WCF 29: The Lord's Supper: A Meal of Community and Unity in Fellowship and Evangelism or ( The Lord’s Supper Sacrament Number Two)

WCF 29: The Lords Supper: A Meal of Community and Unity in Fellowship and Evangelism or ( The Lord’s Supper Sacrament Number Two)

Chapter 29: Of the Lord’s Supper


29:1 Our Lord Jesus, in the night wherein He was betrayed, instituted the sacrament of His body and blood, called the Lord’s Supper, to be observed in His Church, unto the end of the world, for the perpetual remembrance of the sacrifice of Himself in His death; the sealing all benefits thereof unto true believers, their spiritual nourishment and growth in Him, their further engagement in and to all duties which they owe unto Him; and, to be a bond and pledge of their communion with Him, and with each other, as members of His mystical body (1Co_10:16, 1Co_10:17, 1Co_10:21; 1Co_11:23-26; 1Co_12:13).

29:2 In this sacrament, Christ is not offered up to His Father; nor any real sacrifice made at all for remission of sins of the quick or the dead (Heb_9:22, Heb_9:25, Heb_9:26, Heb_9:28); but only a commemoration of that one offering up of Himself, by Himself, upon the cross, once for all: and a spiritual oblation of all possible praise unto God for the same (Mat_26:26, Mat_26:27; 1Co_11:24-26): so that the Popish sacrifice of the mass (as they call it) is most abominably injurious to Christ’s one, only sacrifice, the alone propitiation for all the sins of His elect (Heb_7:23, Heb_7:24, Heb_7:27; Heb_10:11, Heb_10:12, Heb_10:14, Heb_10:18).

29:3 The Lord Jesus hath, in this ordinance, appointed His ministers to declare His word of institution to the people; to pray, and bless the elements of bread and wine, and thereby to set them apart from a common to a holy use; and to take and break the bread, to take the cup, and (they communicating also themselves) to give both to the communicants (Mat_26:26-28, and Mar_14:22-24, and Luk_22:19, Luk_22:20, with 1Co_11:23-27); but to none who are not then present in the congregation (Act_20:7; 1Co_11:20).

29:4 Private masses, or receiving this sacrament by a priest or any other alone (1Co_10:6); as likewise, the denial of the cup to the people (Mar_4:23; 1Co_11:25-29), worshipping the elements, the lifting them up or carrying them about for adoration, and the reserving them for any pretended religious use; are all contrary to the nature of this sacrament, and to the institution of Christ (Mat_15:9).

29:5 The outward elements in this sacrament, duly set apart to the uses ordained be Christ, have such relation to Him crucified, as that, truly, yet sacramentally only, they are sometimes called by the name of the things they represent, to wit, the body and blood of Christ (Mat_26:26-28) albeit in substance and nature they still remain truly and only bread and wine, as they were before (Mat_26:29; 1Co_11:26-28).

29:6 That doctrine which maintains a change of the substance of bread and wine, into the substance of Christ’s body and blood (commonly called transubstantiation) by consecration of a priest, or by any other way, is repugnant, not to Scripture alone, but even to common sense and reason; overthroweth the nature of the sacrament, and hath been, and is the cause of manifold superstitions; yea, of gross idolatries (Luk_24:6, Luk_24:39; Act_3:21 with 1Co_11:24-26).

29:7 Worthy receivers outwardly partaking of the visible elements in this sacrament (1Co_11:28), do then also, inwardly by faith, really and indeed, yet not carnally and corporally, but spiritually, receive and feed upon, Christ crucified, and all benefits of His death: the body and blood of Christ being then, not corporally or carnally, in, with, or under the bread and wine; yet, as really, but spiritually, present to the faith of believers in that ordinance, as the elements themselves are to their outward senses (1Co_10:16).

29:8 Although ignorant and wicked men receive the outward elements in this sacrament: yet they receive not the thing signified thereby, but by their unworthy coming thereunto are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord to their own damnation. Wherefore, all ignorant and ungodly persons, as they are unfit to enjoy communion with Him, so are they unworthy of the Lord’s table; and cannot, without great sin against Christ while they remain such, partake of these holy mysteries (1Co_11:27-29; 2Co_6:14-16), or be admitted thereunto (Mat_7:6; 1Co_5:6, 1Co_5:7, 1Co_5:13; 2Th_3:6, 2Th_3:14, 2Th_3:15).


