OBSERVING THE SACRAMENTS

Any consideration of the nature of the Christian Church is incomplete without devoting some time to the importance of the sacraments.

 The Protestant Reformers defined the Church in a three-fold aspect:

It is this third and often neglected part of Christian worship that will be considered in this chapter.

 It has been commented that when Christ ascended into heaven, He did not leave behind an external organisation nor material wealth but as His parting gift He bequeathed His Spirit and His Sacraments. This is essentially what the sacraments are – ordinances which Christ established for our spiritual benefit.  Alongside prayer and the ministry of the Word the sacraments are a means of grace. They have been given to us in order that grace might be administered to us, when they are received by faith.

 The Nature of the Sacraments

 The sacraments are tangible and physical signs that we feel, taste and experience. The Saviour, knowing that we are physical creatures, created these ordinances as a help, while we live in this world. As the water, in Baptism is experienced and as the bread and wine are tasted, in Communion, so we by faith are taught spiritual lessons about our unity with Christ and our need of His grace.

 Baptism

 Matthew 28:19

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost”

Baptism is the sacrament that involves the application of water in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

 The Open Stance

 Since the Reformation, however, controversy has entered the Protestant Church, as to the nature of Baptism. Those who followed the traditional pattern practised infant baptism by sprinkling or pouring. This was the path adopted by all the Reformation Churches; Lutheran, Anglican, Presbyterian, Dutch Reformed. There was another group who arose at this time, however, who followed a different path. They were known as the Anabaptists. They practised the baptism of those who believed on Christ and disregarded infant baptism completely. They were rejected by the Reformers not only because of their stance on Baptism; the Anabaptists held a variety of positions that we today continue to view as heresy. As the Reformation became established, however, the Reformed Baptist Churches developed. These fellowships in doctrine were identical to the Presbyterians and Congregationalists. It was their practice of what has become known as believer’s baptism by full immersion, which made them unique. Baptist Churches progressed across the world to play a most significant part in the extension of Christ’s Kingdom.

 Therefore, the body of Christ is controversially divided into two camps between those who baptise children (Paedo- Baptists) and those who baptise believers only (Credo-Baptists). Therefore, in 1951 the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, adopted a unique open stance where this sacrament is concerned. Within our denomination we are free to adopt either position on the condition that we show respect and tolerance to those of a differing opinion.

 

“The Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, under Christ the Great King and Head of the Church, Realizing that bitter controversy raging around the mode and proper subjects of the ordinance of Christian baptism has divided the Body of Christ when that Body should have been united in Christian love and Holy Ghost power to stem the onslaughts and hell-inspired assaults of modernism, hereby affirms that each member of the Free Presbyterian Church shall have liberty to decide for himself which course to adopt on these controverted issues, each member giving due honour in love to the views held by differing brethren, but none espousing the error of baptismal regeneration.”[1]

 

A Minister should never teach his own view in a dogmatic style, which is offensive to others who differ. At the same time he is not expected to officiate at a ceremony, which is contrary to his own conscience. Rather he should facilitate a request by inviting a colleague, who is agreeable, to minister.

 The open position of the Free Presbyterian Church is restricted to the subjects of baptism, whether they be children of believers or adult believers only. This open position also pertains to the mode of baptism; sprinkling, pouring or full immersion.

 The open stance of our denomination, however, does not affect the validity of baptism as a sacrament. It is proper for all Christians to have a view on baptism based on their understanding of Scripture.

 Infant Baptism

 Infant Baptism, properly adopted within a Reformed Church, is not to be confused with baptismal regeneration. Where Roman Catholicism and those in the Anglo-Catholic tradition within the Church of England and her sister churches, of which the Church of Ireland is an example, have taught that one becomes a member of Christ’s Church, born again and an inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven at baptism, the Reformed Churches have adopted a different approach.

 The Protestant Reformers taught that where the Lord’s Supper is the New Testament counterpart to the Passover, Baptism is the counterpart to circumcision under the New Covenant. Historic Presbyterianism taught that when believing parents baptised their children they did so as an act of faith, just as ancient Jews when circumcising their sons believed that they would be faithful members of the covenant nation. Therefore, Baptism is identified as a sign of God’s covenant with believing parents acting in faith that He will look with favour upon their offspring.

Believers’ Baptism

 Unlike the infant variety, believers’ baptism is exclusively intended for those who have accepted Christ after passing the years of understanding. Baptism in this context is seen as a public confession and a symbol of the Spirit’s work in cleansing us from unrighteousness as we embrace the new life. Those who baptise exclusively by full immersion will speak of the Christian being buried with Christ in death and being raised in resurrected life. This identity with Christ is illustrated as the believer passes through the waters of baptism.

