Lord’s Day 26
Q73. Why then does the Holy Spirit call baptism the washing of regeneration and the washing away of sins?
God has good reason for these words. He wants to teach us that the blood and Spirit of Christ wash away our sins just as water washes away dirt from our bodies. But more important, he wants to assure us, by this divine pledge and sign, that the washing away of our sins spiritually is as real as physical washing with water.
Scripture Proofs — King James Version
1 Corinthians 6:11
“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
Revelation 1:5
“And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,”
Revelation 7:14
“And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
Acts 2:38
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
Romans 6:3–4
“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
Galatians 3:27
“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
Modernized Commentary — Zacharias Ursinus (1616)
Question
73. Why, then, does the Holy Spirit call baptism "the washing of regeneration" and "the washing away of sins?"
Answer. God speaks this way for good reason: not only to teach us that just as water washes away the body's filth, so our sins are removed by the blood and Spirit of Jesus Christ, but especially to assure us, through this divine pledge and sign, that we are spiritually cleansed from our sins just as truly as we are outwardly washed with water.