Here on WordPress, blog-writers are able to view a list of search phrases people use to find our blogs. Every now and then an interesting phrase or question pops up, and the title of today’s post is one of them.
What do sacraments do in the modern church? The quick answer is “pretty much the same thing they have done for the past 2000 years” but since this answer isn’t particularly helpful, let me unpack the question a little.
First, a definition. The best definition for sacrament I have ever heard is “an outward sign of a spiritual reality”. In other words, a sacrament is something that teaches us about God, who we cannot touch or see, in a way that we can touch and see.
Second, a list of sacraments to work with. Catholic and Orthodox churches teach that there are seven sacraments: baptism, confirmation, communion, confession / reconciliation, matrimony, holy orders, and anointing of the sick. Protestant churches recognize only two: baptism and communion. I don’t think it’s helpful to take sides in this disagreement, so I’ll just add this comment: even though I’m a lifelong Protestant, I find the Catholic list of sacraments to be (at the very least) both helpful and informative where it comes to understanding the faith.
I think the important question is actually “what do sacraments mean?” and to answer this I need to take each one individually.
Communion – In my opinion the most meaningful and powerful of the sacraments, the sacrament of Jesus’ body and blood, communion reminds us of Jesus’ dying on the cross in our place. In taking the bread and wine we are able to touch, taste, and see how very much God loves us; and to witness (since members of the church take communion together) how we as Christian believers stand united in His life, death, and resurrection.
Baptism – In the 21st century, baptism usually has the meaning of dedicating a child to God, but originally it was very different. As taught by Jesus, John the Baptist, and the early church, before a person could be baptized they had to confess their sins and speak out loud their faith in God. Therefore baptism was considered THE rite of initiation for new believers and was restricted to adults old enough to understand what they were doing.
In those days baptism was performed by immersion (dunking the entire person under water), with the meaning: as a person’s body is washed by water, so their souls are washed clean by God. (Note: there are churches today — Baptists and some nondenominationals — that still practice baptism of adults by immersion.) Nowadays most churches baptize babies by sprinkling with water in the hopes that they will grow up to be God’s children — which alters the meaning of the sacrament — and I personally prefer the word “dedication” for what most churches do today.
Confirmation – In the Catholic church, one of the “sacraments of Christian initiation”, confirmation is a ceremony performed by a Bishop immediately prior to a person’s taking First Communion. It is “confirmed” that the person understands the meaning of communion, since taking the sacrament without understanding is forbidden by scripture. In the sacrament the individual is anointed with oil, representing the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Confession and Reconciliation– Involves the confession of one’s sins and receiving of pardon. As a sacrament, sins are confessed to a priest, who represents an intermediary between the sinner and God; in other churches which do not see this as a sacrament, confession is a private matter between the sinner and God alone. In either case, whether formally or informally, confession of sins is required of all Christian believers.
Matrimony – According to scripture, the marriage of a man and woman is meant to be a reflection of the marriage between Jesus and His bride, the Church, which will take place after the second coming of Christ. This is why marital unfaithfulness is considered such a serious sin — because Jesus would never be unfaithful to His church, and His church should not be unfaithful to Him. In the church, marriage is always performed by ordained clergy and includes prayers of blessing for the couple.
Holy Orders – Reserved for bishops, priests, and deacons, Holy Orders is a laying-on of hands, with prayer, by a bishop, and represents a special anointing of the Holy Spirit for the purpose of ministry in the church.
Anointing of the Sick – In the Catholic tradition, this is performed when one is ill enough that death may be near. The sacrament involves a priest anointing the sick person with oil and praying for healing, as prescribed in scripture. It should be noted that other churches, particularly among evangelicals, charismatics, and Pentecostals, often perform the same ceremony (with or without a pastor on hand), on the basis of scriptural command alone.
I hope google-ers and others will find this helpful!
