Baptized into Christ

Baptized into Christ is the sixth volume in Herman Hoeksema's exposition of the Heidelberg Catechism, and it covers Lord's Days 25-27.

In answer to the inquiry of the Catechism in question 65 regarding the origin of faith, he begins with a general discussion of the means of grace, including a lengthy development of the concept "grace" in scripture. He explains how God uses the preaching of the word and the sacraments, the two means of grace, to work faith and all the blessings of salvation in the hearts of the elect.

The Catechism is very brief in its treatment of the preaching of the word, the primary means of grace by which the Holy Spirit works faith. Nevertheless, the author discusses at length the place and the function of the preaching as the chief means of grace, indispensable to faith in Christ and executed only by the church. In connection with the preaching, he includes a clarification of the doctrine of regeneration. He finishes this subject with a chapter on preaching in the sphere of the covenant.

Hoeksema then turns to the sacraments, the second of the two means of grace. He begins with a treatment of the sacraments in general and proceeds to the sacrament of baptism. After demonstrating the doctrine of baptism from the Reformed confessions, he delineates its institution and meaning, showing that baptism is not merely a symbol, but it is also a sacrament of regeneration and renewal.

He then deals with the truth of infant baptism, finding its ground in the doctrine of the covenant established in the line of generations. He describes various erroneous views of the covenant before proving not only that the covenant is a relation of friendship between God and his people, but also that it is absolutely unconditional, the work of our sovereign God through Christ.