![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/572\/2024\/08\/Jerome4.jpg\")
<\/a>If we do not\u00a0sin\u00a0after\u00a0baptism, why do we ask that we may be forgiven our\u00a0sins, which were already forgiven in\u00a0baptism? Why do we\u00a0pray\u00a0that we may not enter into\u00a0temptation, and that we may be delivered from the\u00a0evil\u00a0one, if the\u00a0devil\u00a0cannot tempt those who are\u00a0baptized? (Against Jovinianus<\/em>, Bk. II, 3<\/a>)<\/p>\n Baptism, . . . though it put away the sins\u00a0of the past, cannot keep us for the time to come, unless the\u00a0baptized keep their hearts with all diligence. (Against Jovinianus<\/em>, Bk. II, 4<\/a>)<\/p>\n If\u00a0baptism\u00a0immediately made a man righteous, and full of all righteousness, it was of course idle for the Apostle to repel a novice; but\u00a0baptism\u00a0annuls old\u00a0sins, does not bestow new\u00a0virtues; it looses from\u00a0prison, and promises rewards to the released if he will work.\u00a0(Against the Pelagians<\/em>, Bk. I, 22<\/a>)<\/p>\n He is redeemed by the Saviour\u2019s blood, either in the baptistery, or in penitence which is a copy of the\u00a0grace\u00a0of\u00a0baptism, . . . (Against the Pelagians<\/em>, Bk. I, 33<\/a>)<\/p>\n If it were possible for us to be always immersed in the waters of\u00a0baptism,\u00a0sins\u00a0would fly over our heads and leave us untouched. The\u00a0Holy Spirit would protect us. But the enemy assails us, and when conquered does not depart, but is ever lying in ambush, that he may secretly shoot the upright in heart. (Against the Pelagians<\/em>, Bk. III, 1<\/a>)<\/p>\n You argued that a man can be free from\u00a0sin\u00a0if he chooses. I reply that it is an impossibility; not that we are to think that a man is not free from\u00a0sin\u00a0immediately after\u00a0baptism, but that that time of sinlessness is by no means to be referred to\u00a0human\u00a0ability, but to the\u00a0grace\u00a0of\u00a0God. (Against the Pelagians<\/em>, Bk. III, 3<\/a>)<\/p>\n No sooner do they rise from the baptismal font, and by being born again and incorporated into our Lord and Saviour thus fulfil what is written of them,\u00a0 They are free from all sin\u00a0through the\u00a0grace\u00a0of\u00a0God, which they received in their\u00a0baptism. (Against the Pelagians<\/em>, Bk. III, 17<\/a>)<\/p>\n Little children are baptized . . . that their\u00a0sins\u00a0may be forgiven them in\u00a0baptism. . . . they did not\u00a0sin\u00a0in the same way as\u00a0Adam\u00a0did by transgressing God\u2019s command in Paradise. But all\u00a0men\u00a0are held liable either on account of their ancient forefather Adam, or on their own account. He that is an infant is released in\u00a0baptism from the chain which bound his father. (Against the Pelagians<\/em>, Bk. III, 18<\/a>)<\/p>\n Augustine not long ago wrote to Marcellinus . . . two treatises on infant\u00a0baptism, in opposition to your\u00a0heresy\u00a0which maintains that infants are\u00a0baptized\u00a0not for remission of\u00a0sins, but for admission to the\u00a0kingdom of heaven, . . . \u00a0infants also should be\u00a0baptized\u00a0for the remission of\u00a0sins after the likeness of the transgression of Adam. (Against the Pelagians<\/em>, Bk. III, 19<\/a>)<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n \u201cPlease Hit \u2018Subscribe\u2019\u201d!<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0If you have received benefit from this or any of my other 4,800+ articles, please follow my blog by signing up (with your email address) on the sidebar to the right (you may have to scroll down a bit), above where there is an icon bar, \u201cSign Me Up!\u201d: to receive notice when I post a new blog article. This is the equivalent of subscribing to a\u00a0YouTube<\/em>\u00a0channel.\u00a0My blog was rated #1<\/a>\u00a0for Christian sites by leading AI tool, ChatGPT: endorsed by influential Protestant blogger Adrian Warnock. Please also consider following me on Twitter \/ X and purchasing\u00a0one or more of my 55 books<\/a>.\u00a0All of this helps me get more exposure, and (however little!) more income for my full-time apologetics work. Thanks so much and happy reading!<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n In baptism\u00a0all\u00a0sins are put away, . . . \u00a0the old\u00a0Adam\u00a0dies completely in the laver of\u00a0baptism, and a new man rises then with Christ; that the man that is earthly perishes and the man from heaven is raised up.