Paedobaptism (Infant Baptism)

Heidelberg Catechism

Lord's Day 25

65. Since then we are made partakers of Christ and all his benefits by faith only, where does this faith come from?

The Holy Ghost works it in our hearts¹⁾ by the preaching of the Holy Gospel, and confirms it by the use of the holy sacraments.²⁾

1) Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
-- John 3:5 KJV

* So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17 KJV

2) And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which [he had yet] being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also Romans 4:11 KJV

* And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
-- Acts 8:37 KJV

66. What are the Sacraments?

The Sacraments are visible, holy signs and seals, appointed by God for this end, that by their use He may the more fully declare and seal to us the promise of the Gospel: namely, that He grants us the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life, for the sake of the one sacrifice of Christ accomplished on the cross.¹⁾

1) And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
-- Genesis 17:11 KJV

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which [he had yet] being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also.
-- Romans 4:11 KJV

And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
-- Deuteronomy 30:6 KJV

Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am] the LORD that sanctify them.
-- Ezekiel 20:12 KJV

67. Are both the Word and the Sacraments, designed to direct our faith to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, as the only ground of our salvation?

Yes truly; for the Holy Ghost teaches in the Gospel, and assures us by the holy sacraments, that our whole salvation stands in the one sacrifice of Christ made for us on the cross.¹⁾

1) Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
-- Romans 6:3 KJV

* For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. -- Galations 3:27 KJV

* Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption [for us].
-- Hebrews 9:12 KJV

* Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added [unto them] about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
-- Acts 2:41, 42 KJV

68. How many Sacraments has Christ instituted in the New Testament?

Two: Holy Baptism and the Holy Supper.

Lord's Day 26

Thus: that Christ instituted this outward washing with water¹⁾ and joined to it this promise:²⁾ that I am washed with His blood and Spirit from the pollution of my soul, that is, from all my sins, as certainly, as I am washed outwardly with water, whereby commonly the filthiness of the body is taken away.³⁾

1) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.
-- Matthew 28:19, 20 KJV

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
-- Acts 2:38 KJV

2) I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and [with] fire
-- Matthew 3:11 KJV

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
-- Mark 16:16 KJV

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
-- Romans 6:3, 4 KJV

3) John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
-- Mark 1:4 KJV

70. What is it to be washed with the blood and Spirit of Christ?

It is to have the forgiveness of sins from God, through grace, for the sake of Christ's blood, which He shed for us in His sacrifice on the cross;¹⁾ and also, to be renewed by the Holy Spirit, and sanctified to be members of Christ, that so we may more and more die unto sin, and lead holy and unblamable lives.²⁾

1) And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel.
-- Hebrews 12:24 KJV

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
-- 1 Peter 1:2 KJV

And from Jesus Christ, [who is] the faithful witness, [and] the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.
-- Revelation 1:5 KJV

In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.
-- Zechariah 13:1 KJV

Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do [them].
-- Ezekiel 36:25-27 KJV

2) And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
-- John 1 :33 KJV

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
-- John 3:3 KJV

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. -- 1 Corinthians 6:11 KJV

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether [we be] Jews or Gentiles, whether [we be] bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
-- 1 Corinthians 12:13 KJV

* How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
-- Hebrews 9:14

71. Where has Christ promised that we are as certainly washed with His blood and Spirit as with the water of Baptism?

In the institution of Baptism, which says: "Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.¹⁾ He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."²⁾ This promise is also repeated where Scripture calls Baptism the washing of regeneration,³⁾ and the washing away of sins.⁴⁾

1) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
-- Matthew 28:19 KJV

2) He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
-- Mark 16:16 KJV

3) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.
-- Titus 3:5 KJV

4) And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
-- Acts 22:16 KJV

Lord's Day 27

No,¹⁾ for only the blood of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit cleanse us from all sin.²⁾

1) The like figure whereunto [even] baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
-- 1 Peter 3:21 KJV

That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.
-- Ephesians 5:26 KJV

2) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
-- 1 John 1:7 KJV

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
-- 1 Corinthians 6:11 KJV

73. Why, then, does the Holy Ghost call Baptism the washing of regeneration, and the washing away of sins?

God speaks thus not without great cause: namely, not only to teach us thereby that just as the filthiness of the body is taken away by water, so our sins also are taken away by the blood and Spirit of Christ;¹⁾ but much more, that by this divine pledge and token He may assure us, that we are as really washed from our sins spiritually, as our bodies are washed with water.²⁾

1) And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
-- Revelation 7:14 KJV

2) He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:16 KJV

*Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
-- Acts 2:38 KJV

74. Are infants also to be baptized?

Yes. For since they, as well as their parents, belong to the covenant and people of God,¹⁾ and through the blood of Christ²⁾ both redemption from sin and the Holy Ghost, who works faith are promised to them no less than to their parents,³⁾ they are also by Baptism, as a sign of the covenant, to be ingrafted into the Christian Church, and distinguished from the children of unbelievers,⁴⁾ as was done in the Old Testment by circumcision,⁵⁾ in place of which the New Testament Baptism is appointed.⁽⁶

1) And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
-- Genesis 17:7 KJV

2) But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
-- Matthew 19:14 KJV

3) And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
-- Luke 1:14, 15 KJV

I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou [art] my God from my mother's belly.
-- Psalms 22:10 KJV

For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call.
-- Acts 2:39 KJV

4) Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
-- Acts 10:47 KJV

5) And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
-- Genesis 17:14 KJV

6) In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [him] through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses
-- Colossians 2:11-13 KJV

Back