When Saint Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthians he said that they should consider him (and the other apostles) “servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Cor 4:1). When the word mystery was translated from Greek into Latin, it was normally translated as sacramentum; thus the sacraments are the mysteries of Christianity.
A sacrament is what brings the life of God into the life of a human. As important as faith is (and it is essential), God doesn’t merely want us to believe and trust in Him, rather He wants to live inside of us: “It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). Through faith, hope and love, together with the sacraments, we as Christians not only trust God, but we live in Him and He in us (John 15:1-11, John 6:56, Romans 6:3-4, 2 Cor. 4:10-12, etc.)
Jesus gives his followers 7 sacraments which bring his presence and life into ours, and which draw us into the great mystery of the life of God; these 7 are listed below.
The first of the seven sacraments, and the “door” which gives access to the other sacraments. Baptism is the first and chief sacrament of forgiveness of sins because it unites us with Christ, who died for our sins and rose for our justification. Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist constitute the “Sacraments of Initiation” by which a believer receives the remission of original and personal sin, begins a new life in Christ and the Holy Spirit, and is incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:9
“…Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.”
“This is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die…”
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” – 1 Corinthians 13:1
“…pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.”
“Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.” – James 5:14-15
“…forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 3:7-14
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