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Nicene Creed and One Baptism for Forgiveness of Sin

The Nicene Creed's affirmation "we acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins" [6] stands at the intersection of several contested theological questions: whether baptism itself effects forgiveness, what "one baptism" means when traditions practice it differently, and how the sacrament relates to faith and repentance. The phrase echoes New Testament language directly—John the Baptist preached "the baptyme of repentauce for the remission of synnes" [1], and Peter commanded his Pentecost hearers to "be baptized euery one of you in the Name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes" [3]—but Christian traditions have never agreed on what "for" means in these passages.

The Sacramental-Efficacy Position

Catholic and Orthodox traditions read the Creed as affirming baptism's instrumental role in actually conferring forgiveness. Aquinas specifies that before baptism, "man should call his sins to mind and sorrow for them," requiring inward confession to God, because one "cannot begin the new life, except he repent of his former life" [7]. Yet baptism itself remains the moment when remission occurs. John of Damascus writes that "baptism declares the Lord's death" and that "we are indeed 'buried with the Lord through baptism,'" citing Paul's language to establish that the rite effects what it signifies [10]. The Anglican Articles similarly describe baptism as a "sign of Regeneration or new Birth, whereby, as by an instrument, they that receive Baptism rightly are grafted into the Church; the promises of forgiveness of sin, and of our adoption to be the sons of God by the Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and sealed" [13]. Luther's catechism defines baptism as "not simple water only, but it is the water comprehended in God's command and connected with God's Word" [14], emphasizing the divine promise attached to the element.

The Sign-and-Seal Position

Reformed theology distinguishes between the sign and the thing signified. Calvin argues that baptism, "when once administered, it seems to have" passed, yet believers must "recall the remembrance of our baptism, and thus fortify our minds, so as to feel certain and secure of the remission of sins" [9]. The sacrament functions as a visible pledge of an invisible grace already given or to be given through faith. Charles Hodge explains that God "appointed baptism to be, not only the sign, but also the seal and pledge of those exceeding great and precious promises" [11], comparing it to the rainbow after the flood—a confirmation of what God has sworn, not the cause of the promise itself. In this framework, Peter's words in Acts 2:38 [3] mean baptism accompanies and publicly marks repentance and forgiveness, but does not produce them ex opere operato.

The Memorial Position

Some Baptist interpreters press further, viewing baptism primarily as the believer's public profession. John Gill describes "repentance and remission of sins" as "the sum of the Gospel ministry," with remission springing "from the free grace and favour of God, through the blood and sacrifice of Christ" [12]. Baptism follows as obedient testimony, not as instrumental cause. This reading emphasizes that 1 Peter 3:21 explicitly states baptism is "not a putting away of the filth of the flesh, but a confident demaunding which a good conscience maketh to God" [4], suggesting the rite's efficacy lies in the appeal of faith, not in the water itself.

Shared Ground and the Source of Division

All traditions agree that forgiveness is "one of the constituent parts of justification" and that "all sins are forgiven freely" on account of Christ's work [5]. All affirm Paul's statement that there is "one Lord, one Faith, one Baptisme" [2]. The disagreement centers on the relationship between the visible rite and the invisible grace. Sacramental traditions emphasize God's action in the ordinance; Reformed traditions emphasize faith as the instrument that receives what baptism signifies; memorial traditions emphasize human obedience and testimony.

The divergence stems from prior commitments about how grace is mediated. Traditions that locate the church's authority in apostolic succession and sacramental ministry see baptism as God's appointed means of conferring grace. Traditions shaped by sola fide prioritize the individual's faith-response and treat sacraments as confirmatory. Augustine's anti-Donatist argument that "we believe in the one only baptism which is in the holy Church" [8] was originally deployed to defend baptism's validity regardless of the minister's character, but later controversies shifted the question to whether the rite itself conveys what it represents or merely attests to it.

