St. Augustine - We enter the kingdom of heaven through Baptism

St. Augustine was a Catholic, not some strange form of quasi-crypto-proto-incipient-Protestant, notwithstanding the fever dreams of those Protestants who try to claim him for themselves. And as a Catholic, he understood that Baptism is the way that we gain entry to God’s kingdom.

And hereby, in Your Word, not the depth of the sea, but the earth parted from the bitterness of the waters, brings forth not the creeping and flying creature that has life, but the living soul itself. For now has it no longer need of baptism, as the heathen have, and as itself had when it was covered with the waters—for no other entrance is there into the kingdom of heaven, since You have appointed that this should be the entrance [Confessions XIII.21, emphasis added]

Now if this be the case, then it is clear that Baptism actually does something to us and for us, and if that is the case, then it is clear that the sacraments work ex opere operato, as the Catholic Church teaches, and as St. Augustine obviously believed himself.

St. Augustine - Baptism forgives sins

It isn’t by faith that our sins are forgiven, says St. Augustine; it is by Holy Baptism.

And Your purposes were profoundly impressed upon me; and, rejoicing in faith, I praised Your name. And that faith suffered me not to be at rest in regard to my past sins, which were not yet forgiven me by Your baptism. [Confessions, IX.4]

We see here that St. Augustine considered himself already to have faith, but he knew that this would not save. His sins had to be forgiven, and this, he knew, must be done in Baptism.

We see the same thing in chapter 6 of the same book of the Confessions, where he writes concerning his son and others who were baptized at the same time as he:

Quickly did You remove his life [i.e., that of St. Augustine’s son Adeodatus] from the earth; and now I recall him to mind with a sense of security, in that I fear nothing for his childhood or youth, or for his whole self. We took him coeval with us in Your grace, to be educated in Your discipline; and we were baptized, and solicitude about our past life left us. [ibid., IX.6]

Why was he no longer worried about his past life? Because his sins were forgiven in baptism. Faith didn’t do this, as the first quotation above makes clear; it was the sacrament.

St. Augustine - Baptism regenerates us

St. Augustine firmly believed that the sacraments perform that which they represent; that is, he was a Catholic.

Although [Nebridius] also, not being yet a Christian, had fallen into the pit of that most pernicious error of believing Your Son to be a phantasm, yet, coming out thence, he held the same belief that we did; not as yet initiated in any of the sacraments of Your Church, but a most earnest inquirer after truth. Whom, not long after our conversion and regeneration by Your baptism, he being also a faithful member of the Catholic Church, and serving You in perfect chastity and continency among his own people in Africa, when his whole household had been brought to Christianity through him, You released from the flesh; and now he lives in Abraham's bosom. [Confessions, IX.3; emphasis added]

A Protestant reading the Confessions might get the idea that [according to his own Protestant lights] St. Augustine was already “saved” well before his baptism; St. Augustine himself makes it clear that he believed nothing of the sort. He was not saved before receiving justification by means of Holy Baptism, and he knew it.

Baptismal Regeneration

St. Augustine believed in baptismal regeneration.

And behold, there was I received by the scourge of bodily sickness, and I was descending into hell burdened with all the sins that I had committed, both against You, myself, and others, many and grievous, over and above that bond of original sin whereby we all die in Adam. For none of these things had Thou forgiven me in Christ, neither had He abolished by His cross the enmity which, by my sins, I had incurred with You. For how could He, by the crucifixion of a phantasm, which I supposed Him to be? As true, then, was the death of my soul, as that of His flesh appeared to me to be untrue; and as true the death of His flesh as the life of my soul, which believed it not, was false. The fever increasing, I was now passing away and perishing. For had I then gone hence, whither should I have gone but into the fiery torments meet for my misdeeds, in the truth of Your ordinance? She was ignorant of this, yet, while absent, prayed for me. But You, everywhere present, hearkened to her where she was, and had pity upon me where I was, that I should regain my bodily health, although still frenzied in my sacrilegious heart. For all that peril did not make me wish to be baptized, and I was better when, as a lad, I entreated it of my mother's piety, as I have already related and confessed. [Confessions, V.9; emphasis added]

St. Thomas on Justification - Baptism confers justification ex opere operato

Nothing terribly surprising in this post, which I include more in the way of completeness than anything.

