Baptismal Regeneration

Considering how the sacrament of baptism relates to the salvation of man.

“Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.” - John 3:5 

These are the words our Lord spoke to Nicodemus, and the Church has largely understood this to be about the sacrament of baptism. For some, baptism is nothing more than a sign or pledge of one’s faith in Christ. For others, it is this as well as a means by which regeneration occurs. How then should we understand the relation between baptism and regeneration, or if there is any relation at all?

First, we should consider the term “regeneration.” What is meant by this? In its simplest form, it means “renewal” and can convey a “beginning again.” The Greek term is παλιγγενεσία (paliggenesia) and it is only used two times in the New Testament. The first is in Matthew 19:28 where Jesus speaks about the new age ushered in by his kingdom; the second is in Titus 3:5, which speaks of the “washing of regeneration”.

When it comes to our theological usage, “regeneration” generally speaks to the subjective interior state of a person, and whether they are actively taking part in the new life that is found in Christ. It is a renewed state of the soul, which includes a mind and will that have been restored from the effects of sin and enabled to live a new life to God. All are in agreement that this is the work of the Spirit in raising man up out of his fallen state into a state of grace, but not all are in agreement as to what means the Spirit chooses to use to bring this about. Before we look at how Baptism is used as an instrument for this renewal, it’s important to consider how this renewal comes about objectively. In the incarnation, a new humanity is established in Jesus. The Divine Word is united to humanity to the end that humanity would be able to be raised up to the enjoyment of the divine life. In this sense, this is a “new” humanity or “new” creation when compared to the old that was condemned under sin. Jesus is the fountain prophesied in Zechariah 13:1. Through union with the “second Adam” the soul is made new as it participates in this divinized humanity because the very life of God becomes a cleansing fountain whereby the effects of Sin are healed.

It is at this point that the connection between baptism and regeneration becomes obvious. If Jesus is the source of life whereby we are regenerated, and being united to Jesus is how we subjectively partake in this new life, then it stands to reason that Baptism is the instrumental means by which the soul is regenerated. Baptism, according to Saint Paul, is the means by which we are united to Christ: 

“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.” - Romans 6:3-7

“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” - Galatians 3:27

Baptism is granted by all to be an entrance into the Church. However, what we mean by “Church” may differ. For some, Baptism only admits someone into a visible assembly, but not necessarily into a realm of supernatural grace. This, in my opinion, is where the Visible/Invisible distinction that is popular in Reformed circles can fall into issues. The Scriptures know of only one Church, and that is the mystical body of Christ. As I’ve written elsewhere, this body has visible and invisible aspects to it but is nevertheless one and the same reality because Jesus only has one body. This body exists in different modes (natural, mystical, sacramental), but is still one body. To say then that Baptism brings one into the Church, but not into a union with Christ is then to imply two separate bodies—that is, two separate churches. If the Church is the body of Christ, then life in the Church is life in Christ; grace, after all, is a participation in the divine life. This is why the Church is not merely an occasion of saving grace, but is the source of it. Hence the maxim “extra ecclesiam nulla salus,” that is, “there is no salvation out of the Church.” This can only be said because the Church is the body of Christ, and not something separate from Christ himself. All of divine grace flows from the head to the rest of the body. Some could object and say that this language being attributed to the baptized is simply a judgment of charity, not knowing whether the baptized person is actually regenerate or not. However, this doesn’t appear to do justice to the way Saint Paul employs baptism in the life of the believer. Take the first text cited above in Romans for an example of this. Saint Paul presumes that those baptized possess this changed state, are recipients of grace, and therefore are enabled to actually live a life of faith. This is only possible if one is actually in a state of grace, and not merely assumed to be so with no real assurance.

With this in mind, it becomes easy to recognize the role that baptism has even with regard to our justification. If Baptism is that which places us in direct communion with Christ, it follows then that justifying grace is what is conveyed in the sacrament because who can have communion with one who is justice and righteousness itself and yet not have some participation in that himself? It’s best not to overstate my case on this point, lest someone press that communion with Christ, who is in himself the perfect embodiment of righteousness, necessitate that the one united to him fully receive that perfection subjectively. This is mediated by the fact that we are moral agents that must cooperate with divine grace. It is through various degrees of participation that we come to enter into the fullness of the divine life, and not an instantaneous reception of its fullness. 

Some may begin then to ask where faith comes to have a place in this discussion. After all, it is by faith that one comes to enjoy the benefits of redemption in Christ. For some, this doctrine of baptismal regeneration seems entirely at odds with any notion of justification by faith. This is remedied if we consider both baptism and faith as instruments aimed at the same end. Baptism works as an external instrument whereby grace is communicated to the end that man may be restored to the joys of fellowship with God. Faith, then, is the internal instrument whereby man, perceiving God as the object of his love, believes the promises of God offered in the sacrament. By baptism, God brings grace to man; by faith, man receives the grace of God. The two then—justification by faith and baptismal regeneration—need not be antithetical to one another.

Another difficulty that arises in this discussion is the matter of apostasy. It is a matter of plain observation that not all who are baptized are ultimately saved. Our Lord relays this in quite vivid imagery in Saint Matthew’s gospel.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” - Matthew 7:21-23

Underlying this objection is the idea that all who are united to Christ will never fall away. Without delving too deep into the matter of apostasy, I will simply state that we must begin with objective principles and then consider subjective particulars. As has been established above, Baptism is an objective means by which the soul is united to Christ’s humanity, and being so united to Christ has his place within the body of Christ. Nowhere in Scripture do we find the notion that those who have begun the Christian life are automatically preserved by the grace of God from falling away. If this were the case, then all those baptized would enjoy this specific grace; but this is not so because we are moral creatures with free agency. We are called to cooperate with the grace of God, and not to receive it in vain. Analogous to our natural lives, we are to grow through various kinds of labor—physical, intellectual, emotional, etc..— and it is the same in our spiritual life. Through many trials and tribulations, we enter into the Kingdom of heaven, and we must mortify the deeds of the flesh that remain within us. We are to struggle against sin, even to the point of willingly letting our blood be shed. If every person united to Christ (which again, is the state that the New Testament everywhere presupposes all Christians to be in) has this perseverance, why is there such an emphasis on endurance? It can be said that these are means by which God causes us to persevere; but if this is the case why then do some enter into the grace of Christ only to later fall away? The danger that arises is that we make the object of our hope the eternal decree of God, rather than God himself. Through his Word and through the sacraments, God makes many promises to us, and freely bestows upon us the grace necessary to live the life of faith; but all of this is in the context that we are called to make use of this grace, and not squander it. (See Matthew 25:14-30)

Baptism is a beautiful means of grace whereby the redemption Christ accomplished is applied to the individual, and made to participate in the very life of Christ, and in Christ begins to enjoy the beatitude of divine life. We are composite beings, made up of body and spirit. It is therefore fitting that God should choose to use the sacraments, which are effectual and visible signs of spiritual grace, to communicate to us grace for our salvation.