Sources

  1. Mark “Mark 1:4 (Tyndale) — Iohn dyd baptise in the wyldernes and preche the baptyme of repentauce for the remission of synnes.”
  2. Ephesians “Ephesians 4:5 (Geneva1599) — There is one Lord, one Faith, one Baptisme,”
  3. Acts “Acts 2:38 (Geneva1599) — Then Peter said vnto them, Amend your liues, and bee baptized euery one of you in the Name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes: and ye shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost.”
  4. I Peter “I Peter 3:21 (Geneva1599) — Whereof the baptisme that nowe is, answering that figure, (which is not a putting away of the filth of the flesh, but a confident demaunding which a good conscience maketh to God) saueth vs also by the resurrection of Iesus Christ,”
  5. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Forgiveness of sin — One of the constituent parts of justification. In pardoning sin, God absolves the sinner from the condemnation of the law, and that on account of the work of Christ, i.e., he removes the guilt of sin, or the sinner's actual liability to eternal wrath on account of it. All sins are forgiven freely (Acts 5:31; 13:38; 1 John 1:6-9). The sinner is by this act of grace for ever freed from the guilt and penalty of his sins. This is the peculiar prerogative of God (Ps. 130:4; Mark 2:5). It is offered to all in the gospel. (See [219]JUSTIFICATION.)”
  6. Nicene Creed (Ecumenical) “Nicene Creed (Ecumenical, 325/381 AD), Section 3: And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets. And we believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.”
  7. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of Those Who Receive Baptism, Art. 6: Article: Whether sinners who are going to be baptized are bound to confess their sins? I answer that, Confession of sins is twofold. One is made inwardly to God: and such confession of sins is required before Baptism: in other words, man should call his sins to mind and sorrow for them; since "he cannot begin the new life, except he repent of his former life," as Augustine says in his book on Penance (Serm. cccli). The other is the outward confession of sins, which is made to a priest; and such confessio”
  8. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 4: Augustine — Anti-Manichaean, Anti-Donatist — CHAP. 21.--36. Theogenes of Hippo Regius(15) said: "According to the sacrament of the heavenly grace of God which we have received, we believe in the one only baptism which is in the holy Church."(16): 37. This may be my own judgment also. For it is so balanced, that it contains nothing contrary to the truth. For we also believe in the one only baptism which is in the holy Church. Had he said, indeed, We believe in that which is in the holy Church alone, the same answer must have been made to him as to the rest. But as it is, since he h”
  9. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 97: in extreme danger, and they were drawing their last breath, that they might thus obtain pardon for all the past. Against this preposterous precaution ancient bishops frequently inveigh in their writings. We ought to consider that at whatever time we are baptised, we are washed and purified once for the whole of life. Wherefore, as often as we fall, we must recall the remembrance of our baptism, and thus fortify our minds, so as to feel certain and secure of the remission of sins. For though, when once administered, it seems to have”
  10. CCEL (Eastern Orthodox) “John of Damascus, An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, section 85: Chapter IX .— Concerning Faith and Baptism. We confess one baptism for the remission of sins and for life eternal. For baptism declares the Lord’s death. We are indeed “buried with the Lord through baptism 2288 2288 Col. ii. 12 . ,” as saith the divine Apostle. So then, as our Lord died once for all, we also must be baptized once for all, and baptized according to the Word of the Lord, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit 2289 2289 St. Matt. xxviii. 19 . , being taught the confession in Father”
  11. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 65: a pledge of the promise which He had made. When he promised to Abraham to be a God to him and to his seed after him, He appointed circumcision as the seal and pledge of that promise. So when He promised to save men 589 by the blood of Christ and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost, he appointed baptism to be, not only the sign, but also the seal and pledge of those exceeding great and precious promises. No believer in the Bible can look on the rainbow without having his faith strengthened in the promise that a deluge shall never again destr”
  12. Luke (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Luke 24:44: And that repentance and remission of sins,.... Which are the sum of the Gospel ministry; see Act 20:21 the doctrine of "repentance" is not of the law, which neither requires, nor admits of it, but of the Gospel. The Persic version calls it, "the Gospel of repentance"; a doctrine preached by John the Baptist, Christ, and his apostles; and the thing itself is a blessing of the covenant, a gift of God's grace, and in the hands of Christ to bestow; and therefore the doctrine of it is published in his name, as well as remission of sins; which, though it springs from the fre”
  13. Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), Section 269: Baptism is not only a sign of profession, and mark of difference, whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not christened, but it is also a sign of Regeneration or new Birth, whereby, as by an instrument, they that receive Baptism rightly are grafted into the Church; the promises of forgiveness of sin, and of our adoption to be the sons of God by the Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and sealed; Faith is confirmed, and Grace increased by virtue of prayer unto God. The Baptism of young Children is in any wise to be reta”
  14. Luther's Small Catechism (Lutheran) “Luther's Small Catechism (Lutheran, 1529), –Answer: 1bBaptism: –Answer: 1bBaptism is not simple water only, but it is the water comprehended in God's command and connected with God's Word.”
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