Writing about satisfaction, St. Thomas says that Baptism confers justification ex opere operato – that is, "in virtue of the deed." But it is not man's deed; rather, it is God's.

Baptism confers justification in virtue of the deed [ex opere operato] which is not man's deed but God's... [ST Supp., Q14, A3, ad 2]

In what way, then, does this order of things suggest that we believe that we save ourselves by our works? It doesn't. Hence those who say otherwise would seem to be misinformed.

St. Thomas on Justification - Baptism's effect, and binding God

Today we learn two things related to justification from ST III, Q72, A6. First, we see that justification is an effect of Baptism (not that the sacrament is the principal cause of justification, as we saw previously, but rather an instrumental one). Instructing us that Confirmation depends upon Baptism, Aquinas writes:

Just as the effect of Confirmation, which is spiritual strength, presupposes the effect of Baptism, which is justification, so the sacrament of Confirmation presupposes the sacrament of Baptism. [ad 3]

Here we see again that we receive justification through Baptism – that God justifies us through Baptism.

Secondly, Aquinas agrees (centuries beforehand!) with the Catechism that although "God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, … he himself is not bound by his sacraments" (CCC §1257):

The Divine power is not confined to the sacraments. Hence man can receive spiritual strength to confess the Faith of Christ publicly, without receiving the sacrament of Confirmation: just as he can also receive remission of sins without Baptism. [ad 1]

This is one part of the reason why, although "the Church does not know of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude," (CCC, op.cit), the Church teaches that salvation is indeed possible for those who have never heard of Christ or the Church.

St. Thomas on Justification - We receive justification by means of Baptism

Writing about Baptism, St. Thomas says the following:

As the Apostle says (Romans 6:3), "all we, who are baptized in Christ Jesus, are baptized in His death." And further on he concludes (Romans 6:11): "So do you also reckon that you are dead to sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Hence it is clear that by Baptism man dies unto the oldness of sin, and begins to live unto the newness of grace. But every sin belongs to the primitive oldness. Consequently every sin is taken away by Baptism.

… As the Apostle says (Romans 5:15-16), the sin of Adam was not so far-reaching as the gift of Christ, which is bestowed in Baptism: "for judgment was by one unto condemnation; but grace is of many offenses, unto justification." Wherefore Augustine says in his book on Infant Baptism (De Pecc. Merit. et Remiss. i), that "in carnal generation, original sin alone is contracted; but when we are born again of the Spirit, not only original sin but also wilful sin is forgiven."

… No sin can be forgiven save by the power of Christ's Passion: hence the Apostle says (Hebrews 9:22) that "without shedding of blood there is no remission." Consequently no movement of the human will suffices for the remission of sin, unless there be faith in Christ's Passion, and the purpose of participating in it, either by receiving Baptism, or by submitting to the keys of the Church. Therefore when an adult approaches Baptism, he does indeed receive the forgiveness of all his sins through his purpose of being baptized, but more perfectly through the actual reception of Baptism. [ST III, Q69, A1; emphasis added]

If no sin can be forgiven except "by the power of Christ's Passion," then it is impossible for a man to win justification for himself by anything that he does. Consequently they are badly misinformed who falsely suppose that the Catholic Church teaches a "works-based" salvation.

St. Thomas on Justification - Baptism is not magic

Some folks have the mistaken idea that because we believe that the Sacraments work ex opere operato, there is no need for the proper disposition on the part of the Catholic receiving them – so that (for example) an unrepentant sinner can receive absolution in the sacrament of reconciliation. As with this example, however, it is likewise false that a man benefits from Baptism even if he seeks it insincerely and with no intent to live a godly life.

