“‘Can anyone withhold the water to baptize these people? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have!’ So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.” — Acts 10:47–48 (BSB)
“And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’” — Luke 22:19 (BSB)
“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.” — Romans 10:9–10 (BSB)
The 1662 Book of Common Prayer and Article XXV of the Thirty-Nine Articles make this distinction clear: “The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon or carried about, but that we should duly use them… Those five commonly called Sacraments… are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel.”
Canon Dr. Joel Scandrett (Trinity School for Ministry) affirms, “Salvation comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. The sacraments support and nourish that faith, but they do not replace it.” The so-called “other sacraments” are blessings given to the Church for specific situations—ordination for clergy, marriage for those called to it, confession for those burdened in conscience, and so forth.
Bishop Ray Sutton (Reformed Episcopal Church) writes, “Rites like Confirmation and Anointing are means of grace, but they are not covenantal requirements for all. One can be saved without being married, ordained, or privately absolved.”
Archbishop Foley Beach (ACNA) has said, “Salvation is in Christ alone. These rites are tools for discipleship, not hurdles for entrance into heaven.” Their value lies in their ability to build up the Church—not to define who belongs to Christ.
J.C. Ryle warned, “Let us beware of putting sacraments or ceremonies in the place of saving faith. The penitent thief had no rites, but he had Christ—and that was enough.” (Practical Religion, 1878)
Therefore, these rites are commendable and deeply meaningful when received in faith, but they are not salvific in themselves. They serve the Church; they do not save the soul. Only Christ does that.
St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407 AD): “God does not bind Himself to visible rites. He gave them for our benefit, not His. Where the heart is true, grace is present.” — Homilies on Romans, 25
St. Ambrose of Milan (c. 339–397 AD): “We are justified by faith. The sacraments nourish what faith begins, but they do not originate salvation.” — On the Sacraments, 1.3
St. Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 313–386 AD): “Let no one think himself cut off if he cannot receive all the rites. It is faith in Christ and a repentant heart that prepares the soul for eternal life.” — Catechetical Lectures, 18.24
An Anglican Catechism (Expanded) offers over 350+ Scripture-based answers to the core truths of the Christian faith. Each entry includes biblical texts, theological insight, and reflections from historic and contemporary Anglican voices. Rooted in the classical tradition, it is designed for teaching, discipleship, and spiritual formation.
An Ancient Worship Movement invites readers into the rich, historic worship of the early Church rediscovered through the Anglican tradition. This book calls believers into a deeper, Spirit-filled encounter with Christ through timeless practices.
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