Westminster Larger Catechism (1647), Westminster Assembly

Question 165

What is Baptism?

Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, wherein Christ hath ordained the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,a to be a sign and seal of ingrafting into himself,b of remission of sins by his blood,c and regeneration by his Spirit;d of adoption,e and resurrection unto everlasting life;f and whereby the parties baptized are solemnly admitted into the visible church,g and enter into an open and professed engagement to be wholly and only the Lord’s.h

What is Baptism?

Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, wherein Christ has ordained the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,a to be a sign and seal of engrafting into himself,b of remission of sins by his blood,c and regeneration by his Spirit;d of adoption,e and resurrection unto everlasting life;f and whereby the parties baptized are solemnly admitted into the visible church,g and enter into an open and professed engagement to be wholly and only the Lord’s.h

  1. a. Matthew 28:19

    Matthew 28:19

    28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

    28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,

    King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

  2. b. Galatians 3:27

    Galatians 3:27

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

    3:27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

    King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

  3. c. Mark 1:4; Revelation 1:5

    Mark 1:4

    1:4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

    1:4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

    Revelation 1:5

    1:5 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,

    1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood,

    King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

  4. d. Titus 3:5; Ephesians 5:26

    Titus 3:5

    3:5 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;

    3:5 He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

    Ephesians 5:26

    5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

    5:26 to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,

    King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

  5. e. Galatians 3:26–27

    Galatians 3:26–27

    3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

    3:26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 3:27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

    King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

  6. f. 1 Corinthians 15:29; Romans 6:5

    1 Corinthians 15:29

    15:29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?

    15:29 If these things are not so, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?

    Romans 6:5

    6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

    6:5 For if we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection.

    King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

  7. g. 1 Corinthians 12:13

    1 Corinthians 12:13

    12:13 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.

    12:13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink.

    King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

  8. h. Romans 6:4

    Romans 6:4

    6:4 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.

    6:4 We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life.

    King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

Related (2)

The Baptist Catechism (1695), parallel to this question

Question 97

What is baptism?

Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament instituted by Jesus Christ, to be unto the party baptized a sign of his fellowship with him, in his death, burial, and resurrection; of his being ingrafted into him; of remission of sins; and of his giving up himself unto God through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life.

Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647), parallel to this question

Question 94

What is Baptism?

Baptism is a sacrament, wherein the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, doth signify and seal our ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord’s.

Commentaries (9)