A man may be said to be a sinner in two ways. First, on account of the stain and the debt of punishment incurred in the past: and on sinners in this sense the sacrament of Baptism should be conferred, since it is instituted specially for this purpose, that by it the uncleanness of sin may be washed away, according to Ephesians 5:26: "Cleansing it by the laver of water in the word of life." [ST III, Q68, A4]

Of course, the fact that a man is a sinner is not an automatic disqualifier for the Sacrament: its very purpose is to reconcile such a man to God!

Secondly, a man may be called a sinner because he wills to sin and purposes to remain in sin: and on sinners in this sense the sacrament of Baptism should not be conferred. First, indeed, because by Baptism men are incorporated in Christ, according to Galatians 3:27: "As many of you as have been baptized in Christ, have put on Christ." Now so long as a man wills to sin, he cannot be united to Christ, according to 2 Corinthians 6:14: "What participation hath justice with injustice?" Wherefore Augustine says in his book on Penance (Serm. cccli) that "no man who has the use of free-will can begin the new life, except he repent of his former life." Secondly, because there should be nothing useless in the works of Christ and of the Church. Now that is useless which does not reach the end to which it is ordained; and, on the other hand, no one having the will to sin can, at the same time, be cleansed from sin, which is the purpose of Baptism; for this would be to combine two contradictory things. Thirdly, because there should be no falsehood in the sacramental signs. Now a sign is false if it does not correspond with the thing signified. But the very fact that a man presents himself to be cleansed by Baptism, signifies that he prepares himself for the inward cleansing: while this cannot be the case with one who purposes to remain in sin. Therefore it is manifest that on such a man the sacrament of Baptism is not to be conferred. [ibid.; emphasis added]

From this we see that justification is not magic that happens contrary to the will of the one receiving it. God does not compel a man to become a Christian against his will.

St. Thomas on Justification - We must be baptized

In his wisdom and mercy God has ordered his grace so that we receive justification through Baptism, and without Baptism we cannot be saved.

It is written (John 3:5): "Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Again it is stated in De Eccl. Dogm. xli, that "we believe the way of salvation to be open to those only who are baptized."

Men are bound to that without which they cannot obtain salvation. Now it is manifest that no one can obtain salvation but through Christ; wherefore the Apostle says (Romans 5:18): "As by the offense of one unto all men unto condemnation; so also by the justice of one, unto all men unto justification of life." But for this end is Baptism conferred on a man, that being regenerated thereby, he may be incorporated in Christ, by becoming His member: wherefore it is written (Galatians 3:27): "As many of you as have been baptized in Christ, have put on Christ." Consequently it is manifest that all are bound to be baptized: and that without Baptism there is no salvation for men. [ST III, Q68, A1]

This is not to say that there is no possibility of salvation for those who are not baptized, as St. Thomas says in the very next article:

Augustine says (Super Levit. lxxxiv) that "some have received the invisible sanctification without visible sacraments, and to their profit; but though it is possible to have the visible sanctification, consisting in a visible sacrament, without the invisible sanctification, it will be to no profit." Since, therefore, the sacrament of Baptism pertains to the visible sanctification, it seems that a man can obtain salvation without the sacrament of Baptism, by means of the invisible sanctification.

...

Secondly, the sacrament of Baptism may be wanting to anyone in reality but not in desire: for instance, when a man wishes to be baptized, but by some ill-chance he is forestalled by death before receiving Baptism. And such a man can obtain salvation without being actually baptized, on account of his desire for Baptism, which desire is the outcome of "faith that worketh by charity," whereby God, Whose power is not tied to visible sacraments, sanctifies man inwardly. [ST III, Q68, A2 passim]

It is clear, too, that this desire for Baptism may be implicit; it need not be explicit. As we saw previously, the Old Testament Fathers "were justified by faith Christ's Passion, just as we are" (ST III, Q62, A6); but they could not have known explicitly that Baptism would be the means by which they would receive justification.

This is no more nor less than what the CCC teaches us:

The Church does not know of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude; this is why she takes care not to neglect the mission she has received from the Lord to see that all who can be baptized are "reborn of water and the Spirit." God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments.

...

