Remission Withdrawn

In the course of his On Baptism, Against the Donatists (in St. Augustin the Writings Against the Manicheans and Against the Donatists ), Augustine considers the case of someone who seeks baptism “in deceit.” Are his sins remitted?

Yes, Augustine says, but only for a moment. The “holy power” of baptism is so great that sins are removed “the moment he received it,” but then immediately his remission is cancelled and sins are reimposed. The Spirit “has both been present with him at his baptism for the removal of sins, and has also fled before his perseverance in deceit so that they should return . . . . both the holiness of baptism clothes him with Christ, and the sinfulness of deceit strips him of Christ.”

He adds:

“That sins which have been remitted do return upon a man, where there is no brotherly l ove, is most clearly taught by our Lord, in the case of the servant whom He found owing Him ten thousand talents, and to whom He yet forgave all at his entreaty. But when he refused to have pity on his fellow-servant who owed him a hundred pence, the Lord commanded him to pay what He had forgiven him. The time, then, at which pardon is received through baptism is as it were the time for rendering accounts, so that all the debts which are found to be due may be remitted. Yet it was not afterwards that the servant lent his fellow-servant the money, which he had so pitilessly exacted when the other was unable to pay it; but his fellow-servant already owed him the debt, when he himself, on rendering his accounts to his master, was excused a debt of so vast an amount. He had not first excused his fellow-servant, and so come to receive forgiveness from his Lord.”

Applying the parable of Matthew 18, Augustine concludes that “the grace of baptism is not prevented from giving remission of all sins, even if he to whom they are forgiven continues to cherish hatred towards his brother in his heart. For the guilt of yesterday is remitted, and all that was before it, nay, even the guilt of the very hour and moment previous to baptism, and during baptism itself. But then he immediately begins again to be responsible, not only for the days, hours, moments which ensue, but also for the past—the guilt of all the sins which were remitted returning on him, as happens only too frequently in the Church.”

Augustine is thus able to harmonize texts that speak of the power and effect of baptism with those that speak of baptized people falling away. And the catalyst that activates baptism’s power and keeps it running is love.