Ordinances

What are the Ordinances/Sacraments of the Church?

There are two ordinances in the life of a local church. These ordinances can also be called Sacraments. The two Sacraments or ordinances are baptism and the Lord’s Supper, also known as Communion or the Eucharist.

Baptism is a public testimony of a person’s faith in Christ (Acts 2:38; 41). It has no power to save. It is to be performed after one has made profession of salvation. The examples of baptism that we have in the New Testament are always after profession of salvation (Acts 2:41; 8:12-13; 10:47). Baptism is a special grace filled time in the church. Baptism is the public demonstration of a heart change of an individual. After a person confesses faith in Christ, baptism is the act they demonstrate to show the public world what God has done in them. As God's grace is demonstrated in the life of an individual through baptism, other Christians celebrate the goodness of God and the watching world sees and hears the Gospel message made known. The church should observe this sacrament anytime someone is converted to Christ and gives their life to Him in faith. This is an outward sign of an inward reality.

The primary meaning of the word baptizo is “to immerse.” In the apostles’ time, the method of baptism practiced on proselytes to Judaism was total immersion. Scripture shows immersion in the case of John the Baptist, and in a few other stories like Phillip and the Ethiopian Eunuch. Yes, there are times the Bible does not specifically say it was by immersion, but it never says it was not immersion either. Based on these facts, I believe the best mode of baptism is immersion.

The Lord’s Supper or Communion or the Eucharist is performed as a remembrance of Christ’s death (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). It is to be done regularly by believers as a testimony of what Christ did on the cross for us. It is an act of worship and thanksgiving to Christ for His act on the cross for us. It is to be done in a local church, among a faith or fellowship family as an act together of worship. Jesus Christ instituted this ordinance in the Upper Room where Jesus breaks bread and says, “this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me”. Later Jesus takes the cup and also states, “this cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:19-21). The Lord’s Supper is the sign and seal of the new covenant relationship between God and His people, so God’s grace is shown and felt during the meal together. An attitude of remembrance, gratitude, and celebration must accompany the communion meal.