On both the episode and blog post I made use of the Belgic Confession, Articles 28 and 29, to aid the understanding of the functions and marks of the true church. The Confession states,
"...The true church can be recognized if it has the following marks:
engages in the pure preaching of the gospel;
it makes use of the pure administration of the sacraments as Christ instituted them;
it practices church discipline for correcting faults."
As the pure administration of the Sacraments is one of the marks, I wanted to provide some additional information and resources to define and clarify the nature, function, and administration of the sacraments, as well as the context, recipients, and attitude of those who receive them.
What are sacraments?
They are the means of grace.
"Historically in Reformed scholastic theology, media gratia (means of grace) was a
They are signs and seals declaring God's promises to us in Christ.
In the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 17:10-14) all males in his household circumcised. Circumcision is a sign and seal of the covenant to remind the people of the Lord’s covenant with Abraham and his offspring.
Wherever there was a covenant, there was a sign. Gen 9: God’s covenant with Noah was the sacrament, sign of covenant the rainbow. "When I see the sign, I will remember."
"The word sacrament is widely used by a variety of Christian traditions but for some evangelicals it is a word that is associated with Romanism and a false view of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Our English word sacrament is derived from the Latin military term, sacramentum, which was a military oath of loyalty. In the Latin translations of Scripture where the New Testament uses the term mystery the Latin text often uses the word sacramentum...In the Heidelberg Catechism we define sacrament this way:
66. What are the Sacraments?
The Sacraments are visible holy signs and seals appointed of God for this end, that by the use thereof He may the more fully declare and seal to us the promise of the Gospel: namely, that of free grace, He grants us the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life for the sake of the one sacrifice of Christ accomplished on the cross." ~R. Scott Clark: https://heidelblog.net/2018/07/what-do-we-mean-by-sacrament-sign-and-seal/
"The sacraments are the gospel made visible. We need these visible promises and guarantees because we are sinners and our faith is sometimes weak. We waver. So, we say to the believer (this qualification is essential), that just as surely as you were washed with water, that is how certain it is that you were cleansed by Christ and by his Spirit. Baptism does not do this. Christ does it by his Spirit but baptism testifies to the believer that it is really true. "~R Scott Clark: https://www.theaquilareport.com/what-do-we-mean-by-sacrament-sign-and-seal/
XXV. Of the Sacraments.
"Sacraments ordained of Christ be not only badges or tokens of Christian men's profession, but rather they be certain sure witnesses, and effectual signs of grace, and God's good will towards us, by the which he doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm our Faith in him..." ~39 Articles of Religion (Anglican)
"Sacraments... are exercises which confirm our faith in the word of God; and because we are carnal, they are exhibited under carnal objects, that thus they may train us in accommodation to our sluggish capacity, just as nurses lead children by the hand. And hence Augustine calls a sacrament a visible word (August. in Joann. Hom. 89), because it represents the promises of God as in a picture, and places them in our view in a graphic bodily form..." ~Calvin's Institutes
How many sacraments are there?
XXV. Of the Sacraments.
"...There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel, that is to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord." ~39 Articles of Religion (Anglican)
"How many sacraments has Christ instituted in the new covenant?Two: holy baptism and the holy supper. 1
1.Mt 28:19, 20; 1 Cor 11:23-26. " ~Heidelberg Catechism 68
What is Baptism?
Baptism is the new covenant sign and seal of the Gospel for believers and their households.
"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" ~Matthew 28
What is Baptism?
Baptism is the new covenant sign and seal of the Gospel for believers and their households.
"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" ~Matthew 28
Paul, against the Judaizers, showed that the same spiritual realities connected to circumcision, are now in Baptism. They are identical. Each signifies the forgiveness of sins according to the promises ratified in His own blood. Genesis 17 gives us the model (Abraham) of the New Testament believer: believing in the promise, then receiving the administration of that promise. The pattern of receiving the Gospel never changed. Abraham received *believers circumcision and his male offspring received *infant circumcision. Circumcision was *not something done to show God that a convert meant business. It was something that God did, to show that He meant business with His people.
"Christ instituted this outward washing with water and joined therewith this promise: that I am washed with His blood and Spirit from the pollution of my soul, that is, from all my sins, as certainly as I am washed outwardly with water, whereby commonly the filthiness of the body is taken away." ~Heidelberg Catechism 60
"The ground for the administration of baptism is the command and covenant promise of God, for adults and children. The signs of the covenant: circumcision and baptism are *His signs of *His covenant. They signify His promise to save us. They are not only tokens of our commitment to God, but His sign and seal of grace and good will toward us." ~John Fonville: https://www.paramountchurch.com/sermons/sermon/2018-07-01/the-recipients-of-baptism-part-4
What is Communion?
