A Christ-centered congregation in the reformed tradition

October '07 Excerpt

Catechism of the Church of Geneva

[In this section the Catechism addresses the subject of the sacraments]

Teacher:   Is there no other medium, as it is called, than the Word by which God may communicate Himself to us?

Student:  To the preaching of the Word He has added the Sacraments.

T:       What is a Sacrament?

S:       An outward attestation of the divine benevolence towards us, which, by a visible sign, figures spiritual grace, to seal the promise of God on our hearts, and thereby better confirm their truth to us.

T:       Is there such virtue in a visible sign that it can establish our consciences in a full assurance of salvation?

S:       This virtue is not of itself, but by the will of God, because it was instituted for this end.

T:       Seeing it is the proper office of the Holy Spirit to seal the promises of God on our minds, how do you attribute this to the sacraments?

S:       There is a wide difference between Him and them. To move and affect the heart, to enlighten the mind, to render the conscience sure and tranquil, truly belongs to the Spirit alone; so that it ought to be regarded as wholly His work, and be ascribed to Him alone, that no other may have the praise; but this does not at all prevent God from employing the sacraments as secondary instruments, and applying them to what use He deems proper, without derogating in any respect from the agency of the Spirit.

T:       You think, then, that the power and efficacy of a sacrament is not contained in the outward element, but flows entirely from the Spirit of God?

S:       I think so; viz., that the Lord hath been pleased to exert His energy by His instruments, this being the purpose to which He destined them: this He does without detracting in any respect from the virtue of His Spirit.

T:       Can you give me a reason why He so acts?

S:       In this way He consults our weakness. If we were wholly spiritual, we might, like the angels, spiritually behold both Him and His grace; but as we are surrounded with this body of clay, we need figures or mirrors to exhibit a view of spiritual and heavenly things in a kind of earthly manner; for we could not otherwise attain to them. At the same time, it is our interest to have all our senses exercised in the promises of God, that they may be the better confirmed to us.

T:       If it is true that the sacraments were instituted by God to be helps to our necessity, is it not arrogance for any one to hold that he can dispense with them as unnecessary?

S:       It certainly is; and, hence, if any one of his own accord abstains from the use of them, as if he had no need of them, he contemns [ed. note: contemn = to despise or scorn] Christ, spurns His grace, and quenches the Spirit.