Getting Started 
thanks this helped me to understand this for school….. keep it sikk wit it. ezzy
You’re welcome! 🙂
Some people think that they MUST – yes must -take the bread of communion because of what they are taught and by what they read Jesus said in John chapter 6 . ” except you eat the flesh of the Sn of Man and drink his blood , you have no life within you ” This is the chapter where Jesus says he is “the bread of life , whoso eats my flesh and drinks my blood has- eternal life ”
Somehow this chapter and these words have been linked to the last supper . But a look again at those words ,who they were said to , why , and when . It may show that Jesus is not talking about earth bread for the body , he is saying He is the true bread and it is FAITH in Him that results in Eternal Life . ?. Remember , not long before Jesus had fed the 5000+ and met their temporal needs for that day .
Somehow the great Doctors of the Church , the teachers , their saints and the ‘Popes ‘ of the Latin church have made it a matter of compulsion that the bread of the last supper (and the wine) becomes the actual flesh and blood of the Lord when they say so ! . They have made a simple meal a sacrifice and they think they are the sacrificing priests . More , what they say they achieve at those ‘altars ‘ also ‘ becomes very God’ and they worship the bread wafers . They sing , ‘Oh bread of heaven beneath this veil ; thou dost my very god conceal …….’
How , what can be describes as a fantastic claim (not found in the Bible though attempts are made to force meanings ? ) is believed by so many , for so long , with such fear and so ardently , is an enigma . It seems to me the greatest errors have the greatest followings and numerical success ?. The cleverest interlectuals with a religious bent believed and fashioned the doctrine maybe ? But even Prime Ministers may have believed it . Put their trust in its supposed merits and efficacy !!!!! .
How different from the words of Christ : …. God gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes will not perish but have everlasting life . By grace are you saved through faith and not of yourselves ; It is the gift of God not of works so none may boast ; The wages of sin is death ; But the gift of God is etrnal life through Christ Jesus the Lord . What must I do to be saved ? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved . There is no other Name under heaven given unto men whereby we must be saved .
I think the words and doctrines found in the Bible are much better that those fashioned by men ?.
As Christians we believe that salvation is by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ alone. As I’ve noted in one of our other conversations, any time someone says salvation depends on “Jesus AND… (something else)” a red flag should go up.
The understanding of communion you describe: “the Latin church have made it a matter of compulsion that the bread of the last supper (and the wine) becomes the actual flesh and blood of the Lord” is the doctrine of transubstantiation, and it is one of the teachings that often separates Roman Catholic beliefs from Protestant beliefs.
The Catholic Church bases its teaching on the words of Jesus at the last supper:
“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
Catholics take these words literally, while Protestants tend to take them metaphorically. As a Protestant myself, I lovingly disagree with my Catholic brothers and sisters on this point of church teaching. But I would never call their salvation into question because of this difference or try to talk the average Catholic churchgoer out of their belief, so long as they are trusting in Christ for their ultimate salvation.
In John ch 6 , Jesus says HE is the bread of life; ‘For the bread of God is HE which which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world ……I am the bread of life ‘ But our friends from the Roman church- perhaps others too – say that the bread becomes Christ and God . In the Bible Christ Himself IS the true bread ; But in that church the thought is that the bread Becomes Christ . As the Lord said these things , there was no earth bread around . Jesus had recently fed the 5000+ and miraculous things happened with that bread and the fish , it was not to be worshipped ,adored , reverenced . No , only God is to be worshipped . So they do rely very much on John chapter 6 as well as the last supper and their idea of what those words mean ?.
Michael, I don’t think our Roman Catholic cousins would have any problem with John ch. 6 — they just don’t interpret it exactly the same way you do. Trust me when I say your theology would sound as strange to them as theirs does to you. 😉
will it be possible to get healing with just going to church
Hi Angel, Sorry for the delay in replying, I just now saw your question. Healing is always possible, in any circumstances — in church or out of church. Most of Jesus’ healing miracles did not take place in religious buildings. It’s also important to keep in mind there is nothing we can do to MAKE healing happen. Sometimes people are healed and sometimes they’re not, and we don’t understand why. Even in Jesus’ day not everyone in Israel was healed – only some people. The best we can do is pray for healing and ask others to pray for healing… and let God do the rest. And remember God loves us passionately whether healing comes or not. Blessings!