The Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) 28.1-28.3 presents a concise yet profound description of the sacrament of baptism. These sections lay out baptism’s role, its administration, and the method by which it is to be performed, grounding each aspect in its significance as a means of grace and as a sign and seal of the covenant of grace. Let us delve into each point.
1. Baptism as a Sacrament of Covenant Inclusion (WCF 28.1)
The Confession begins by affirming that baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ Himself. In Matthew 28:19-20, Christ commissions His disciples to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit," establishing baptism as an ongoing ordinance for the church. This sacrament functions as the solemn entry into the visible church. It is not merely an outward ritual but a divine institution marking the inclusion of the baptized individual within the covenant community.
Baptism serves as a sign and seal of several crucial realities in the Christian life:
- The Covenant of Grace: Baptism signifies God’s promises under the covenant of grace, where He pledges Himself to be our God and to accept believers and their children into His covenant family.
- Union with Christ: Baptism represents our ingrafting into Christ, symbolizing our unity with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4). This signifies our connection to His saving work.
- Regeneration: Baptism is a visible sign of the inward work of regeneration (Titus 3:5), where God renews the believer’s heart, marking a transition from spiritual death to life.
- Remission of Sins: It signifies the washing away of sins (Acts 22:16), pointing to the cleansing power of Christ’s blood shed for us.
- Commitment to Newness of Life: Baptism symbolizes our commitment to live a transformed life, empowered by the Spirit to walk in “newness of life” (Romans 6:4).
As a sign, baptism points to these spiritual realities. As a seal, it confirms God’s promises, offering assurance of His grace to those who receive it by faith. Importantly, the Confession emphasizes that baptism is meant to endure in the church until the end of the world, affirming its perpetual place in the life of the church as a means by which God administers His grace.
2. The Outward Element of Baptism (WCF 28.2)
WCF 28.2 details the outward element used in baptism: water. Water is not randomly chosen; it carries significant biblical symbolism, especially relating to cleansing and life (e.g., Ezekiel 36:25-27). Water’s role in washing away dirt is a fitting symbol of how Christ’s blood cleanses us from sin’s defilement (Hebrews 10:22).
The Confession stipulates that baptism must be done “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” This Trinitarian formula underscores that the entire Godhead is involved in the work of salvation. To be baptized in the name of the triune God means to be publicly marked as belonging to Him, recognizing that the Father has chosen us, the Son has redeemed us, and the Spirit has regenerated and sanctified us.
Additionally, baptism is to be administered by a “minister of the gospel, lawfully called” — a safeguard ensuring that this sacrament is not treated casually but as a sacred act conducted within the church’s authority and accountability. This regulation emphasizes the communal and ordered nature of baptism within the church, reinforcing that it is not a private act but a public and ecclesiastical one.
3. The Mode of Baptism (WCF 28.3)
Finally, WCF 28.3 addresses the mode of baptism. While some traditions hold that immersion is the only acceptable method, the Confession asserts that “dipping of the person into the water is not necessary; but baptism is rightly administered by pouring or sprinkling water upon the person.”
This allowance for pouring or sprinkling reflects biblical precedents and theological considerations:
- Biblical Precedents: Sprinkling and pouring are often associated with cleansing in the Old Testament. For example, in Ezekiel 36:25, God promises to “sprinkle clean water” on His people to cleanse them from their impurities. In the New Testament, the pouring out of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-18) is depicted as an act of cleansing and empowerment, aligning with the idea of sprinkling or pouring water in baptism.
- Theological Representation: Pouring or sprinkling water on a person symbolizes the application of Christ’s work of redemption and the Spirit’s regenerating work. This outward sign mirrors the inward reality, where the Holy Spirit is poured into the believer’s heart, bringing new life.
The Confession’s stance here reflects a desire to remain faithful to biblical symbolism and the church’s long-standing tradition rather than limiting the sacrament to a specific mode.
Conclusion
In sum, WCF 28.1-28.3 presents baptism as a sacramental means of grace — a sign and seal of God’s promises in the covenant of grace, marking the baptized individual’s inclusion into the visible church and signifying union with Christ, regeneration, remission of sins, and new life. The use of water by a minister, administered in the name of the triune God, underscores the gravity and holiness of baptism, while the allowance for different modes of application (sprinkling, pouring, or immersion) reflects both biblical precedent and theological depth.
In these articles, the Confession reminds believers that baptism is not a mere formality but a profound sacrament through which God communicates His grace and draws His people into the life of the covenant. As we understand and embrace the significance of our baptism, we are called to a life of gratitude and obedience, reflecting the grace that God has graciously bestowed upon us through Christ.