Baptismal Efficacy: A Catechetical Presentation, Pt. 2
/2. Since the sacraments are effectual “only when received in faith,” does that mean Baptism does nothing for the person who does not believe?
Actually, I never said: Faith is necessary for the sacraments to be effectual. What I said was: Faith is necessary for the sacraments to be effectual “unto salvation.” That’s an important difference.
Every time a person is baptized he receives something from God—and that "something" is always good, and always beneficial—even if the person does not believe. In fact, we can see that by what Paul said about circumcision, which was the Old Testament equivalent to Baptism.
After telling his readers that being circumcised in the flesh was no guarantee of a circumcised heart (Rom. 2:28-29), he anticipated their objection: “What advantage then hath the Jew? Or what profit is there in circumcision?" Paul’s answer is unambiguous. He says: “Much in every way!” (Rom. 3:1-2).
In context, this means if a man was circumcised and perished in the end, he only had himself to blame. No one could say that God had failed to provide him with everything he needed to be saved. To say such a thing would imply that God was the “unfaithful” party in their relationship. And of course, that would be a slanderous lie:
“For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God of none effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar” (Rom. 3:3-4)!
I believe the same thing applies to Baptism. Those who are baptized profit “much in every way” even if they continue in unbelief. Objectively speaking, God has given them everything they need to be saved so that if they perish, they will only have themselves to blame.
This means that the sacraments are always effectual in one way or another. Since Baptism puts us in a real covenant relationship with Jesus Christ, it will either result in our salvation or the *increase of our judgment before God, for to whom much is given, much is required.[1] In either case, we cannot say that Baptism does nothing for those who do not believe.
Notes:
[1] This is what we might call the principle of proportionality, and Jesus used it in Luke 12:48 to show why some men will receive greater punishment than others on the Day of Judgment (cf. Mt. 11:20-24; Heb. 10:22, 28-29).