luvroftheWord
Puritan Board Sophomore
[quote:21eb24246b]So then we must ever come to this point, that the Sacraments are effectual and that they are not trifling signs that vanish away in the air, but that the truth is always matched with them, because God who is faithful shows that he has not ordained anything in vain. And that is the reason why in Baptism we truly receive the forgiveness of sins, we are washed and cleansed with the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are renewed by the operation of his Holy Spirit.
And how so? Does a little water have such power when it is cast upon the head of a child? No. But because it is the will of our Lord Jesus Christ that the water should be a visible sign of his blood and of the Holy Spirit. Therefore baptism has that power and whatsoever is there set forth to the eye is forthwith accomplished in very deed. (John Calvin, Sermons on Deuteronomy, p. 1244)[/quote:21eb24246b]
This is one of those Calvin quotes that the Federal Visionists like to throw around to promote their view of baptism. I will be completely honest here and confess that I am really struggling to understand what Calvin means in this quote. What does Calvin mean when he says that in baptism we truly receive the forgiveness of sins and are washed by the blood of Jesus? And that whatever is visible to the eye is accomplished in very deed? On the surface it sounds just like Calvin is saying that baptism = forgiveness of sins, which sounds awfully [i:21eb24246b]ex opera operato[/i:21eb24246b] to me, though I trust that in reality Calvin did not hold this view.
Now, I don't have Calvin's Institutes in my library as of yet, although I do have his commentaries and I haven't fished through them yet to see what Calvin teaches elsewhere. So if anybody has any insight here as to what Calvin believed about baptism, go ahead and chime in.
And how so? Does a little water have such power when it is cast upon the head of a child? No. But because it is the will of our Lord Jesus Christ that the water should be a visible sign of his blood and of the Holy Spirit. Therefore baptism has that power and whatsoever is there set forth to the eye is forthwith accomplished in very deed. (John Calvin, Sermons on Deuteronomy, p. 1244)[/quote:21eb24246b]
This is one of those Calvin quotes that the Federal Visionists like to throw around to promote their view of baptism. I will be completely honest here and confess that I am really struggling to understand what Calvin means in this quote. What does Calvin mean when he says that in baptism we truly receive the forgiveness of sins and are washed by the blood of Jesus? And that whatever is visible to the eye is accomplished in very deed? On the surface it sounds just like Calvin is saying that baptism = forgiveness of sins, which sounds awfully [i:21eb24246b]ex opera operato[/i:21eb24246b] to me, though I trust that in reality Calvin did not hold this view.
Now, I don't have Calvin's Institutes in my library as of yet, although I do have his commentaries and I haven't fished through them yet to see what Calvin teaches elsewhere. So if anybody has any insight here as to what Calvin believed about baptism, go ahead and chime in.