Christians believe that there are sacraments that one has to go through for one to be considered sacred. Many churches such as the Pentecostal churches in Lexington KY practice these sacraments. As the word suggests, sacramentum is a Latin word which means a sign of the sacred. These signs are significant for Christians and are considered special as they allow one to experience God’s saving presence. The seven sacraments of a catholic are the following: Baptism, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders and Anointing of the Sick. This article will not discuss each but will look in depth at Baptism, Eucharist and Marriage.
The word baptism came from the Greek word baptisma which simply means washing. Baptism is when a child is symbolically washed with holy water representing him / her being born into the Christian world and washing away their sins. The usual form of baptism is for the candidate to be immersed underwater – which represents being born again as a Christian but this ritual is normally done only if the candidate is not a baby in which case the water is either sprinkled or poured onto their heads.
Eucharist or communion is a representation of the Lord’s supper, which is one of the sacraments being celebrated in the early life. It is when the candidate receives the body and blood of Christ in the form of bread and wine – there are other stages of the tradition but the ceremony generally includes partaking bread and wine (which could also be grape juice in certain cases) as a symbol of receiving God. This is done normally during services in churches such as the Pentecostal churches in Lexington KY.
Marriage, also called Holy Matrimony is one of the sacraments wherein one gives oneself totally to another person under the name of God. It is said in Ephesians 5:31 to 32 that “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh” which is a representation of the union of man and woman to become husband and wife under God’s name. This holy sacrament is usually done in churches, as well as in the Pentecostal churches in Lexington KY.
Although it is believed that such sacraments are a path for one to achieve sacredness, it is still more important to continuously follow God’s teachings, keep on believing on him, pray and follow him for as much as you can.