Heidelberg Catechism Week 25

65. Q. It is by faith alone that we share in Christ and all His blessings: where then does that faith come from? A. The Holy Spirit produces it in our hearts by the preaching of the holy gospel, and confirms it through our use of the holy sacraments.

66. Q. What are sacraments? A. Sacraments are holy signs and seals for us to see. They were instituted by God so that by our use of them He might make us understand more clearly the promise of the gospel, and might put His seal on that promise. And this is God's gospel promise: to forgive our sins and give us eternal life by grace alone because of Christ's one sacrifice finished on the cross.

67. Q. Are both the word and the sacraments then intended to focus our faith on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross as the only ground of our salvation? A. Right! In the gospel the Holy Spirit teaches us and through the holy sacraments He assures us that our entire salvation rests on Christ's one sacrifice for us on the cross.

68. Q. How many sacraments did Christ institute in the New Testament? A. Two: baptism and the Lord's Supper.

My reflections on the reading from the book...

DeYoung: 

Next to the doctrine of justification by faith alone, the Reformers wrote about the sacraments more than any other issue. And while they also fought among themselves over the sacraments, the Reformers did agree on a number of key points:

• We are not saved by the sacraments but by faith alone. The sacraments are means of grace only insofar as we receive by faith the gospel truths promised in the elements.

• The number of sacraments instituted by Christ was only two: baptism (Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:38) and the Lord's Supper (1 Cor 11:23ff; Acts 2:42). The Catholic Church has five other sacraments, none of which are explicitly instituted by Christ and attached to a promise. 

• The sacraments can in no way add to or repeat Christ's one sacrifice on the cross. The sacraments do not "accomplish" anything, because Christ's work is already finished.

• The sacraments are signs and seals. They do not create faith; rather, they confirm it, make us understand the gospel promises more clearly, and assure us of our salvation. They are holy signs symbolizing the spiritual realities of the gospel, and seals reminding us of God's sure promises.

The Heidelberg Catechism goes on to demonstrate in subsequent questions/answers how the sacraments are meant to nourish our faith, strengthen us, prop us up, and assure us of God's favor.