Every man who is ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and of his Church, but seeks the truth and does the will of God in accordance with his understanding of it, can be saved. It may be supposed that such persons would have desired Baptism explicitly if they had known its necessity. [§§1257, 1260; emphasis added]

St. Thomas on Justification - Baptism's power comes from Christ

Perhaps some will suppose – erroneously – that because we believe that we are justified by the Sacrament of Baptism, this is what makes the Gospel "works-based." This notion is mistaken. Aquinas makes this clear in ST III Q66 A2 ad 1, where he writes

Even before Christ's Passion, Baptism, inasmuch as it foreshadowed it, derived its efficacy therefrom; but not in the same way as the sacraments of the Old Law. For these were mere figures: whereas Baptism derived the power of justifying from Christ Himself, to Whose power the Passion itself owed its saving virtue. [emphasis added]

If Baptism justifies us, it is not a power that it holds intrinsically, but rather that it holds from Christ; hence, apart from God working through it, it would have no power whatsoever to save. A discussion of how God uses the sacraments to impart grace to us is not exactly relevant in this series. The point for our purposes here is that the mere act of Baptism does not justify us; rather, it is God working in the sacrament by his grace that justifies.

An objection might be raised to the fact that God works our justification by means of this human act. This is misplaced. Already we have seen that faith and repentance are necessary for salvation. The Protestant must necessarily believe this himself if he accepts the testimony of St. Peter's Pentecost sermon. Human participation is not contrary to grace in these respects; rather, it is the fruit of grace.

Theology of St. Thomas - Implicit Desire for Baptism

The Church has long taught that those catechumens who die before their baptism are reckoned as receiving the Baptism of desire: that is, they would have been baptized if they had the opportunity before untimely death prevented it. God is not so unjust as to fling into Hell those who through no fault of their own are prevented from receiving the sacrament of salvation.

It is of course true that how God does this is a mystery which he has not revealed. So the Catechism says,

The Church does not know of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude; this is why she takes care not to neglect the mission she has received from the Lord to see that all who can be baptized are "reborn of water and the Spirit" (CCC §1257; emphasis added).

But the desire of the catechumen is one that we can only reasonably describe as being pretty explicit: he has sought to become a member of Christ's Church, and is prepared to do and to receive whatever is necessary for that.

For catechumens who die before their Baptism, their explicit desire to receive it, together with repentance for their sins, and charity, assures them the salvation that they were not able to receive through the sacrament (ibid., §1259).

It ought to be said, though, that not merely explicit desire for baptism is recognized by the Church, but even an implicit one.

Every man who is ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and of his Church, but seeks the truth and does the will of God in accordance with his understanding of it, can be saved. It may be supposed that such persons would have desired Baptism explicitly if they had known its necessity (ibid., §1260).

Aquinas' teaching on this subject is consistent with it.

As stated above (1, ad 2; 68, 2) man receives the forgiveness of sins before Baptism in so far as he has Baptism of desire, explicitly or implicitly... (ST III Q69 A4 ad 2; emphasis added).

To be sure, the examples and references St. Thomas makes here don't quite say anything ... explicit ... about implicit desire for Baptism. But it seems to me that it would be a mistake to say that by "implicit" desire he means only the sort of desire he describes in those references. As far as I can tell, it's not rational to say that a catechumen should be described as having an "implicit" desire for Baptism. To the contrary, his desire is explicit. So I think it's reasonable to say that an implicit desire must be the sort of thing that the CCC describes - as when a man is ignorant of the Gospel, but would have accepted Baptism had he known about it. This, it seems to me, is consistent with what we say about implicit faith: the Catholic doesn't have to understand or be able to explain Nicene orthodoxy, but he must have the intention of believing what the Church teaches.

Well, a man who has never heard of Christ can't be said to have an explicit intention to believe what the Church teaches, obviously. But does that mean he has no hope? The Church says that it does not mean that at all. And although the Church knows of no other means of salvation apart from Baptism, she also says "God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments" (CCC §1257 again; emphasis added). Aquinas' acknowledgment of implicit desire for Baptism seems entirely consistent with this. I also think, by way of being self-referential, that this is consistent with what I wrote earlier today about Christ's implicit headship over the whole human race.