An Exhibition of Grace

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Our confessional standards, the Westminster standards, say that when rightly used, grace is exhibited in the sacraments.

There are two sides to this. First, note that the sacraments can be, and have been, wrongly used. When that happens, as it happened at Corinth, the apostle says the observance does more harm than good. This is a covenant meal, and covenants have oaths and standards, and therefore there is no automatic blessing for us in the sacraments. Grace does not come through the sacraments like water through a garden hose. If we come in genuine faith, we are received, blessed and strengthened, for we are using the sacrament rightly. If we do not, then we are chastised, as disobedient children.

But note also that for us—who are coming in true faith—this meal exhibits the grace of God. It does not hide the grace of God, it does not obscure the grace of God, it does not mumble the grace of God. Here the bread and wine exhibit the grace of God. Because you come in faith, you see and understand what God is doing. He is knitting us all together in the love of Jesus Christ our Lord. Come and eat. Come and drink.

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