The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology - Saint Mary ...

form it be viler than a straw." 355 So much and no more does this great
theologian say of the necessity of Baptism in his Compend. Later
theologians have properly given prominence to its necessity as a mean, but
never have ascribed to it a necessity per se.
7. Yet not unconditionally.
For, finally, on this point, the Church never has held, but has ever
repudiated the idea that Baptism is "unconditionally essential" or
necessary "to salvation."
She has limited the necessity, first of all, by the "possibility of having
it"--has declared that it is not absolutely necessary, and that not the
deprivation of Baptism, but the contempt of it condemns a man 356 --that
though God binds us to the means, as the ordinary instruments of His
grace, He is not Himself limited by them. 357 She teaches, moreover, that all
the blessings of Baptism are conditioned on faith. C. M., 490: 33-36.
The "Shorter Catechism" of Luther teaches that whatever Baptism
gives, it gives alone to those "who believe that which the Word and
promises of God assure us of." "The water cannot do such a great thing,
but it is done by the Word of God, and faith which believes the Word of
God, added to the water." We shall not give the reference for this, as even
the little children are supposed to know it by heart, nor stultify ourselves or
our readers by adducing authorities for the catechetical doctrines of our
Church.
The Lutheran Church holds that Baptism is necessary to salvation,
inasmuch as God has commanded it, and obedience to His commands is
necessary to salvation; and, furthermore, because He has appointed
Baptism, as one ordinary and positive channel of His grace, through which
channel we are to seek the grace He offers. But our Church denies that,
where the command cannot be carried out, because of a necessity which is
of God's creating, the lack of the sacrament involves the loss of the soul.
8. Our theologians in general.
On the more difficult question, whether infants born out of the
Church are saved, many of our old divines, of the strictest
355 Compendium Loc. XX. 3. This answer is taken from Luther's Larg. Cat.
356 Luther's Werke: Leipz. Edit. XXII. 400-422.
357 Do. p. 412.