I. The sacraments:
A. As such.
1. These are “means of grace.”
a. Means are things taken from the world about us and used to serve a definite end.
b. Here: Physical things are appropriately chosen to reveal spiritual reality.
1) These physical means are necessary for the life of the Christian.
2) But: these are used to sustain spiritual life–not give it.
2. These means are administered by the church.
a. These are not simply to be administered by anyone–nor apart from the church.
b. But God sets forth the proper way of using these for the benefit of His own.
B. Their number:
1. The view of the Roman Catholic Church.
a. These speak of seven sacraments.
b. And believe that grace is in the sacrament itself.
2. We maintain two–according to the following standard:
a. It must be instituted by Christ.
b. It must be given for regular use within the church.
II. Their purpose.
A. Our “weaknesses and infirmaties” require this.
1. These are:
a. The fact that we are earthly.
1) It is difficult for us to understand and grasp the heavenly.
2) We are creatures dependent much upon sight and touch.
b. But also we are sinners.
1) We remain sinners as long as we live on the earth.
2) We also need many reminders of the promise of God to deliver us through Christ.
2. Therefore God, through the means of grace, provides:
a. Not only the hearing of the Word preached.
b. But also comes to us through our other senses: seeing, touch, taste.
1) This impresses itself the more on the child of God.
2) Thus is reassured in the promise of our God.
B. What the sacraments do:
1. Negatively:
a. These do not bestow grace upon one.
1) It is not the eating that gives the grace of God.
2) Nor are these sacraments in themselves essential unto salvation.
b. This view of a “grace” of God in things we reject.
2. Positively:
a. The Holy Spirit uses visible means to apply spiritual truths.
b. And there is a real benefit bestowed upon the Christian spiritually through the faithful use of the sacranents.
III. Their relationship to the Word.
A. The preaching of the Word is the central means of grace.
1. Central for several reasons:
a. It is God’s revelation to us–apart from which we could not understand the sacraments.
b. Of the two (preaching and sacramants), the first is most indispensible.
c. The sacraments confirm in a visible way what is declared in the Word.
2. Together these serve to strengthen the saints.
B. The sacraments serve as signs and seals.
1. What these are:
a. A sign points to that which is as yet unseen.
b. A seal is a guarantee that a promise will be realized.
2. These serve as signs and seals of the righteousness by faith through Christ.
a. These confirm what Scripture declares.
b. Thus also serve to assure us of God’s work in us.