Whether All Sins Are Taken Away by Baptism?
Objection 1: It seems that not all sins are taken away by Baptism.
For Baptism is a spiritual regeneration, which corresponds to carnal
generation. But by carnal generation man contracts none but original
sin. Therefore none but original sin is taken away by Baptism.
Obj. 2: Further, Penance is a sufficient cause of the remission of
actual sins. But penance is required in adults before Baptism,
according to Acts 2:38: "Do penance and be baptized every one of
you." Therefore Baptism has nothing to do with the remission of
actual sins.
Obj. 3: Further, various diseases demand various remedies: because as
Jerome says on Mk. 9:27, 28: "What is a cure for the heel is no cure
for the eye." But original sin, which is taken away by Baptism, is
generically distinct from actual sin. Therefore not all sins are
taken away by Baptism.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Ezech. 36:25): "I will pour upon
you clean water, and you shall be cleansed from all your filthiness."
_I answer that,_ As the Apostle says (Rom. 6:3), "all we, who are
baptized in Christ Jesus, are baptized in His death." And further on
he concludes (Rom. 6:11): "So do you also reckon that you are dead to
sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Hence it is clear
that by Baptism man dies unto the oldness of sin, and begins to live
unto the newness of grace. But every sin belongs to the primitive
oldness. Consequently every sin is taken away by Baptism.
Reply Obj. 1: As the Apostle says (Rom. 5:15, 16), the sin of Adam
was not so far-reaching as the gift of Christ, which is bestowed in
Baptism: "for judgment was by one unto condemnation; but grace is of
many offenses, unto justification." Wherefore Augustine says in his
book on Infant Baptism (De Pecc. Merit. et Remiss. i), that "in
carnal generation, original sin alone is contracted; but when we are
born again of the Spirit, not only original sin but also wilful sin
is forgiven."
Reply Obj. 2: No sin can be forgiven save by the power of Christ's
Passion: hence the Apostle says (Heb. 9:22) that "without shedding of
blood there is no remission." Consequently no movement of the human
will suffices for the remission of sin, unless there be faith in
Christ's Passion, and the purpose of participating in it, either by
receiving Baptism, or by submitting to the keys of the Church.
Therefore when an adult approaches Baptism, he does indeed receive
the forgiveness of all his sins through his purpose of being
baptized, but more perfectly through the actual reception of Baptism.
Reply Obj. 3: This argument is true of special remedies. But Baptism
operates by the power of Christ's Passion, which is the universal
remedy for all sins; and so by Baptism all sins are loosed.
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