Response to Russell's post on the Sacraments

Response to Russell's article on the Sacraments, Russell's words in blue.


SACRAMENTS (God's Grace for Sale)

Today we will take a look at the concept of sacraments. The word “sacrament” comes from the Latin “sacramentum”, signifying something sacred, namely, an oath. It also denotes a “mystery.” Sacraments may be used differently by various groups and can be found in the Catholic Church, Orthodox Church, and even in some Protestant churches. But since they are most prominent in the Catholic Church, we will deal with the Catholic view of sacraments.

Awesome!

Portrait of a Sacrament

So what are Catholic sacraments, and how important are they? 

There are many descriptions of them, e.g., sacraments are said to be visible signs of an invisible reality… visible signs instituted by Christ to give grace… signs that really effect what they symbolize… outward signs of inward grace… signs that accomplish what they signify… vehicles of grace… signs that cause us to be united to Christ in the deepest and greatest possible way... etc., etc.

Here are some statements from Catholic sources concerning their importance:

The whole liturgical life of the Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the sacraments. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1113)

By His power He [Christ] is present in the sacraments… (Pope Paul VI, “Sacrosanctum Concilium,” a Constitution of the Second Vatican Council, Paragraph 7) 

His purpose also was that they might accomplish the work of salvation which they had proclaimed, by means of sacrifice and sacraments, around which the entire liturgical life revolves. (Ibid., Paragraph 6)

Sacraments are "powers that come forth" from the Body of Christ, which is ever-living and life-giving. They are actions of the Holy Spirit at work in his Body, the Church. They are "the masterworks of God" in the new and everlasting covenant. (CCC #1116)

The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation. (CCC #1129)

Therefore, sacraments are extremely important to the Catholic Church. They are foundational to its existence and welfare, since they are “necessary for salvation.”

So, according to the Catholic Church, how does a sacrament actually work?

Celebrated worthily in faith, the sacraments confer the grace that they signify. They are efficacious because in them Christ himself is at work: it is he who baptizes, he who acts in his sacraments in order to communicate the grace that each sacrament signifies. (CCC #1127)

The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions. (CCC #1131)

What the Catechism is saying is that sacraments are symbols that have the power to “confer” / furnish / supply grace and to actually do what they symbolize (e.g., baptism actually washes away sin, and the Eucharist actually becomes Jesus’ flesh and blood, etc.) 

Warning

Finally, what happens if one does not believe it?

The Council of Trent declares:

If any one saith, that the sacraments of the New Law do not contain the grace which they signify; or, that they do not confer that grace on those who do not place an obstacle thereunto; as though they were merely outward signs of grace or justice received through faith, and certain marks of the Christian profession, whereby believers are distinguished amongst men from unbelievers; let him be anathema. (Session 7, Canon VI)

If any one saith, that by the said sacraments of the New Law grace is not conferred through the act performed, but that faith alone in the divine promise suffices for the obtaining of grace; let him be anathema. (Session 7, Canon VIII)

So, we see here that if one does not believe what the Catholic Church teaches about the sacraments, he is declared “anathema” by the Catholic Church. An anathema is the gravest (most severe) form of excommunication, where one is eternally condemned to Hell unless and until he does penance to the Church’s satisfaction (see the online New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia – under the topic, “anathema”).

Thanks for providing a fair presentation of the Catholic doctrine on Sacraments.  Although, and without meaning any disrespect, it is obvious that you don't understand the Catholic Teaching, you have presented the Catholic Teaching from Catholic sources without marring or changing it in any way.  Thanks again.

Symbol or Reality?

There is a confusing problem with the Catholic idea of sacraments. In the Eucharist, for example, Catholics believe that Christ is somehow present in a “sacramental” way (whatever that means).

It means "mysterious".  Above you said correctly, <i>The word “sacrament”…. also denotes a “mystery.”</i>

Therefore, we believe Christ is really present in the Holy Eucharist, but we don't know how He does this.  It is a mystery.

But if sacraments “accomplish what they signify”, if they actually do what they symbolize, then why do they need to symbolize at all?

Because the realities which they accomplish are "invisible" or "spiritual" and we can't see them with our eyes of flesh, but only with the eyes of faith.

Catholics believe the Eucharist is not JUST a symbol, but is both “the real thing” (i.e., Christ’s actual body and blood) and at the same time, a SYMBOL of the “real thing.” But a certain object cannot be BOTH a symbol of something else AND its reality.

Hmm?  I think you've gotten a bit confused about the symbol, the Sacrament and the effect.

1st.  The Eucharist does not symbolize Christ.  It is the Real Presence of Christ in the guise of Bread and Wine.  Not a symbol in that respect.

2nd.  The Sacrament is not simply the Transubstantiation of the Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. It is the communion of the people with God by consuming the Sacrifice of the New Testament.

3rd.  The Sacrament then, symbolizes the union of the faithful with God.  Therefore, the Sacrament of the Eucharist is foremost the Sacrament of Union with God.

1326 Finally, by the Eucharistic celebration we already unite ourselves with the heavenly liturgy and anticipate eternal life, when God will be all in all.¹³⁹

1416 Communion with the Body and Blood of Christ increases the communicant's union with the Lord, forgives his venial sins, and preserves him from grave sins. Since receiving this sacrament strengthens the bonds of charity between the communicant and Christ, it also reinforces the unity of the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ.

