Whether Sinners Should Be Baptized?
Objection 1: It seems that sinners should be baptized. For it is
written (Zech. 13:1): "In that day there shall be a fountain open to
the House of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem: for the
washing of the sinner and of the unclean woman": and this is to be
understood of the fountain of Baptism. Therefore it seems that the
sacrament of Baptism should be offered even to sinners.
Obj. 2: Further, our Lord said (Matt. 9:12): "They that are in health
need not a physician, but they that are ill." But they that are ill
are sinners. Therefore since Baptism is the remedy of Christ the
physician of our souls, it seems that this sacrament should be
offered to sinners.
Obj. 3: Further, no assistance should be withdrawn from sinners. But
sinners who have been baptized derive spiritual assistance from the
very character of Baptism, since it is a disposition to grace.
Therefore it seems that the sacrament of Baptism should be offered to
sinners.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (Serm. clxix): "He Who created thee
without thee, will not justify thee without thee." But since a
sinner's will is ill-disposed, he does not co-operate with God.
Therefore it is useless to employ Baptism as a means of justification.
_I answer that,_ A man may be said to be a sinner in two ways. First,
on account of the stain and the debt of punishment incurred in the
past: and on sinners in this sense the sacrament of Baptism should be
conferred, since it is instituted specially for this purpose, that by
it the uncleanness of sin may be washed away, according to Eph. 5:26:
"Cleansing it by the laver of water in the word of life."
Secondly, a man may be called a sinner because he wills to sin and
purposes to remain in sin: and on sinners in this sense the sacrament
of Baptism should not be conferred. First, indeed, because by Baptism
men are incorporated in Christ, according to Gal. 3:27: "As many of
you as have been baptized in Christ, have put on Christ." Now so long
as a man wills to sin, he cannot be united to Christ, according to 2
Cor. 6:14: "What participation hath justice with injustice?"
Wherefore Augustine says in his book on Penance (Serm. cccli) that
"no man who has the use of free-will can begin the new life, except
he repent of his former life." Secondly, because there should be
nothing useless in the works of Christ and of the Church. Now that is
useless which does not reach the end to which it is ordained; and, on
the other hand, no one having the will to sin can, at the same time,
be cleansed from sin, which is the purpose of Baptism; for this would
be to combine two contradictory things. Thirdly, because there should
be no falsehood in the sacramental signs. Now a sign is false if it
does not correspond with the thing signified. But the very fact that
a man presents himself to be cleansed by Baptism, signifies that he
prepares himself for the inward cleansing: while this cannot be the
case with one who purposes to remain in sin. Therefore it is manifest
that on such a man the sacrament of Baptism is not to be conferred.
Reply Obj. 1: The words quoted are to be understood of those sinners
whose will is set on renouncing sin.
Reply Obj. 2: The physician of souls, i.e. Christ, works in two ways.
First, inwardly, by Himself: and thus He prepares man's will so that
it wills good and hates evil. Secondly, He works through ministers,
by the outward application of the sacraments: and in this way His
work consists in perfecting what was begun outwardly. Therefore the
sacrament of Baptism is not to be conferred save on those in whom
there appears some sign of their interior conversion: just as neither
is bodily medicine given to a sick man, unless he show some sign of
life.
Reply Obj. 3: Baptism is the sacrament of faith. Now dead faith does
not suffice for salvation; nor is it the foundation, but living faith
alone, "that worketh by charity" (Gal. 5:6), as Augustine says (De
Fide et oper.). Neither, therefore, can the sacrament of Baptism give
salvation to a man whose will is set on sinning, and hence expels the
form of faith. Moreover, the impression of the baptismal character
cannot dispose a man for grace as long as he retains the will to sin;
for "God compels no man to be virtuous," as Damascene says (De Fide
Orth. ii).
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