What are the sacraments? According to Christian doctrine, the sacraments are baptism and the Lord’s Supper, or communion.
Throughout church history, the sacraments have been a major topic for discussion. Disputes about the sacraments have even led to martyrdom or excommunications.
In order to have a proper understanding of the sacraments' significance, we must know what ‘sacrament’ means. The Random House Dictionary describes a sacrament as a ‘sign, token, or symbol.’ A sacrament is essentially an outward sign of an inward reality.
Why bother with the sacraments? If they are just signs, why should people get so worked up about them? The sacraments are instruments of grace and spiritual blessing. God realizes that His people are sinful. He realizes that we need signs and seals of His work. So, He has stooped to our level and given us these signs so that we can understand the work He has performed in our lives.
This leads to another question. Do the sacraments actually accomplish anything? Does baptism save us? The answer is, obviously, no. Titus 3:5 says: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost.” We read in Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” If baptism saved people, Christians all over would be baptizing people. Baptism again is an outward sign (the pouring of water over someone) of an inward reality (Christ’s washing away of our sins.)
Many people have been and are still confused about the Lord’s Supper and the doctrine of transubstantiation. This doctrine teaches that the bread and the wine literally turn into the body and blood of Christ. It is easy to see where people get mistaken. After all, we read in Mark: “And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, ‘Take; this is my body.’ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.’” However, we read in John: “So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.’” So, does this mean that true Christians literally eat Christ’s flesh and drink His blood? That would mean that nobody could be saved, because no one can do this! We clearly see that Christ was speaking figuratively here.
Now, if the Lord’s Supper is just simply bread and wine to be eaten like any other food or drink, then why does Paul give such a grave warning: “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.” Only Christians are to partake. The Holy Spirit uses the elements (bread and wine) to remind Christians of how Christ offered up His body and blood for them. If non-Christians partake of this, then the Holy Spirit must condemn them. After all, Christ died because of sin.
In conclusion, there are two extreme views in regard to the sacraments. One is that the sacraments are simply memorials, (i.e. the bread reminds us of Christ’s body.) The other view is that the sacraments are holy and should be worshiped, like in the doctrine of transubstantiation. Clearly, both are wrong, and we must acknowledge that the sacraments are real, outward signs of inward realities, and God uses the sacraments in a special way for His people.
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