The Similarities between Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

1 Corinthians 4:1

This morning we look at Westminster Larger Catechism Question 176, which asks, “Wherein do the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper agree?” It gives the answer, “The sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper agree, in that the author of both is God; the spiritual part of both is Christ and his benefits, both are seals of the same covenant, are to be dispensed by ministers of the gospel, and by none other, and to be continued in the church of Christ until his second coming.” 

Even as God alone is the author of our salvation, so He alone is and must be the sole author of the sacraments that communicate and testify to that salvation.  When a police officer completes his training and satisfies all of the requirements to become a law enforcement officer, he receives his badge.  The badge has meaning precisely because it comes from the body that is alone authorized to issue it.  So long as it is properly given and received according to the laws of the land, the badge is a symbol and seal of the real position and authority given to that particular police officer, with all of the rights and privileges (and responsibilities) included therein.  For someone else to craft their own badges and attempt to issue them, claiming to confer the authority of real police badges, would be totally illegitimate.  So this same principle is true regarding the sacraments.  God alone can institute a holy ordinance that symbolizes and guarantees (seals) the salvation that Christ has accomplished for His Church.  For someone else to come up with different signs and seals of our salvation and attempt to confer the meaning of the real sacraments on their new ordinances would be totally illegitimate.

Moreover, the reality signified by the sacraments is Christ and His benefits.  Baptism and the Lord’s Supper both point us to Christ.  In Him alone is our regeneration and cleansing.  In Him alone is our forgiveness and spiritual sustenance.  To hold that the sacraments themselves hold some kind of corporate unity, peace, or love—rather than pointing to that which is solely from Christ—is to misuse and misappropriate the sacraments.  When my wife and I were married in an Evangelical, but non-Reformed church, we were given the option of having communion as part of our wedding service.  When we considered the many non-Christians who would be there we elected not to do so.  But the minister then offered to have communion only for the two of us while the audience watched.  He described it as a wonderful thing we could do together as the first act of our marriage.  We thought that was great.  Looking back on it now, though, I disagree. I do not believe that was a right use of the sacrament of Communion.  The Lord’s Supper is to be distributed as Christ commanded, as a sacrament administered by a minister to a congregation of believers as a sign and seal of Christ’s gospel to them.  It is wrong to use it as the first act of a married couple, while other Christians watch, as beautiful as that might seem on the surface.

The verse at the head of this article is one of the reasons why only ordained ministers can administer the sacraments. An official sign and seal must be given by an authorized officer of what that sign and seal represents. In the case of the sacraments, which represent Jesus Christ and His benefits, those officers are ministers of the gospel. According to our Book of Church Order (BCO), what distinguishes teaching elders (ministers) from ruling elders, is that while a ruling elder is authorized in one particular church, ministers are authorized in the gospel (which is communicated in preaching & in the sacraments). Accordingly, the minister can perform his office in any church, whereas the ruling elder can rule only in the particular congregation where he has been called. In the PCA this truth is expressed by the fact that technically only ministers “preach” sermons (BCO 7-2, 8-5). When a ruling elder or non-ordained man gives a sermon, he is said to “exhort” and not to preach (BCO 4-5; RAO 1-1). The issue is not one of skill, ability, training, or even education. It is one of authority. Does Jesus Christ actively and authoritatively offer Himself to His Church? Yes. How does He do this? By calling men to the ministry of this gospel, and thereby authorizing them to minister it in His name.  In this fashion the sacraments carry the weight of the solemn promise of Jesus Christ Himself.  They are His signs, His Seals, and when given by His personally authorized ambassadors, they legitimately and sincerely offer His promise to each person.  May God grant that we rightly view and receive the holy sacraments which He has ordained.