What does baptism do?
a passage states it a passage rules it out
Common ground
These are affirmed by more than one position, so a passage saying only this counts for none of them.
- Baptism is commanded by Christ
- Baptism is linked with repentance, forgiveness and new life (Acts 2:38) in quoting Scripture
- Baptism joins a person to the visible church
- Faith is required of adult candidates
Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
Catholic Orthodox LutheranThrough Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the ChurchCatechism of the Catholic Church, 1213
What sets it apart: The passage says baptism itself washes away sin, gives new birth, or is the means by which one is regenerated.
Formally defined: Council of Carthage (418); Augsburg Confession IX (1530); Council of Trent (1547)
Earliest statement: Irenaeus of Lyons, c. 180
Sign and seal of grace, not tied to the moment
Reformedto be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sinsWestminster Confession of Faith, 28.1 (1646)
What sets it apart: The passage says baptism seals or confirms grace while denying that all the baptized are regenerated or that regeneration happens at the moment of baptism.
Formally defined: Westminster Confession 28 (1646)
No early passage in the library states it yet.
Symbol of faith already received
BaptistIt is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus.Baptist Faith and Message, Article VII (2000)
What sets it apart: The passage says baptism pictures or testifies to a salvation already received, and does not itself convey grace.
Formally defined: First London Confession (1644); Baptist Faith and Message (1925/2000)
No early passage in the library states it yet.
Every deciding passage, earliest first
Irenaeus of Lyons, c. 180
And for this reason the baptism of our regeneration proceeds through these three points: God the Father bestowing on us regeneration through his Son by the Holy Spirit. For as many as carry the Spirit of God are led to the Word, that is to the Son; and the Son brings them to the Father; and the Father causes them to possess incorruption. (led by the Spirit; incorruption)
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Irenaeus of Lyons, c. 180
And that this baptism is the seal of eternal life, and is the new birth unto God, that we should no longer be sons of mortal men only, but of the eternal and everlasting God; (new birth; Tt 3:5) and that what is everlasting and continuing is made God; and is over all things that are made, and all things are put under him; (all things under him; Ps 8:6) and all the things that are put under him are made his own; for God is not ruler and Lord over the things of another, but over his own; and all things are God’s; and therefore God is Almighty, and all things are of God.
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Apollinaris of Laodicea, c. 390
Catena fragment, author uncertain: A catena fragment: the ascription rests on the catena heading and is not secure.
But if the forgiveness through baptism is kept silent in such matters, since there was not even a time to discourse with the Jews about this; for there is found a certain distinction between the [judgment] in this age and the coming one, that the one being baptized will be from this age; and a certain distinction is examined between the present and the coming life, and thus it holds a denial of the examination from the law, according to Paul the speaker saying, 'God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns?' (Romans 8:33). Does not the doing of wonders and the loosening of demons,…
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Apollinaris of Laodicea, c. 390
Catena fragment, author uncertain: A catena fragment: the ascription rests on the catena heading and is not secure.
The Lord, placing rebirth before the true concept, brings it back to him by grace (John 3:5), which is accomplished through the ministry of water for the body.
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Amphilochius of Iconium, c. 395
Doubtful authorship: Ascription to Amphilochius is debated.
We stand and aim to become part of them; and the mother is certainly the church and the one who has nurtured [you]. So, if the heretic recognizes these, he knows the benefit from them, that through these he escaped the tyranny of the devil, and through these he was named a Christian? What do I say, 'Christian'? He clothed himself with Christ himself; for the scripture says: 'As many as were baptized into Christ, have clothed yourselves with Christ' (Gal 3:27), only if you have not again stripped yourself off by the serpent. What then is against these things? Do you recognize these, or have you…
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Amphilochius of Iconium, c. 395
Fire was kindled. Let us use that song of Miriam the sister of Moses, for it is fitting for us now just as it was for them then. Let the choir of those saints also be present with us and let it sing what it used to sing then upon the Red Sea: 'Let us sing to the Lord,' (Exod 15:1) for He has been gloriously glorified. For what has He done? He cast horse and rider into the sea. Horse and rider: the horse being the female sin, and the rider being the demon sitting upon sin, whom He drove down into the bath of the baptismal font. Let us therefore sing to the Lord, for He has been gloriously glori…
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Didymus the Blind, c. 398
Doubtful authorship: Attribution of De Trinitate to Didymus is disputed.
