Many Christians view sacraments as an oath of their allegiance to the Lord. They were instituted by Christ to display his covenant faithfulness. The sacraments are like God’s oath confirming that we can trust what He promises in his Word. Within a theological context the sacraments are sacred (holy), visible signs and seals demonstrating how God, in Christ, has sworn an oath of loyalty to his people. It is derived from a Latin word meaning “used for a sacred purpose.” The word was also used in a military sense to swear an oath of allegiance. The word “sacrament” is never found in the Bible. They are a sign and seal of the forgiveness of sins and of the communion that is in Christ (Matthew 26:28 Romans 6:3-4 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 Titus 3:4-7). They symbolize what the Lord is working within our hearts. Sacraments are a visible picture of an invisible reality.
Baptism and Lord’s Supper are signs but also the means through which the Holy Spirit communicates God’s grace in Jesus Christ to us.
When the Lord our God presents to us the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, He not only manifests his work in what we hear but also in what we may be-hold through the sacraments or signs, which seal to us the promises pledged in his Word.
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