Summary statements we are taught:

A. The Lord Instituted The Sacrament OF The Lord’s Supper (WCF 29.1)

B. This Sacrament Is To Administered Until The Return Of The Lord (WCF 29.1)

C. The Lord’s Supper Was Given For (WCF 29.1):

1. The Perpetual Rememberance Of His Sacriface
2. For The Sealing Of The Benefits To All Beleivers
3. For Spiritual Nourishment And Growth
4. To Engage Believers In Their Pious Duties
For A Bond And Pledge Of The Believers Communion With Christ And One Another As Members Of His Body


D. The Supper Is A Commemoration Of The One Sacrifice Of Christ (WCF 29.2)

E. The Roman Doctrine Of The Mass Is An Attack Against The One Sufficient Sacrifice Of Christ (WCF 29.2)

F. The Ordained Ministers Of Christ Are To Administer This Sacrament (WCF 29.3)

G. The Elements To Be Used Are Wine And Bread (WCF 29.3)

H. Both Clergy And Laity Are To Partake Of Both Elements (WCF 29.3)

I. The Elements Are Not To Worshipped (WCF 29.4)

J. The Understanding Of The Representational Sacrament Nature Of Christ Crucified Is Taught In This Chapter (WCF 29.5)

K. The Errors Of The Doctrines Of Transubstantiation And Consubstantiation (WCF 29.6-7)

L. The Unconverted Partaking Of The Sacrament Receives The Sign And Incur Guilt By Their Action (WCF 29.8)

M. Those Are To Be Admitted Only That Give A Credible Profession Of Faith (WCF 29.8)

WCF 28: The Scriptures Are Clear the True Church Performs Baptisms or (Baptism: Sacrament Number One)

WCF 28: The Scriptures Are Clear the True Church Performs Baptisms or (Baptism: Sacrament Number One)

Chapter 28: Of Baptism

28:1 Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ (Mat_28:19), not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible Church (1Co_12:13); but also, to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace (Rom_4:11 with Col_2:11, Col_2:12), of his ingrafting into Christ (Rom_6:5; Gal_3:27), of regeneration (Tit_3:5), of remission of sins (Mar_1:4), and of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life (Rom_6:3, Rom_6:4). Which sacrament is, by Christ’s own appointment, to be continued in His Church until the end of the world (Mat_28:19, Mat_28:20).

28:2 The outward element to be used in this sacrament is water, wherewith the party is to be baptized, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, by a minister of the Gospel, lawfully called thereunto (Mat_3:11; Mat_28:19, Mat_28:20; Joh_1:33).

28:3 Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary: but Baptism is rightly administered by pouring or sprinkling water upon the person (Mar_7:4; Act_2:41; Act_16:33; Heb_9:10, Heb_9:19-22).

28:4 Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ (Mar_16:15, Mar_16:16; Act_8:37, Act_8:38), but also the infants of one or both believing parents, are to be baptized (Gen_17:7, Gen_17:9 with Gal_3:9, Gal_3:14, and Col_2:11, Col_2:12, and Act_2:38, Act_2:39, and Rom_4:11, Rom_4:12; Mat_28:19; Mar_10:13-16; Luk_18:15; 1Co_7:14).

28:5 Although it be a great sin to contemn or neglect this ordinance (Luk_7:30 with Exo_4:24-26), yet grace and salvation are not so inseparably annexed unto it, as that no person can be regenerated or saved without it (Act_10:2, Act_10:4, Act_10:22, Act_10:31, Act_10:45, Act_10:47; Rom_4:11); or, that all that are baptized are undoubtedly regenerated (Act_8:13, Act_8:23).

28:6 The efficacy of Baptism is not tied to that moment of time wherein it is administered (Joh_3:5, Joh_3:8); yet notwithstanding, by the right use of this ordinance, the grace promised is not only offered, but really exhibited and conferred, by the Holy Ghost, to such (whether of age or infants) as that grace belongeth unto, according to the counsel of God’s own will, in His appointed time (Act_2:38, Act_2:41; Gal_3:27; Eph_5:25, Eph_5:26; Tit_3:5).

28:7 The sacrament of Baptism is but once to be administered unto any person (Tit_3:5).