And what greater proof could be found for this than that it renews and sanctifies in each one through baptism the Spirit of God, and calls back to the better and first form of life? This is also shown by the fact that it itself recalls, as the apostle says concerning those becoming fit through the new birth and enjoying the greatest of all things expected in every respect: 'that you might become according to the image of the one who created you' (2 Cor 3:18); and it also prophesies David in the Psalm: 'the people being created shall praise the Lord' (Ps 22:27). If it did not have a communion o…
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Didymus the Blind, c. 398
Doubtful authorship: Attribution of De Trinitate to Didymus is disputed.
“You were baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the spirit of our God.” Therefore, look, look, how the name of the Son is entirely a divine name, and likewise that of the Holy Spirit; for one name has revealed both of them. And that the Holy Spirit, as if having gathered them ineffably from the beginning, now recreates. For to have loosed [the old] signified to be recreated. By this title: “having regenerated us through the bath of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). The Psalmist is no less worthy of being known regarding those already existing in gener…
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Severianus of Gabala, c. 400
Catena fragment, author uncertain: A catena fragment: the ascription rests on the catena heading and is not secure.
says, to the law, and have become another man, to the one risen from the dead. How then could a pure virgin have been previously married? But having been reborn through the bath of regeneration and having passed into another life, a pure virgin is justly so named. Faith in Christ and the brightness of the Spirit confirm the Christian life (2 Cor 11:4). If then you did not receive these things, you seek well those who still wish to live according to the law (2 Cor 11:10–12). Not reproaching the Corinthians, he says this, but reproving those who use the preaching as a matter of commerce. Therefo…
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Severianus of Gabala, c. 400
Catena fragment, author uncertain: A catena fragment: the ascription rests on the catena heading and is not secure.
Not the observance of the law, he says, makes those who believed better than the Gentiles than the Jews, but the power of baptism, providing to clothe oneself with Christ, makes the grace common to all together: barbarians, Greeks, Jews, female, male (Gal 3:27–28). And the female and the male were not merely mixed—insofar as one sought through the word toward what was set before him—but if baptism brings the male and the female differing into one grace, how much more the Greek and the Jew.
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Asterius of Amasea, c. 405
Such things are achieved through a fall. In this first act, the creative power is shown, and by the command to wash in the pool of Siloam, the salvation through water is demonstrated to us, which the one sent (Siloam) granted to all. For then we see well when we are cleansed by the mystical water; then the light of grace surrounds us, when the power of baptism washes away the stain of sins and the spots. And all who obey the command of Siloam see the spiritual light, which enlightens every man coming into the world. Oh, the wonder and the great energy!
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Asterius of Amasea, c. 405
How did he respond when persuaded by the call? He gave a remission of sins without cost, and a release from those who grieve that is uncalculated and brief. The Word sanctified, the Spirit sealed; the old man was buried by the water, the new man was born rising by grace.
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Asterius of Amasea, c. 405
Do not allow yourself to die in circumcision; draw through repentance toward your own recognition, and kindle in the hearts the flame of the Spirit. For if they are improved in this way, it is evident that you will not stand against their sin, but having washed in the bath of grace, both your blood and mine, they will become free from the accusations.
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Julian of Eclanum, c. 418
Augustine says that the authors deny that infants inherit original sin needing remission in baptism. They nevertheless affirm, and indeed proclaim, that the washing of rebirth adopts them from being children of human beings into being children of God (Titus 3:5; John 1:12–13; Romans 8:15).
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Julian of Eclanum, c. 418
Baptism is necessary at every age, so that the creature may be adopted among the children of God, not because it inherits anything from its parents that must be cleansed by the washing of rebirth (Titus 3:5; John 1:12–13; Romans 8:15).
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Julian of Eclanum, c. 418
Baptism makes people completely new. The apostle is a witness to this, for he testifies that through the washing of water the church gathered from the nations is made holy and spotless (Ephesians 5:26–27).
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Cyril of Alexandria, c. 444
Through baptism, we become empowered to cast off the burden of sin, and as we reject ungodliness, we are enabled to think on high things and to lift our hearts up to heavenly things, for we are baptized into the putting away of sin, and in this way, we become, in a certain manner, light and free, as if we had wings.
