Heidelberg Catechism: Lord’s Day 25

The Catechism now shifts to explore the means God uses to create and sustain faith in the hearts of His people. The answer is not mystery or mood. It’s the Word of God, preached and received. It’s the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, visible signs of invisible grace.

Faith is not something we work up. It is something God works in us. And He does it through means that are concrete, consistent, and clear.

Question 65

It is by faith alone that we share in Christ and all His benefits. Where then does that faith come from?
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.¹

¹ Romans 10:17; 1 Corinthians 1:21; 1 Corinthians 10:16

Question 66

What are sacraments?
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 seal that promise.

And this is God’s gospel promise:
to grant us forgiveness of sins and eternal life
by grace alone
because of Christ’s one sacrifice finished on the cross.²

² Genesis 17:11; Deuteronomy 30:6; Romans 4:11; Hebrews 9:8–9, 24; Ezekiel 20:12

Question 67

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?
Yes.

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.³

³ Romans 6:3; 1 Corinthians 11:26; Galatians 3:27

Question 68

How many sacraments did Christ institute in the New Testament?
Two: holy baptism and the holy supper.⁴

⁴ Matthew 28:19–20; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26

Faith Comes from the Word

Faith is not something we invent. It is not a feeling we chase or a leap we take. It is a gift that comes through hearing the gospel.

The Catechism reminds us that the Holy Spirit produces faith by the preaching of the Word. That is why the faithful proclamation of Scripture remains central in the life of the church. Not because preaching entertains or informs, but because God uses it to call dead hearts to life and living hearts to grow.

Every time the gospel is preached, Christ is held out to us again. And by hearing Him, we believe.

Sacraments or Ordinances?

Our church, as part of the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA), typically refers to baptism and the Lord’s Supper as ordinances. That word highlights the fact that these are practices Christ ordained for His church. They are acts of obedience that point us to the gospel.

The Heidelberg Catechism uses the older term sacraments. That word, historically, has meant “sacred signs” or “pledges.” But it’s important to understand how the Reformers, including those behind the Heidelberg, used the word. They firmly rejected sacerdotalism—the idea that grace is dispensed mechanically through rituals or priests. Instead, they taught that the sacraments do not convey grace in themselves, but point us to the grace already secured in Christ.

In other words, the Heidelberg’s view of baptism and the Lord’s Supper is fully consistent with gospel-centered, evangelical theology. These are not means of earning grace, but reminders and confirmations of it. They nourish faith, not replace it. They strengthen assurance, not add to salvation.

Whether we call them sacraments or ordinances, what matters most is what they point to: Christ crucified and risen, once for all.

Christ Alone, Start to Finish

The Catechism leaves no room for confusion. Both Word and sacrament are aimed at one thing—the sacrifice of Christ. The Spirit uses both to remind us, again and again, that our hope rests not in ourselves but in Him.

That is why the church gathers to hear the Word and observe the sacraments (or ordinances). Not out of tradition or routine, but because these are the means God has chosen to nourish our faith.

And that is a comfort. Because it means your faith does not depend on your ability to hold on, but on the Spirit’s work through the Word, and the grace that Christ has already secured.

A Closing Prayer

Gracious God, thank You that faith is not something I must manufacture, but something You give. Thank You for speaking through Your Word and confirming Your promises through baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Help me to never grow bored with the gospel, but to hear it again and again with fresh gratitude. Let Your Spirit keep working in me as I hear, remember, and receive. Make my faith strong—not in itself, but in Christ who saves. Help me live each day nourished by Your truth and grounded in Your grace. Amen.

Daily Bible Readings

New Testament in a Year
June 22 – John 20:19–31
June 23 – John 21:1–25
June 24 – Acts 1:1–26
June 25 – Acts 2:1–21
June 26 – Acts 2:22–47
June 27 – Acts 3:1–26
June 28 – Acts 4:1–22

The Bible in a Year
June 22 – Esther 1–2; John 20:19–31
June 23 – Esther 3–5; John 21:1–25
June 24 – Esther 6–8; Acts 1:1–26
June 25 – Esther 9–10; Acts 2:1–21
June 26 – Job 1–2; Acts 2:22–47
June 27 – Job 3–4; Acts 3:1–26
June 28 – Job 5–7; Acts 4:1–22