 Not all those who practise believers’ baptism, however, baptise by full immersion, preferring pouring or sprinkling. In truth it is difficult to argue conclusively from early church customs, from the Greek and Hebrew languages and most importantly from Scripture that the Church exclusively practised baptism by immersion.

 What is clear, however, is that the early Church baptised converts in response to the commission of Christ Himself. This does not necessarily prove that infant baptism is wrong because none of the first-generation Christians were baptised as children. But it does demonstrate, nonetheless, that baptism is a sacrament in which all Christians participate.

Personal Testimony

 I developed as a young Christian within a Free Presbyterian congregation, totally misunderstanding our open stance. Not through faulty teaching, but mainly as a consequence of my own ignorance I developed a thought process which excluded baptism as a sacrament; that the ritual was a cultural expression of faith for the early Church but is not applicable for our generation. I wrongly believed that this precious sacrament was purely an act of witness and that we have alternative ways of demonstrating our faith today.

 

After being exposed to biblical truth and spending time with a Dr John Douglas when I was a young Bible College Student, whose help I will forever be grateful for, I took the step of obedience and was baptised. The simple ceremony took place on Benone Strand, in Co Londonderry, and was one of life’s most precious experiences. I think it was important that my decision to be baptised was as a consequence of my personal convictions being exercised and not as a result of a directive from my spiritual oversight. Baptism unto the Lord is a blessed truth.

 Having been baptised as an adult has left me naturally dispossessed towards believer’s baptism. However, I fully recognise the strength of the arguments in favour of water being the sign of the covenant in the New Testament Church. The question has been asked of me – ‘Why deprive the children of believer’s the sign of the covenant?’. Therefore I have found myself gladly officiating in both ceremonies. It rejoices my heart to see Christian’s forming earnest convictions on this vital subject.

I totally appreciate, however, being part of a denomination, which has discovered a way of fellowshipping with respect and tolerance over an issue that has caused such unnecessary rancour within the Church of Christ.

 The Lord’s Supper

 1Co 11:26

“For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.”

Unlike Baptism, which by its nature is a singular event, The Lord’s Supper is a regular occurrence in the life of the Church.

 The key aspect of this sacrament is obedience. Partaking at the Lord’s Table is not an optional extra in the Christian life, it is, rather, an indispensable and vital aspect of our spiritual growth. All of God’s people are commanded to join in and regularly eat and drink from this table. While we protect the purity Communion Feast by giving those who are unconverted opportunity to leave at the close of the sermon, this should not be construed as an opportunity for Christians to leave the meeting early. When this sacrament is celebrated worship has not concluded until the benediction has finally been pronounced.

 The importance of the Lord’s Table is reflected by the simple name that we often ascribe to it – Communion. This is a sacred season when we together commune with one another and with Christ in humble thanksgiving for His sacrifice. We are not inclined to use the word ‘Eucharist’ because of its connections with High Church Anglicanism and Roman Catholicism, which is rather sad. The ‘Eucharist’ simply means ‘Thanksgiving’, which is what Communion is, in its purest sense.

 The broken bread and the communion wine are tangible reminders of the broken body and shed blood of our Saviour. This is the appointed way by which we are commanded to remember, reflect upon and praise Him for his work of reconciling us God.

 While the Lord’s Table is not a sacrifice, hence the use of a table and not an altar, and while we repudiate the Roman Catholic concept of changing the substance into Christ’s body and blood, there is more to the feast than mere remembrance.

The nourishing of our bodies by the bread and wine represents the spiritual nourishing of the soul by Christ. As we engage at the Lord’s Table we feed upon the merits of Christ in a spiritual sense:

 “The Lord’s Supper is a sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to Christ’s appointment, his death is showed forth, and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace” (Shorter Catechism Question 96).

 As we lean by faith upon the atonement procured at such a high price our weary souls are strengthened in the journey of life. This emphasises how important Communion is for our spiritual progress. This is the one place where we can derive strength for our souls in this way and it is to our detriment if we fail to obey.

 The Lord’s Table is a place of assurance and reassurance. Doubts are calmed when we cast upon our all upon the merits of Christ. Communion is a time for confession and searching the soul knowing that there is grace here for troubled hearts. I remember the first time I partook of the Lord’s Table when seventeen years of age. I found then, and still do, the silence and peace to be inspiring and beautiful. Every child of God must be encouraged to attend this sacrament as often as it is celebrated within the local assembly of believers.

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[1] Articles of Faith of The Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster 6a