Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 177
Question 177
Wherein do the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper differ?
The sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper differ, in that baptism is to be administered but once, with water, to be a sign and seal of our regeneration and ingrafting into Christ, and that even to infants; whereas the Lord's supper is to be administered often, in the elements of bread and wine, to represent and exhibit Christ as spiritual nourishment to the soul, and to confirm our continuance and growth in him, and that only to such as are of years and ability to examine themselves.
Scripture references for paragraph 1
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Matthew 3:1111I baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come One more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Titus 3:55He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 3:2727For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Genesis 17:77I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
Genesis 17:99God also said to Abraham, “You must keep My covenant—you and your descendants in the generations after you.
Acts 2:38-3938Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
1 Corinthians 7:1414For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.
1 Corinthians 11:23-2623For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread,
24and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
25In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
26For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
1 Corinthians 10:1616Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?
1 Corinthians 11:28-2928Each one must examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.
29For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
Source and edition
Westminster Larger Catechism. NonlinearFruit/Creeds.json, Unlicense. Creeds.json, English transcription
Unlicense. Source transcription.
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