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Cyril of Alexandria, c. 444
We approach the grace of holy baptism, which sanctifies us and gives us the power to remove sins and be reborn spiritually, conforming us to Christ. This baptism also gives us a bold entrance into the kingdom of heaven, as Jesus said, 'Unless one is born of water and spirit, they cannot enter the kingdom of God.' The Jews, however, lack this gift, for they do not have the power of bread, which is the life-giving power in Christ, nor do they have the power of water, which is necessary for spiritual rebirth.
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Cyril of Alexandria, c. 444
ameful to know, it is not without penalty to speak. And having chosen to honor the genuine in faith everywhere, it is fitting to remember blessed Paul writing thus: ‘For it is impossible that those once enlightened, and having tasted a good utterance of God, and powers of a coming age, and having fallen aside, be renewed again unto repentance.’ (Hebrews 6:4) For those once brought unto partaking of the heavenly and divine grace through the holy baptism, and having received the true and life-giving word concerning resurrection and Christ’s kingdom, if they should choose to run back toward what …
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Cyril of Alexandria, c. 444
Cyril: …ship. And a cleansing for the having-been-defiled, the ash-heap with water. For a releasing of sin, the passion of the Savior, sanctifying us through water, through which we will gain not a putting-away of filth of flesh, according to the having-been-written (1 Peter 3:21), but the washing-off of the defilements in souls; ‘For wash yourselves,’ he says, ‘and become clean;’ (Isaiah 1:16) and a prophetic word from above was ordering for us.
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Cyril of Alexandria, c. 444
Cyril: For it has been written that ‘And the Lord spoke toward Moses, saying: Make a bronze laver, and its base bronze, so as to wash. And you will set it between the tent of the testimony and between the altar. And you will pour water into it; and Aaron and his sons will wash from it the hands and the feet with water. When they enter into the tent of the testimony, they will wash with water, and they will not die; or when they come forward toward the altar to liturgize, and to bring up the whole-burnt-offerings to the Lord, they will wash the hands and the feet with water… and it will be for …
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Cyril of Alexandria, c. 444
ven the one seeming to be somehow holy according to law is unholy before God, if he should not wash off with the water, and that the power of the worship in law is not enough unto cleansing. For they were washing beforehand, though consecrated according to law; and what is cleansed is not somehow the pure, but the dirty and unclean. And such a thing Christ himself has also said: ‘The one who has been bathed has no need, except to wash the feet, for he is pure.’ (John 13:10) And most wise Paul also writes that it is impossible for blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. So then the law is i…
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Cyril of Alexandria, c. 444
Concerning the catechumens and penitents, if they are near the end, and if some, having been rebuked because of reproaches, are about to die, let them be baptized while being catechized, so that they may not depart as unsharers of the grace, being uncommunicant; for it seems that this also should be attended to by the ordinances of the church.
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Cyril of Alexandria, c. 444
Catena fragment, author uncertain: A catena fragment: the ascription rests on the catena heading and is not secure.
He calls greater than John the believer reborn through the washing — a state he names “kingdom of heaven,” (Matthew 11:11) since the kingdom of heaven is given to the faithful, which the Baptist had not yet attained. Even the one only baptized, if he does not yet have a virtuous life, is above John. So the saying is praise of holy baptism.
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Sign and seal of grace, not tied to the moment
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Cyril of Alexandria, c. 444
self the type of the holy baptism, washing us with holy waters unto putting-away of sin, and carrying off unto the kingdom of the heavens. And from-above and from heaven is the holy baptism; and a riddle of this, the hyacinth color. Or do I not seem to you to say these things best, as at least in such hard-to-grasp of contemplations?
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Hesychius of Jerusalem, c. 450
'And living water will come out of Jerusalem.' From where? From the side of the living one; for just as Eve was formed, there the church is likewise formed. 'The half of it into the first sea'—that is a sign of baptism. 'And the half of it into the last sea'—this is clearly a sign of repentance. For the tears of repentance are a remnant of the gift of baptism, a clear proof: for one who has not been baptized repents in vain if he does not run to be baptized; in vain he offers prayer, in vain he asks for forgiveness, in vain he sheds tears. For without baptism, the forgiveness of sins is not gr…
- States: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rules out: Sign and seal of grace, not tied to the moment
- Rules out: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress