The Catholic Church, and Eastern Orthodoxy, as well as Lutherans and Episcopalians and a few Protestant denominations use the term sacrament to refer to a rite through which God’s grace is conveyed to an individual. Many evangelical churches prefer the word ordinance, which can be defined as a “God-ordained ceremony.”
So then the questions must be, what is a Sacrament? A sacrament is thought of as being a means of God’s grace—as a worshiper performs a certain religious rite, he or she receives divine blessing, either for salvation or for sanctification. An ordinance is usually not considered a conduit of grace but simply a practice commanded to be performed by the Lord.
In other words, a sacrament, at some level, involves a supernatural work of God. An ordinance is simply an act of man in obedience to God.
Southern Baptists, and most Independant Baptists fulfill holy mandates known as ordinances of which there are two:
1. Water baptism
2. Lord's Supper.
Baptist ordinances are often mistakenly referred to as sacraments.
As a contrast, the Catholic Church has SEVEN sacraments and they are Water Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion, Confession, Marriage, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick.
This is not an anti-Catholic thread, but is simply a "Contrast" of what is actually taught and done.
That being said allow me to say that the Source for this is.....The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd edition, p. 293).
“The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation” (Ibid., p. 292).
This teaching reveals a works-based system of salvation and a sacerdotal (an adjective that means "of, relating to, or characteristic of priests".)
approach to worship.
The Bible, in contrast, tells us that grace is not given through outward symbols, and no ritual is “necessary for salvation.” Grace is the blessing of God, freely given to the undeserving.
Titus 3:4-7
“But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life”.
Protestants and evangelicals reject the teaching that sacraments can offer salvation. Rather, they see them as signs and signifiers (and sometimes seals) of grace already received.
To help avoid communicating the idea that their religious activities are channels of grace, most evangelicals prefer to call them “ordinances.” They see the ordinances as symbolic reenactments of the gospel message. Rather than being requirements for salvation, ordinances are visual aids to help us better understand and appreciate what Jesus Christ accomplished for us in His redemptive work, and they are testimonies that we indeed believe in Christ.
So then the questions must be, what is a Sacrament? A sacrament is thought of as being a means of God’s grace—as a worshiper performs a certain religious rite, he or she receives divine blessing, either for salvation or for sanctification. An ordinance is usually not considered a conduit of grace but simply a practice commanded to be performed by the Lord.
In other words, a sacrament, at some level, involves a supernatural work of God. An ordinance is simply an act of man in obedience to God.
Southern Baptists, and most Independant Baptists fulfill holy mandates known as ordinances of which there are two:
1. Water baptism
2. Lord's Supper.
Baptist ordinances are often mistakenly referred to as sacraments.
As a contrast, the Catholic Church has SEVEN sacraments and they are Water Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion, Confession, Marriage, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick.
This is not an anti-Catholic thread, but is simply a "Contrast" of what is actually taught and done.
That being said allow me to say that the Source for this is.....The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd edition, p. 293).
“The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation” (Ibid., p. 292).
This teaching reveals a works-based system of salvation and a sacerdotal (an adjective that means "of, relating to, or characteristic of priests".)
approach to worship.
The Bible, in contrast, tells us that grace is not given through outward symbols, and no ritual is “necessary for salvation.” Grace is the blessing of God, freely given to the undeserving.
Titus 3:4-7
“But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life”.
Protestants and evangelicals reject the teaching that sacraments can offer salvation. Rather, they see them as signs and signifiers (and sometimes seals) of grace already received.
To help avoid communicating the idea that their religious activities are channels of grace, most evangelicals prefer to call them “ordinances.” They see the ordinances as symbolic reenactments of the gospel message. Rather than being requirements for salvation, ordinances are visual aids to help us better understand and appreciate what Jesus Christ accomplished for us in His redemptive work, and they are testimonies that we indeed believe in Christ.
