiness, righteousness and truth.’ (Peter Martyr Vermigli)
And the Person of Christ is the archetype of all theological thinking and reality in the Trinity of God, as He is “the image of the invisible God”! (Col.2:15)
“Baptism and the Eucharist are the two sacraments of the Church, for they are given to Christ’s flock as signs and seals of His twofold activity in and among them: of joining them to Himself in the union of faith, and nourishing them by the communication of His own new humanity. In the Christian life there are these two elements: the absolute element of the once-for-all death and burial related to the Cross of Christ, and the ongoing growth in grace related to the Risen Man. The sacraments signify and seal these two realities, that is the Mystery of Christ Himself.” (Joseph C. McLelland, The Visible Words of God – A Study In The Ttheology of Peter Martyr 1500-1562).
October 18, 2008 at 3:35 pm
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15047a.htm#III
Fr.R.
August 13, 2009 at 5:25 pm
Question: does water baptism add grace to the one being baptized?
No, not in the sense of regeneration. It is a sign and pledge of the salvation that God has wrought within the redeemed. Note, Acts 10:44-47.
Fr. Robert