One of the teachings of Protestantism is the belief that baptism is just a symbol and a public profession of faith that a person already accepted Christ as his Lord and personal savior in private. Protestant theology stresses that baptism is not important for salvation and it cannot forgive sins or remove the stain of original sin. This understanding of baptism is virtually unheard of in the centuries preceding the onset of Protestant reformation. None of the early Church fathers share the views of some of the reformers and of modern versions of Protestantism. Having this kind of view about baptism leads them to restrict baptism of infants for the reason that infants and children before the age of reason are not yet capable of publicly professing the faith and accepting Christ as Lord and Personal savior. The Protestant position on baptism is accepted by its members without considering the fact that there is not a single passage in the Bible which says that baptism is just a symbol of public profession of faith.
Contrary to the belief of Protestantism the Bible explicitly say that baptism is not just a symbol but a way in which God can infuse grace and forgive sins.
The Bible when mentioning baptism never uses a symbolic language to describe or explain it. Rather, it uses absolute terms which connotes that baptism not merely a symbol, take for example when St. Paul speaks about the unity of faith in puts baptism in par with “faith”, “Lord” and “one God”, these terms are not symbolic in nature but actual realities.
One Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:5-6 NABRE
There is no hint of symbolic language in this passage, “Lord”, “Faith”, “Baptism”, “God” and “Father”, are clearly not symbolism they are by themselves an absolute religious truths. If baptism was just a symbol St. Paul would have not included it in this list otherwise he would be misleading the Christians in Ephesus in thinking and believing that baptism is not a symbol, but that is not the case St. Paul does not believe that baptism is just a symbol. Paul’s understanding of baptism coincides with what St. Peter taught about baptism (Paul spent time with Peter Gal.1:18), for Peter baptism saves us.
This prefigured baptism, which saves you now. It is not a removal of dirt from the body but an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 3:21 NABRE
This passage from the epistle of St. Peter is clearly going against the understanding of Protestantism about baptism. If baptism is just a symbol, then how can a mere symbol or public profession of faith save us? When confronted with this passage Protestants would just dismiss it by saying that this was referring to the Old Testament. Peter’s allusion to the Old Testament was only to prove the fact that baptism was already prefigured in the Old Testament, and God works through it to save us by imparting sanctifying grace in this Sacrament. Another passage from the Bible that proves that baptism is not just a symbol of public profession of faith is found in the Gospel of Matthew. Before Christ’s ascension into heaven his great mandate to his apostles was to make disciples in all nations and to baptize them in the name of the Holy Trinity.
Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore,[b] and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.[c] And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 NABRE
Jesus Christ is lying down the foundation of becoming a disciple or his follower, it is not as simple as accepting Christ as Lord and personal savior rather it makes baptism a prerequisite to it. Clearly, this is no symbolic mandate, Christ would have not given so much importance to baptism if it was meant to be just a symbol.
What about the view that baptism is just a public profession of faith that one already accepted Christ as a Lord and personal savior in public?
Neither Jesus Christ nor the apostles teach that baptism is a public profession of faith, there is an instance in the Bible wherein baptism was done in private, far from being a public event. In the book of Acts there is one instance wherein baptism was a private event not a public one.
Then Philip opened his mouth and, beginning with this scripture passage, he proclaimed Jesus to him. As they traveled along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water. What is to prevent my being baptized?” Then he ordered the chariot to stop, and Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water, and he baptized him. Acts 8:36-38 NABRE
There are only three (3) people involved in this passage, Philip, the Eunuch and the one who is driving the chariot. When Philip baptized the Eunuch this is no public event but can be considered a private one, there is literally no one there to make the eunuch’s profession of faith public.
A close reading of scriptures debunks two fundamental teachings of Protestantism about baptism that it is just a symbol and public profession of faith.
The Catholic Truth Society 