Question 43: What are sacraments or ordinances?
The sacraments or ordinances given by God and instituted by Christ, that is, the baptism and the Lord’s meal, are visible signs and seals that we are united in a community of faith by his death and resurrection. By using these ordinances, the Holy Spirit declares and seals the promises of the gospel more fully.
- So we were buried with him by baptism in death; that just as Christ rose from the dead for the glory of the Father.
- So let us walk in newness of life.
And taking the bread, and having given thanks, he broke it, and gave it to him, saying, This is my body, which is delivered by thee; Do this in my memory. He also took the cup after dinner, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is poured out for you.
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CHARLES SIMEON
That is why I say of baptism and the Lord’s Supper: “In their proper and appointed use, they cannot be overestimated: but if they are abused for purposes for which they have not been given, and are considered to contain themselves and are transmitted. salvation to men, are they desecrated?. (?) What do we learn from there to use God’s ordinances?We must be grateful to them; We must honor them; we must turn to God in them, and we must expect from God through them the communications of his grace and peace. They must be revered, but not idolized; used as a means, but we don’t trust them as an end. No one can think of it better simply because they have been involved in orders.
TIMOTHY KELLER
There are two sacraments or ordinances. We have baptism, which is once and for all; and the Lord’s Supper, which continues regularly and regularly; we both call it ordinances because Jesus Christ commands us to do so; but we also call it the sacraments because, through them, God’s blessing and grace come to us in a unique way, they are not just personal and individual experiences, we are members of a community, and the baptism and food of the Lord show that we belong to this community, the covenant community, the people who belong to Jesus That is why they are , in fact, delimiters. Westminster’s Confession of Faith says these ordinances “make a visible difference between those who belong to the church and the rest of the world. “
These are signs and seals. We call them signs because they symbolize the blessings of salvation, forgiveness of sins, acceptance of the Holy Ghost, and the ability to have fellowship with Jesus Christ in his presence. But these are not just signs; they’re also stamps. This means that they really bring us these blessings. They assure and awaken our faith, and it is our faith that receives these blessings.
Some places in the Bible, such as 1 Corinthians 10 and 1 Peter 3, seem to say that the sacraments receive the blessings of salvation. But the sacraments awaken our faith, and it is our faith that receives the blessings that save us. Thus, J. I. Packer declares: “Just as the preaching of the Word makes the gospel audible, the sacraments make it visible and God awakens faith in both ways. “The sacraments therefore function as a means of grace according to the principle that literally seeing leads to belief.
As a giver of the gospel, you have given us signs of your grace that can be seen, felt, and experienced; help us observe them according to your commandments. Let them look away from ourselves and seek your saving work. Avoid exalting the signs in any way that distracts us from the Savior, whom they point to. Amen.
Basic questions and answers about biblical doctrine
The? The Catechism of the New City is a present, gospel-centered resource that presents important doctrines of Christianity through 52 questions and answers and also offers a devotion that helps the reader transform through these doctrines. Designed to be used in various contexts, it is a very useful resource to help Christians meditate on the doctrines that are at the heart of the Christian faith.