The Sacraments: A Reformed Perspective

"The sacraments are an important and unique means of sanctification within Christ’s church. The study of the sacraments is important because: (a) They were instituted by Christ Himself (Mt. 28:18-20) and are church ordinances in which all believers are required to participate. (b) Christians need to understand what they are observing and doing. They need to know why the sacraments are important. A biblical understanding of the sacraments will help us fully benefit from what we are doing; will help us avoid taking sacraments for granted and will help us avoid ritualism or externalism. The sacraments are a means of grace. However, they are not a means of grace apart from faith, and faith presupposes knowledge and understanding. (c) There are many erroneous and dangerous views of the sacraments within professing Christendom. The biblical or Reformed view of the sacraments must be defended against the assaults of ritualism, sacramentalism or sarcedotalism as well as Anabaptism and American individualism. While the sacraments are in a sense very simple, they are also deep and profound. As we study the sacraments we will first consider the sacraments in general. Then we will turn our attention to the specifics of each sacrament: baptism and the Lord’s supper." - Introduction