SACRAMENTS
Some churches teach that there are certain things (sacraments) other than Christ that give “grace” to save and forgive sins. And some believe not only that these are necessary for salvation but also that they must be their sacrament, not another church’s. The number of these “saving sacraments” varies, but some have seven, including baptism, eucharist, penance, etc. But Jesus saves, and we are to trust Him, not things. And trusting Jesus “through” a substitute, or a thing, is not trusting Jesus. So why not just trust Him?
The “ordinances” of the church (baptism and the Lord’s Table) have importance and show or symbolize what we believe, but they do not save or forgive sins (see BAPTISM; LORD’S SUPPER). In the Bible, there were many who were not baptized, nor had they partaken of the Lord’s Table, and yet they were saved (see Matthew 9:2–6; Luke 7:50; 18:42; 23:39–43; and many others).
If sacraments saved, then all the verses that tell us how to be saved would have to be changed to add the keeping of sacraments to them. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). The verse did not say “believe and keep our sacraments.” The same for the following verses: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). There are more, many more, such verses, but if sacraments saved, then we would have to add to all of them that in order to be saved you must “keep our sacraments,” and then you will be saved. Some even believe that if you have had all of their sacraments but not their “last rite,” then you go to purgatory or hell (see HELL and the false belief of PURGATORY). Not only do the Scriptures not say this, but what about those who could not keep them, as the sick, who often die before a priest comes to anoint them?
Some churches teach that there are certain things (sacraments) other than Christ that give “grace” to save and forgive sins. And some believe not only that these are necessary for salvation but also that they must be their sacrament, not another church’s. The number of these “saving sacraments” varies, but some have seven, including baptism, eucharist, penance, etc. But Jesus saves, and we are to trust Him, not things. And trusting Jesus “through” a substitute, or a thing, is not trusting Jesus. So why not just trust Him?
The “ordinances” of the church (baptism and the Lord’s Table) have importance and show or symbolize what we believe, but they do not save or forgive sins (see BAPTISM; LORD’S SUPPER). In the Bible, there were many who were not baptized, nor had they partaken of the Lord’s Table, and yet they were saved (see Matthew 9:2–6; Luke 7:50; 18:42; 23:39–43; and many others).
If sacraments saved, then all the verses that tell us how to be saved would have to be changed to add the keeping of sacraments to them. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). The verse did not say “believe and keep our sacraments.” The same for the following verses: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). There are more, many more, such verses, but if sacraments saved, then we would have to add to all of them that in order to be saved you must “keep our sacraments,” and then you will be saved. Some even believe that if you have had all of their sacraments but not their “last rite,” then you go to purgatory or hell (see HELL and the false belief of PURGATORY). Not only do the Scriptures not say this, but what about those who could not keep them, as the sick, who often die before a priest comes to anoint them?
