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Sacraments
What
is a Sacrament?
A Sacrament is a
sacred act...
This means a Sacrament is a holy act, but we are not holy:
Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the
time my mother conceived me. (Psalms 51:5)
There is no difference, for all have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans
3:22-23)
The mind of sinful man is death, ... the
sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do
so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. (Romans
8:6-9)
For the wages of sin is death...
(Romans 6:23a)
A Sacrament is a
sacred act, instituted by God...
This means a Sacrament is a holy act that God instructs us to do:
[Jesus said,] "Therefore go and make disciples of
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
(Matthew 28:19-20)
For I received from the Lord what I also passed
on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he
had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do
this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup,
saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink
it, in remembrance of me." (1 Corinthians 11:23-25)
A Sacrament is a
sacred act, instituted by God, in which God Himself has joined His Word of
promise to a visible element...
"The sacraments and all the external things ordained and
instituted by God should be regarded not according to the gross, external mask
(as we see the shell of a nut) but as that in which God's Word is enclosed"
(Large Catechism IV 19).
He chose the lowly things of this world and the
despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are.
(1 Corinthians 1:28)
A Sacrament is a
sacred act, instituted by God, in which God Himself has joined His Word of
promise to a visible element, and by which He offers, gives, and seals the
forgiveness of sins earned by Christ.
We want many things in this life, but only one thing is truly
needed: the forgiveness of sins. We were conceived sinful; we have sinned
in thought, word and deed; we can do nothing to change this base condition.
We deserve to die and have earned God's eternal wrath and displeasure. But
God gives us the solution to our problem.
For the wages of sin is death... but the gift of
God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 6:23)
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved,
but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
(Mark 16:16)
Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one
of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you
will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts
2:38)
For he has rescued us from the dominion of
darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we
have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
(Colossians 1:13-14)
He saved us, not because of righteous things we
had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously
through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his
grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
(Titus 3:5-7)
"This is my blood of the covenant, which is
poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."
(Matthew 26:28)
For you know that it was not with perishable
things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life
handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of
Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. (1 Peter
1:18-19)
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the
light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son,
purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)
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What
About?
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Essays and
pamphlets explaining Lutheran Beliefs about various subjects, including
Baptism and the Lord's Supper
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible: NEW
INTERNATIONAL VERSION, © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible
Society.
Used by permission of Zondervan Bible
Publishers.
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