God’s Guaranteed Sign
Sacrament ? A visible sign of an inward grace, especially one of the solemn Christian rites considered to have been instituted by Jesus Christ to symbolize or confer grace: the sacraments of the Protestant churches are baptism and the Lord's Supper; the sacraments of the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches are baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist, matrimony, penance, holy orders, and extreme unction. Dictionary.com
Maybe the common definition of Sacraments is an overly ambitious characterization since few would argue these Sacraments are NOT, without qualification, guaranteed signs of “an inward grace” as the above, common, definition implies. For, how many millions of people have participated in, or had these Sacraments administered to them, to no avail or positive result?
And this is confirmed by many people who prove ignorance is not bliss – many people have doubted these Sacraments could be reliable signs of inward grace because they don’t feel like they have this grace or can even explain what this supposed inward grace should be. They may hold on to the hope that there will, in fact, be grace “in the end,” but they do so based not on faith rather just hoping against hope those administering these Sacraments know what they are talking about.
In the prior Blog Post (Signs: Good and Better) we looked at some more reliable signs (than the traditionally-recognized Sacraments) that a person is an authentic Christian. But does the Bible give us any promising and guaranteed signs we are Christians, receiving and having God’s inner saving Grace?
Yes, fortunately, it clearly does:
Whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God. Jn 3:21
We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. 1 Th 1:3-5
We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 2Th 1:3-5
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Mt 5:14-16
The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad. Acts 11:21-23
Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession ? to the praise of his glory. Eph 1:13-14
Is there a single sign guaranteeing God’s promised inward graces? If so, this is indisputably . . .
THE Sacrament of Sacraments
As stated in the prior Blog Post, it should be evident that what is common to all true Sacraments is that they are God-effected through His indwelling Holy Spirit; anything done apart from this are our works considered illegitimate by God. Thus, we are led to maybe the most foundational and heartening verses in the entire Bible, and as we would expect, it is a promise from Jesus:
He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Mt 12:30-31
The only full and true sign of God’s inward Grace is the Holy Spirit guaranteeing our salvation ? the Sacrament to which all Sacraments point.
And the really really Good News? Jesus promises us if we ask for the Holy Spirit (God’s ultimate sign guaranteeing eternal salvation and His temporal Graces) the Father WILL freely give Him to us:
So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Lk 11:9-13
For:
Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. Heb 7:22
Meaning Jesus and the Holy Spirit (and the Father) are inseparable. If we ask the Father for the Son we are asking for His Holy Spirit and vice versa – this is a recognition of our inability to handle the challenges and issues of life and death (duh!) and appeal to God to “save us.” This is our ONLY guarantee of eternal life! And as Jesus has warned, a failing, in pride, to seek God’s Grace is the only sin that inevitably leads to eternal death, the downside of not having His guarantee – only Jesus/the Holy Spirit is a worthwhile guarantee!
Jesus’ promise and directive:
Whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God. Jn 3:21
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you – unless, of course, you fail the test? 2Co 13:5
This is THE great test!
Make sure you have God’s
guarantee of eternal life.
Rather than reiterating further great news of God’s Holy Spirit found in the prior Blog Post, The Greatest Promise (and Therefore the Most Encouraging Verses) in the Bible?, follow this link to it at 789GracePlace.com:
https://789graceplace.com/blog/item/the-greatest-promise-in-the-bible