Communion is the New Covenant sign and seal of the Gospel for discerning believers.
"Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes. And He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”In the same way He also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant established by My blood; it is shed for you.... I am among you as the One who serves." ~Luke 22
"For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself." ~I Corinthians 11
Communion is also called "The Eucharist," "The Lord's Supper," or "The Lord's Table".
Heidelberg 75. How is it signified and sealed to you in the Holy Supper, that you do partake of the one sacrifice of Christ on the cross and all His benefits?
Thus: that Christ has commanded me and all believers to eat of this broken bread and to drink of this cup in remembrance of Him, and has joined therewith these promises: First, that His body was offered and broken on the cross for me and His blood shed for me, as certainly as I see with my eyes the bread of the Lord broken for me and the cup communicated to me; and further, that with His crucified body and shed blood He Himself feeds and nourishes my soul to everlasting life, as certainly as I receive from the hand of the minister and taste with my mouth the bread and cup of the Lord, which are given me as certain tokens of the body and blood of Christ.
"Let us recollect, then, that the Supper is given us as a mirror in which we may contemplate Jesus Christ crucified in order to deliver us from condemnation, and raised again in, order to procure for us righteousness and eternal life. It is indeed true that this same grace is offered us by the gospel, yet as in the Supper we have more ample certainty, and fuller enjoyment of it, with good cause do we recognise this fruit as coming from it." ~JohnCalvin: Short Treatise on the Lord's Supper
How should believers approach the sacraments?
For sure, as those coming to the table of the Lord in the Lord's house, we should come in honesty and humility, but also boldly as the Sons and Daughters of the Living God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ by faith.
XXV. Of the Sacraments.
...The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or to be carried about, but that we should duly use them. And in such only as worthily receive the same, they have a wholesome effect or operation: but they that receive them unworthily, purchase to themselves damnation, as Saint Paul saith. ~39 Articles of Religion (Anglican)
"Because the sacraments are given to the church and are to be visible signs and seals to all who believe, they are to be administered by the church and taken (when possible) in the company of other believers. In Christ, we are not only connected to him but to all others who believe. The sacraments are not just for the individual to be taken in secret but are to be visible to everyone and taken together as the body of Christ. The sacraments are precious ceremonies of the covenant of grace that God uses to bind us to himself and nourish us until we can enjoy fellowship and communion with him in heaven." ~Leah Baugh: https://corechristianity.com/resource-library/articles/what-is-a-sacrament/
Too often people think that they have made peace with God, because they have examined themselves before they received the Lord's supper. They rightly find themselves lacking before God, but do not depend on Christ to make them worthy. They're depending on their own deceitful purposes and resolutions to make themselves worthy. ~ John Fonville
Application:
How does the proper administration and understanding of the sacraments benefit us?
The answer to moralistic, "radical discipleship," legalistic, Christ-less preaching is not to ignore/deny the third use of the Law & apostolic imperatives. The answer is to preach them according to the apostolic pattern - because (Gospel indicative) therefore (imperative). The pattern of the Heidelberg Catechism likewise follows the pattern of apostolic preaching and the structure of Romans - sin/salvation/service or guilt/grace/gratitude or repent/believe/live accordingly. The Gospel must be the focus. Faith is created/confirmed by the means of grace in Word & Sacrament. That Gospel-fed faith then works through love - and that love is guided/shaped by the third use of the Law/ apostolic imperatives. ~Tony Phelps
Because we often find the Gospel hard to believe, and we are prone to unbelief, we struggle with doubt and uncertainty at times. This confirmation of the Lord's good will and favor is necessary to persevere us in our struggle with sin and challenges in life... In these times of doubt, and struggle, and uncertainty, we must receive constant confirmation for our faith. This is why the Lord has given to us baptism and the Lord's supper. Because of His great love, He gives to us these outward signs and seals to assure our faith that every promise of the Gospel is yes and amen. ~John Fonville: http://www.paramountchurch.com/mediaPlayer/#/sermonaudio/406
"Let a Person Examine Himself": John Fonville: https://www.paramountchurch.com/sermons/sermon/2017-06-04/let-a-person-examine-himself
"What About Communion": John Fonville: Him We Proclaim Radio:
https://subsplash.com/proclaimradiowithjohnfonville/lb/mi/+7l8zeqr
Thank you
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