39. Are the sacraments symbols only?
No. They are means of grace by which God works invisibly in us, quickening, strengthening, and confirming our faith in him.
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It is important that we not race too quickly past the fact that the sacraments are, indeed, vibrant symbols. Baptism is a symbol of the washing away of the sin that alienated all humanity from God, a symbol of a fresh start and a new life, one that brings with it a new awareness of the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit engaging with us (Ezek. 36:25–27; John 3:3–8; Acts 2:38; Heb. 10:22). Paul speaks of baptism as signifying our joining of ourselves to Christ in his death so that our old person, bent to sinning as it is, might die and so that we might be freed to “walk in newness of life,” offering the remainder of our life in the body to God as “instruments for righteousness” (Rom. 6:3–4, 12–13). He also speaks of it as an immersion into Christ along with everyone else who has ever been baptized, symbolizing the dissolving of all the old divisions that marred human interactions as Christ becomes all in all. The Lord’s Supper is a symbol of our unity with one another in Christ as we are all united to Christ, taking Christ into our very selves.
The sacraments, however, are indeed more than symbols. Wesley himself defined sacraments as “outward signs, words, or actions, ordained of God, and appointed . . . to be the ordinary channels whereby he might convey to men [and women] preventing, justifying, or sanctifying grace” (Wesley, “The Means of Grace” II.1). They are the means provided by God through which all that the sacraments symbolize becomes more fully the reality that characterizes our lives individually and our life together. They are not rites of our invention, but of God’s institution in the person of the incarnate Son. The fact of their divine authorization strengthens our conviction—our faith—that something of great spiritual significance is conveyed to us as we participate in these rites. And this very faith, then, allows us to appropriate what God intends to convey by means of these rites.
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As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. (Gal. 3:27–28)
Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.” (John 6:53–58)
See also Rom. 6:3–4; 1 Cor. 10:15–17; Col. 2:12; 1 Peter 3:20–21; CoF VI
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This is an excerpt from Christian Faith and Doctrine: An Annotated Catechism for the Global Methodist Church. Seedbed is pleased to partner with The Global Methodist Church to offer this companion resource to A Catechism of Christian Faith and Doctrine for the Global Methodist Church.
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