Sacred Signs

The idea that outward signs convey spiritual realities is regularly taught in the Bible. The ordinances in the New Testament are established by Jesus Christ and are observed in obedience to His command. They are rites that commemorate the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Ordinances are performed as expressions of loving obedience to Christ and underscore various aspects of the Christian’s life. The ordinance of baptism is a person’s public profession of faith and serves as an initiatory rite of entrance into the community of faith for believers. The Lord’s Supper is a continuing ordinance denoting the person’s ongoing commitment of the life to Christ and a remembrance of Christ’s Death and Resurrection until he returns.