Biblical Foundation of Sacraments

1. Sacramental Principle:

We begin with the simple general fact that the Spirit of God works through material means. The human spirit also depends for its expression on physical channels.  Thought has to be communicated by mouth or hand. The artist has to use materials to convey his vision of beauty. So does God works. One great example of this sacramental principle is creation itself (psalms 19:1). God indwells his world and it shows forth his glory (Romans 1:19f). Jesus used parables to teach us to see the power and love and wisdom of God in the world he made.

Again, from the beginning, God has moved among men in the events of history, making known his will, to punish and to save. In the crisis of men and nations, we see the unfolding of his purpose. In order to save the world, he chose one small nation (Amos 3;2). In it he calls certain men and empowers them to declare his will. It is story of narrowing and deepening intimacy.

2. Climax of Sacramental Principle:

God’s drawing near to men in nature and history was but the preparation for something yet more intimate when, in the fullness of time, Gd in Christ assumed human flesh and became man among men. In Jesus, the eternal and infinite Spirit became temporary and local (John 1;14; Philip.2:5-11). His ministry was directed towards founding a heavenly society on earth which can be called His Body, in which his Spirit can dwell. Here is the climax of the sacramental principle. God draws men to himself that he may perfect his saving work.

3. Sacraments :

a) Lord’s Super: At the crisis of his ministry, Jesus focused it all in one sublime act. Sitting with those who were to be nucleus of the Church, he took the two commonest articles of the daily food of his people and set them apart for a special purpose. He blessed them and said: Eat, this is my body; Drink, this is my blood. He bade them henceforth do this to bring the memory into the living presence. He thus gave himself to his Church forever. This great gift has rightly come to be called the Sacrament. Herein, the Spirit of God who animates natures, who speaks in history, who dwells in Jesus, who creates and sustains the Church, meets men at one focal point.  The work of God to communicate himself to men here takes its simplest, deepest and most intimate form. Here, God meets us face to face. The Holy Table is the trysting place of the Lover and the beloved.

b) Baptism:

On similar lines, we may speak of Baptism; but of no other use of the material to convey the spiritual can we speak in just the same way. There are many sacramental acts; we are called to a life that is wholly sacramental; but there are only two Sacraments of the Gospel.

Conclusion: The two Sacraments have thus a sure basis in Scripture. As we linked the Christian ministry with certain events in Jesus’ life, so the essential features of Baptism are linked with his calling as Messiah and those of the Lord’s Super with his Passion. Both declare his love for men. In these facts of the Gospel, the sacramental beliefs and practices of the NT Church are rooted. The Scriptures are authoritative for all sacramental faith and practice. The certainty that Jesus is the ultimate and original source justifies the conviction that the Sacramtents are ordained by him.