All True Justice - Trent Refuting 'Baptism Of Desire'

Bro. Peter Dimond

This is one of the many arguments that refute the false position of ‘baptism of desire’.  The Council of Trent here declares that all true justice (sanctifying grace) either begins or is increased or is restored at the sacraments.  This means that all true justice must be at least one of the three: begun at the sacraments, increased at the sacraments or restored at the sacraments. 

Pope Paul III, Council of Trent, Sess. 7, Foreword: “For the completion of the salutary doctrine of Justification… it has seemed fitting to treat of the most holy sacraments of the Church, through which all true justice either begins, or being begun is increased or being lost is restored.”

Latin: “Ad consummationem salutaris de justificatione doctrinae… consentaneum visum est, de sanctissimis Ecclesiae sacramentis agere, per quae omnis vera justitia vel incipit, vel coepta augetur, vel amissa reparatur.”

But ‘baptism of desire’ is not a sacrament, as its proponents typically admit.  Thus, the ‘baptism of desire’ theory is that some people can have a true justice (sanctifying grace) that is 1) not begun at the sacraments, but before; and 2) not increased at the sacraments (since the person dies before getting to the sacraments); and 3) not restored at the sacraments (for the same reason as # 2).  Therefore, the ‘baptism of desire’ theory posits a true justice that is neither begun nor increased nor restored at the sacraments.  Such an idea is contrary to the above statement of Trent.  Hence, the ‘justice’ posited by the theory of ‘baptism of desire’ cannot be true justice.  ‘Baptism of desire’ is a false doctrine.

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The Best Argument Against “Baptism of Desire” (video and article)

The Latin Text of the Oldest Surviving Papal Decree Rejects “Baptism of Desire” (video and article)

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