684. VI. THE THIRD USE OF BAPTISM, WHICH IS THE FINAL USE, IS THAT MAN MAY BE REGENERATED.
This is the essential use for the sake of which baptism exists, and thus the final one. This is because the true Christian knows and acknowledges the Lord Jesus Christ the Redeemer, who, as being the Redeemer is also the Regenerator (that redemption and regeneration make one may be seen in the third section of the chapter on Reformation and Regeneration); also because a Christian possesses the Word, in which the means of regeneration are plainly described, those means being faith in the Lord and charity toward the neighbor. This is identical with what is said of the Lord, that,
He baptizeth with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8-11; Luke 3:16; John 1:33).
"The Holy Spirit" means the Divine truth of faith, and "fire" the Divine good of love or charity, both proceeding from the Lord. (That "the Holy Spirit" means the Divine truth of faith may be seen in the chapter on the Holy Spirit; and that "fire" means the Divine good of love may be seen in the Apocalypse Revealed, n. 395, 468.) By means of these two, all regeneration is effected by the Lord.
The Lord Himself was baptized by John (Matt. 3:13-17; Mark 1:9; Luke 3:21, 22).
This He did not only that He might institute baptism for the future, Himself setting the example, but also because He glorified His Human and made it Divine, as He regenerates man and renders him spiritual.