Summary statements we are taught:

A. Baptism Is A Sacrament (WCF 28.1)

B. What Baptism Means (WCF 28.1)

C. The Proper Means Of Administering Baptism (WCF 28.2-3)

D. Baptism In To Be Continue In The Church Of God (WCF 28.2-4)

E. Immersion Is Not Essential To Baptism (WCF 28.3)

F. No Particular Mode Is Commanded In Scripture (WCF 28.3)

G. The Proper Subjects Of Baptism Are Believing Parents And Their Children (WCF 28.4)

H. It Is An Error To Neglect The Sacrament Of Baptism (WCF 28.5)

I. Salvation Is Not Absolutely Inseparable From Baptism (WCF 28.6)

J. Salvation Is Not Guaranteed By Baptism (WCF 28.6)

K. The Efficacy Of Baptism Is Not Tied To The Time Of The Administration Of The Baptism Performed (WCF 28.6)

L. Baptism Is To Be Administered But Once According To The Bible (WCF 28.7)

WCF 27 – Our God Works In Our Lives Through His Ordained Ways : The Sacraments Is One Of The Ways

WCF 27 – Our God Works In Our Lives Through His Ordained Ways : The Sacraments Is One Of The Ways


Chapter 27: Of the Sacraments

27:1 Sacraments are holy signs and seals of the covenant of grace (Gen_17:7, Gen_17:10; Rom_4:11), immediately instituted by God (Mat_28:19; 1Co_11:23), to represent Christ and His benefits; and to confirm our interest in Him (Gal_3:27; 1Co_10:16; 1Co_11:25, 1Co_11:26); as also, to put a visible difference between those that belong unto the Church, and the rest of the world (Gen_34:14; Exo_12:48; Rom_15:8); and solemnly to engage them to the service of God in Christ, according to His Word (Rom_6:3, Rom_6:4; 1Co_10:16, 1Co_10:21).

27:2 There is, in every sacrament, as spiritual relation, or sacramental union, between the sign and the thing signified: whence it comes to pass, that the names and the effects of the one are attributed to the other (Gen_17:10; Mat_26:27, Mat_26:28; Tit_3:5).

27:3 The grace which is exhibited in or by the sacraments rightly used, is not conferred by any power in them: neither doth the efficacy of a sacrament depend upon the piety or intention of him that doth administer it (Rom_2:28, Rom_2:29; 1Pe_3:21): but upon the work of the Spirit (Mat_3:11; 1Co_12:13), and the word of institution, which contains, together with a precept authorizing the use thereof, a promise of benefit to worthy receivers (Mat_26:27, Mat_26:28; Mat_28:19, Mat_28:20).

27:4 There be only two sacraments ordained by Christ our Lord in the Gospel; that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord: neither of which may be dispensed by any but by a minister of the Word lawfully ordained (Mat_28:19; 1Co_4:1; 1Co_11:20, 1Co_11:23; Heb_5:4).

27:5 The sacraments of the Old Testament, in regard of the spiritual things thereby signified and exhibited, were, for substance, the same with those of the New (1Co_10:1-4).

Summary statements we are taught:

A. What The Sacraments Are (Wcf 27.1)

B. Who Instated Them And How He Instituted Them (Wcf 27:1)

C. The Reason The Sacraments Were Instituted (Wcf 27.1)

D. We Are Taught What Errors To Refute – Especially Those Within The RCC Sacerdotal System (WCF 27. 2-5)

1. “The Sacraments Give Grace Through A Power Which They Possess To Sanctify The Souls Of Men As The Instruments Of God”*

2. “The One Administering A Sacrament Must Have The Intention Of Doing What The Church Does In Giving The Sacrament.”*

3. There Are Seven Sacraments:*

a. Baptism
b. Confirmation
c. Holy Eucharist
d. Penance
e. Extreme unction
f. Holy Orders
g. Matrimony

* From the RCC 1941 edition of the Baltimore Catechism

To God be the Glory!

It is always it is sad when Christians sin and fall. it is alsosad and hurts when this happens on a national level sch as has happened to Ted Haggard. However Ted is repentant and is doing works of repentance while being properly submissive to those in authority. This id what God has established and Ted indicates that he is following God's processes of Church discipline. In this Ted will be in a place of being sanctified, Christ will be honored and the people around him will certainly heal. May God continue to be glorified in this time of active progressive sanctification!