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Originally Posted by spicedparrot  By the way - it is my understanding that the Reformed hold the sacraments (in this case Baptism) along with the Preaching of the Word as "Means of Grace". Am I mistaken?
If so doesn't that indeed make Baptism an instrument by which God can give the believer faith? In the same manner that it can be given in the preaching of the Word? After all, isn't Baptism just a "visual word" so to speak.
This is my understanding of Calvin - and frankly many current scholars in the continental reformed tradition. Am I missing something? |
Not sure if you caught when I wrote this:
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Thus, truly, we can look to our baptism for strength but not because it alone unites to Christ but because, in it, a promise was made by God through His minister that God saves those who trust in Him.
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The main distinction I was making was between whether we see baptism as instrumental to our justification or remember to keep straight that faith, wheter weak or strong, lays hold of Christ. That need not be a torturous process. I think the Lutheran view, in fact, can get too esoteric if it just says: "look to your baptism" and does not explain to the person that the reason one looks to their baptism is that a promise of salvation was made to those who trust in Christ. The confidence the Reformed have maintains the
extra nos assurance that the work of Christ is perfect without using language that might confuse the believer about what unites the believer to His savior.