Catechism Question 72
What is a sacrament?
A sacrament is a special symbol given by God to His people that, when received in faith, serves as a sign and seal of His promises to us, functions as a means of grace to strengthen us, and through which we testify of our faith in Him and His promises.
Focus and Purpose of this Question
In the previous question, we looked at God’s call for every Christian to be part of a local church. In the answer we mentioned several things that characterize a local church. Among these was that it is in the local church that we receive the sacraments. But what is a sacrament? This is the question we are addressing here.
Here we need to understand the basic nature of a sacrament – a special type of symbol given by God to His people that serves as a means of grace.
In the coming questions, we will explore the sacraments further. For now, it is important just to be able to define a sacrament.
Additional Questions:
Can you define what we mean by the term ‘sacrament’?
Scripture References:
Genesis 17:11
You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you.
Romans 4:11
And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.
1 Corinthians 10:16–17
Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.
Romans 6:3–4
Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Galatians 3:26–29
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
1 Timothy 6:12
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Questions for Further Discussion:
Are sacraments just symbols – or do they somehow connect us to the reality of which they are a sign? When you read the verses above, do they sound like empty symbols, or something more?
Do the sacraments precede faith or do they follow it? (See Romans 4:11). If this is true, is it of any value to give sacraments to unbelievers or to children who have not yet come to conscious faith?
Why do you think God has given visible signs for us? Why is a visible sign important for the believer receiving it? Why is it important as a testimony to the world? Why not just have the invisible reality?
Additional Information:
This question is based on question 66 of the Heidelberg Catechism, questions 88, 91-92 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, and question 43 of the New City Catechism. Any resources you find on the Heidelberg, Westminster Shorter, or New City Catechisms will have a good discussion on this question.
For additional information, see the teaching “What Is A Sacrament?” (March 7, 2010).
Suggested Worship Song:
Behold the Lamb (The Communion Hymn) (Keith and Kristyn Getty & Stuart Townend)
(This song is specifically about communion, but it is a great picture of the sacraments. It pictures that these special symbols are not empty, but vitally link us to what they represent.)
Behold the Lamb who bears our sins away,
Slain for us – and we remember
The promise made that all who come in faith
Find forgiveness at the cross.
So we share in this bread of life,
And we drink of His sacrifice
As a sign of our bonds of peace
Around the table of the King.
The body of our Saviour Jesus Christ,
Torn for you – eat and remember
The wounds that heal, the death that brings us life
Paid the price to make us one.
So we share in this bread of life,
And we drink of His sacrifice
As a sign of our bonds of love
Around the table of the King.
The blood that cleanses every stain of sin,
Shed for you – drink and remember
He drained death’s cup that all may enter in
To receive the life of God.
So we share in this bread of life,
And we drink of His sacrifice
As a sign of our bonds of grace
Around the table of the King.
And so with thankfulness and faith we rise
To respond, – and to remember
Our call to follow in the steps of Christ
As His body here on earth.
As we share in His suffering
We proclaim Christ will come again!
And we’ll join in the feast of heaven
Around the table of the King