\u00a0(Apology Against Rufinus<\/em>, Bk. I, 32<\/a>)<\/p>\n I was regenerated in\u00a0baptism . . . (Letter 17: To the Presbyter Marcus<\/em>, 3<\/a>)<\/p>\n Baptism\u00a0forgives\u00a0sins, . . . Pray tell me, I said, does\u00a0baptism\u00a0make a new man or does it not? He grudgingly admitted that it did. I pursued my advantage by saying, Does it make him wholly new or only partially so? He replied, Wholly. Then I asked, Is there nothing then of the old man held over in\u00a0baptism? He assented. Hereupon I propounded the argument; If\u00a0baptism makes a man new and creates a wholly new being, and if there is nothing of the old man held over in the new, that which once was in the old cannot be imputed to the new. (Letter 69: To Oceanus<\/em>, 2<\/a>)<\/p>\n All iniquities, we are told, are forgiven us at our\u00a0baptism, and when once we have received God\u2019s mercy we need not afterwards dread from Him the severity of a judge. (Letter 69: To Oceanus<\/em>, 4<\/a>)<\/p>\n All sins are drowned in the baptismal laver . . . The psalmist says:\u2014\u00a0 Baptism\u00a0ensures the\u00a0salvation of the child . . . (Letter 107: To Laeta<\/em>, 6<\/a>)<\/p>\n . . . redemption which the sinner finds for his old sins\u00a0in the waters of\u00a0baptism. (Letter 108: To Eustochium<\/em>, 11<\/a>)<\/p>\n * Or you may believe my work is worthy to support for the purpose of apologetics and evangelism in general. If so, please seriously consider a much-needed financial contribution. I\u2019m always in need of more funds: especially\u00a0monthly<\/em>\u00a0support. \u201cThe laborer is worthy of his wages\u201d (1 Tim 5:18, NKJV). 1 December 2021 was my 20th anniversary as a\u00a0full-time Catholic apologist<\/a>, and February 2022 marked the 25th anniversary of my blog.<\/p>\n PayPal donations<\/a>\u00a0are the easiest: just send to my email address: apologistdave@gmail.com. Here\u2019s also a\u00a0second page to get to PayPal<\/a>. You\u2019ll see the term \u201cCatholic Used Book Service\u201d, which is my old side-business. To learn about the different methods of contributing (including\u00a0Zelle<\/a>), see my page:\u00a0About Catholic Apologist Dave Armstrong \/ Donation Information<\/a>.\u00a0Thanks a million<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0from the bottom of my heart!Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose\u00a0sins\u00a0are covered,<\/q> . . . (Against the Pelagians<\/em>, Bk. III, 15<\/a>)<\/p>\n
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose\u00a0sin\u00a0is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputes not iniquity.<\/q>\u00a0It would seem that we must add something to this song and say\u00a0
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes not a wife.<\/q>\u00a0Let us hear also the declaration which Ezekiel the so called\u00a0
son of man<\/q> [Ezekiel 2:1]<\/span>\u00a0makes concerning the\u00a0virtue\u00a0of him who is to be the\u00a0true\u00a0son of man, the\u00a0Christian:\u00a0
I will take you,<\/q>\u00a0he says,\u00a0
from among the heathen\u2026then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your filthiness\u2026a new heart also will I give you and a new spirit.<\/q>\u00a0
From all your filthiness<\/q>\u00a0he says,\u00a0
will I cleanse you.<\/q>\u00a0If all is taken away nothing can be left. If filthiness is cleansed, how much more is cleanness kept from defilement.\u00a0
A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit.<\/q>\u00a0Yes, for\u00a0
in Christ Jesus neither\u00a0circumcision\u00a0avails anything nor uncircumcision but a new nature.<\/q> Wherefore the song also which we sing is a new song, [Revelation 14:3]<\/span> and putting off the old man [Ephesians 4:22]<\/span> we walk not in the oldness of the letter but in the newness of the spirit. [Romans 7:6]<\/span>\u00a0This is the new stone wherein the new name is written,\u00a0
which no man\u00a0knows\u00a0saving he that receives it.<\/q> [Revelation 2:17]<\/span>\u00a0
Do you not\u00a0know,<\/q>\u00a0says the apostle,\u00a0
that so many of us as were\u00a0baptized\u00a0into\u00a0Jesus Christ\u00a0were\u00a0baptized\u00a0into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by\u00a0baptism\u00a0into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the\u00a0glory\u00a0of the\u00a0Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.<\/q> [Romans 6:3-4]<\/span>\u00a0Do we read so often of newness and of making new and yet can no renewing efface the stain which the word wife brings with it? We are buried with Christ by\u00a0baptism\u00a0and we have risen again by\u00a0faith in the working of God who has called Him from the dead. . . . Time would fail me were I to try to lay before you in order all the passages in the\u00a0Holy Scriptures\u00a0which relate to the efficacy of\u00a0baptism\u00a0or to explain the\u00a0mysterious\u00a0doctrine of that second birth which though it is our second is yet our first in\u00a0Christ. (Letter 69: To Oceanus<\/em>, 7<\/a>)<\/p>\n
\nPractical Matters<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0 I run the most comprehensive \u201cone-stop\u201d Catholic apologetics site:\u00a0rated #1<\/a>\u00a0for Christian sites by leading AI tool, ChatGPT \u2014 endorsed by popular Protestant blogger Adrian Warnock. Perhaps some of my 4,800+ free online articles or\u00a0fifty-five books<\/a>\u00a0have helped you (by God\u2019s grace) to decide to\u00a0become Catholic<\/a>\u00a0or to\u00a0return to the Church<\/a>, or better understand some doctrines and\u00a0why<\/em>\u00a0we believe them<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n*
\n***
\n*<\/p>\n