Brayden Cook@The_Catechumen
St. Thomas Aquinas on extrasacramental reception of the graces of Baptism.
Quodlibet VI Q3 Article 1 (pg 316)
“No one can be liberated from the damnation of the human race incurred for the sin of our first parent except by being incorporated into Christ like a member into its head, since he alone is free of that damnation. Now, this incorporation can happen in three ways:
1. By receiving baptism. (Galatians 3)
2. By shedding blood for Christ’s sake that conforms a person to Christ’s passion, which is where baptism gets its power - Rev 7)
3. By faith and love.
- Proverbs 15: “By mercy and faith sins are cleansed”
- Acts 15: “He cleansed their hearts by faith.”
- Ephesians 3: “Christ dwells in our hears by faith
Hence, baptism is called the sacrament of faith. Accordingly, there are three kinds of baptism: by water, by the spirit, and by blood. The latter two have the force of baptism by water, as long as one intends to receive such a baptism, and is only kept from doing so by necessity, and not by contempt for religion.”
