Roman Catholic theologians applied Aristotle’s thinking on causes to the doctrine of justification, they identified the instrumental cause of justification—the tool by which a person is brought into a state of grace—as the sacrament of baptism.
Scripture tells us in John 3:16, 18, 36
“Whoever believes in him is not condemned…” Salvation is repeatedly, all throughout Scripture, tied to believing, not to the act of baptism. Paul separates baptism from the Gospel:
[1Co 1:17 LSB] For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to proclaim the gospel, not in wisdom of word, so that the cross of Christ will not be made empty.
If a person is baptized, that person is automatically placed in a state of grace or in the state of justification according to Rome. The Roman Catholic Church is quick to say it does not like to use the word automatic, because there has to be a certain predisposition in the recipient of baptism; at the very least, he or she must have no hostility toward the reception of the sacrament in order for it to function.
Obviously, my first question is: How can a baby, getting sprinkled with water, have any predisposition at all? Most of the time, it pisses them off - is this considered hostility?
In any case, Rome has a high view of the efficacy of baptism to bring a person into a state of grace. This is because, in the sacrament of baptism, grace is said to be infused or poured into the soul.
What does Peter tell us? He tells us that baptism is a symbol, not a cause:
[1Pe 3:21 LSB] Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal of a good conscience to God—through the resurrection of Yeshua Christ,
Baptism does not save by the physical act ("removal of dirt"), but as a symbol of faith and a good conscience toward God. Romans 6:3–4 and Colossians 2:12 are also interpreted as symbolic of spiritual union with Christ’s death and resurrection, not as the cause of regeneration.
[Rom 6:3-4 LSB] Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Yeshua were baptized into His death? [4] Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. [Col 2:12 LSB] having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. Protestants believe that a person is justified when the righteousness of Christ is imputed or credited to his account. We also believe that our sins were imputed to Christ on the cross, that is, they were placed in His account, and He paid for them. Protestants also believe that baptism is symbolic and unnecessary for salvation. So Protestants see a double imputation. But Rome believes in infusion, which is the view that the righteousness of Christ is actually put into the believer, so that the person is actually righteous. The righteousness of Christ is not simply credited to the person’s account; it actually becomes the person’s possession.
Scripture, inexplicitly tells us that the Biblical Gospel, the Truth, that the moment a person possesses saving faith, he is transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, his sins are taken away, he is declared to be just on the basis of the righteousness of Christ, and he is adopted into the family of God.
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