I don't blame you for being confused on this matter.  I think that we, Catholics, sometimes presuppose that others understand our jargon.  But, by way of clarification, if we speak of the "THE" Eucharist, we are generally speaking of the HOST.  Whereas if we speak of EUCHARIST, we are generally speaking of the Sacrament of Communion or of the Mass (the setting wherein Communion is celebrated).  We also have a Eucharistic service, which is not the Mass, wherein we simply attend Communion.  And we also bring the Eucharist (or Communion) as viaticum to those in danger of death.  There are possibly other ways in which we use the terminology which are not strictly according to the Church's official definitions.

It is either one or the other. If it is a symbol of a particular thing, then it is not that particular thing. If it is literally the “real thing,” then there is no need for it to be a “symbol of itself.” You can’t have it both ways. This is simply equivocation. No such thing exists in Scripture, nor in the modern world that we live in.

Hm?  Actually, such a "thing" does exist in Scripture and it is the most important "thing" in our lives.

Men are the image of God and as such, signs of God's existence.  But we are not God.  We are creatures.  However, Christ is the image of God and as such a sign of God's existence.  But He is God:

Colossians 1:15
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

A Biblical Concept?

The concept of sacraments with “special powers” that can earn (or control the amount of) grace given to someone is certainly not biblical.

No.  The concept of man earning and controlling grace is not Biblical.  

The concept of sacraments …is certainly not biblical.

Yes, the concept of Sacraments, wherein one asks God for healing and receives the grace through visible signs is eminently Biblical.  I'll only mention a couple, maybe three.

1st, Jesus Christ is Himself a Sacrament, a visible sign of the invisible God through whom all grace is given to the world.

2nd.  We can go to 2 Kings 5:9-11 wherein water from the Jordan river is used to wash the body and to transfer God's healing grace to Naaman.  The water itself did not cause the healing.  Otherwise Naaman did not need to wash seven times nor did he need to wash in the Jordan.  But God healed Naaman by the sign of the Jordan's waters which signified at one and the same time, His Presence and His Favor.

3rd.  We can jump also to the healing of the blind man where God, in the Person of Christ, did not need to use mud, but used it nonetheless, to heal the blind man (John 9:6).

Sacramentalism, the mystery of God's working in the world, is part and parcel of the Revelation of God.  It is written:

Romans 11:33
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

How can a person “control grace” by rituals, objects and ceremonies?

No man can control God.  God moves and works through men to accomplish His will:

Philippians 2:13
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

But in order for God to work, we must be faithful and obedient:

Matthew 13: 58And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

How can grace be dependent on works (especially grace for salvation)? It isn’t. But this is a typical example of the works-based salvation of the Catholic Church.

Hm?  I think you've got the idea inverted.  God is not dependent upon man.  Man is dependent upon God.  And man is dependent upon God to give them His grace.  It behooves us therefore, to ask God for His grace through the Sacraments, just as the blind men and paralytics were used to ask Christ for His grace.  

But grace is not something you can buy through the performance of a ritual. By its very definition, grace excludes works. Grace is usually defined as “the UNMERITED favor of God.” It cannot be earned or bought.

Protestants have a powerful misconception in that regard.  

1st.  Grace is not earned.  Jesus Christ, Grace incarnate, died on the Cross that ALL men might be saved.

2nd.  But the application of His saving grace is merited. If it were not merited, then the whole of the human race which ever existed, including those who have not ever repented, would be saved.  Because they did not merit the grace of salvation, they did not apply it to their lives nor could they.  

God is not unjust.  Those who love Him receive His grace by meriting it keeping the Commandments.

3rd.  And some men, after accepting and applying the grace to themselves, rejected it by their actions and lost their salvation. 

4th.  But others, persevering in well doing (Romans 2:7), made their calling and election sure.

Then how do we get grace, according to the Bible? Grace is received by FAITH, not by works, ceremonies or “sacraments.” (Romans 4:16; 5:2; 11:6; Ephesians 2:8-9)

Actually, according to the Bible, grace is received by faith and works.  It is those who have faith who will do the works of God and thus receive His Grace.

See also our three-part series on “Faith Alone” and our “Sola Fide Revisited” article, elsewhere on this blog.

Awesome!  You're going to keep me busy for days!

Conclusion

Some may accuse us of being “anti-sacramental,” and automatically assume that we believe that “matter is evil.” But this is ridiculous and does not necessarily follow. We don’t think that matter is “evil,” nor do we make it a “spirit versus matter” issue. 

Good.  Because Scripture is clear that God works through matter.

And we are not against symbolism. Symbols are fine. Symbols help us to understand many concepts. They are very useful and meaningful in our everyday lives and in Scripture. But they don’t save anyone. One is saved by simply trusting in the work and the suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross for us, and that alone.

I believe that is Catholic Teaching.  Although Scripture does say, "Baptism now seventh", the meaning as we understand it is that God saves those who believe and are Baptized.

Not only is the Catholic concept of sacraments NOT IN SCRIPTURE, it is also AGAINST Scripture.

I believe I have shown that it is not.  I have not even needed to show the Seven Sacraments described in Scripture.  Oh and frequently, Protestants are under the impression there are only Seven Sacraments, but there are many more.  However, the Seven Sacraments are the ones which the Church knows Christ instituted for our salvation.

It is a system of obtaining the priceless grace of God by works and rituals. Any system that can buy the grace of God is corrupt and anti-biblical, and anyone who believes in this view of sacraments is in serious doctrinal error, whether they claim to be Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant.

Hm?  What is the ritual known as "Altar Call"?  What about the ritual known as "prayer"?  And what about the ritual of "taking Christ into one's heart"?  How about the ritual of reading Scripture?

You have tons of rituals of your own, but you don't recognize them as such.  But we do.  And we see nothing wrong with either our rituals or yours.  Whereas you have impugned yourself by your condemnation of ours.

Sincerely,

De Maria