We, believers, are to be living sacraments. A Sacrament is
an instrument that points to the sacred, a symbol of the divine reality.
In the Catholic church, the 7 sacraments are human devices meant to serve
as sort of holy determinants. Because of this, the concept of sacraments
can seem somewhat divisive if not even tendentious. The purpose of this
dialogue is not to discuss the merits of the Catholic Holy Sacraments, rather,
the content of this discourse is to understand the reality of sacraments.
Sacraments are symbols that point to the sacred. They are not holy in and of themselves. Instead, the sacrament’s holiness is determined by its aim, which is God. In this sense, we, our very lives, are the ultimate of sacraments. We are sacraments.
Paul exhorts believers to live lives that are examples of Christ (Rom 6; 12:1-2). Any and everything we do is to point to Him, to His holiness and grace, but also His justice and faithfulness. Our lives, the very way we live is to be a sacrament that acts as a testament to Him.
Under the Mosaic covenant, everything was a sacrament. The tabernacle, the ark, the altar, the priestly garb, all of it was made in such a way as to direct the hearts of the people to a holy and faithful God. The end of Exodus and all of Leviticus speak to God’s holiness. He, God, wants us to know Him. Even under the Mosaic covenant, He revealed His character. In this sense, Sacraments serve to reveal who God is.
Under the new covenant, which is delivered and sealed in Christ, believers perform all of the sacramental functions of the tabernacle, the ark, the veils, the altar, the priest, etc. This is how sacraments should be understood, not separated from the original sacraments which were described in great detail in the Pentateuch.
This should shed light into how believers should live. We are holy because He is holy. We are faithful because He is faithful. We are wise because He is wise. We are righteous because He is righteous. All of these things, divine character traits, we are not able to hold to or exhibit outside of His Holy Word and Spirit working in us.
We are Jesus’ agents on the earth. We are to be living sacraments that point to His nature and to His character. This is an incredible responsibility that should prompt us to sincere devotion to Him and His Word. But praise be to God that He would use imperfect vessels to transmit His perfect nature to the world!
Sacraments are symbols that point to the sacred. They are not holy in and of themselves. Instead, the sacrament’s holiness is determined by its aim, which is God. In this sense, we, our very lives, are the ultimate of sacraments. We are sacraments.
Paul exhorts believers to live lives that are examples of Christ (Rom 6; 12:1-2). Any and everything we do is to point to Him, to His holiness and grace, but also His justice and faithfulness. Our lives, the very way we live is to be a sacrament that acts as a testament to Him.
Under the Mosaic covenant, everything was a sacrament. The tabernacle, the ark, the altar, the priestly garb, all of it was made in such a way as to direct the hearts of the people to a holy and faithful God. The end of Exodus and all of Leviticus speak to God’s holiness. He, God, wants us to know Him. Even under the Mosaic covenant, He revealed His character. In this sense, Sacraments serve to reveal who God is.
Under the new covenant, which is delivered and sealed in Christ, believers perform all of the sacramental functions of the tabernacle, the ark, the veils, the altar, the priest, etc. This is how sacraments should be understood, not separated from the original sacraments which were described in great detail in the Pentateuch.
This should shed light into how believers should live. We are holy because He is holy. We are faithful because He is faithful. We are wise because He is wise. We are righteous because He is righteous. All of these things, divine character traits, we are not able to hold to or exhibit outside of His Holy Word and Spirit working in us.
We are Jesus’ agents on the earth. We are to be living sacraments that point to His nature and to His character. This is an incredible responsibility that should prompt us to sincere devotion to Him and His Word. But praise be to God that He would use imperfect vessels to transmit His perfect nature to the world!
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