Signs & Seals

WCF 27:1 “Sacraments are holy signs and seals of the covenant of grace.”

A sacrament “is an external sign, by which the Lord seals on our consciences his promises of good-will toward us, in order to sustain the weakness of our faith, and we in turn testify our piety towards him, both before himself and before angels as well as men” Calvin’s Institutes, 4.14.1

“A sacrament is a visible sign and seal of the Covenant of Grace, instituted by God to display Christ in His suffering and death to believers, and to seal them that they are partakers of Christ and His merits.” Wilhelmus a Brakel

I: THE SACRAMENTS ARE SIGNS

A sign is an ___________ or an _______________ that conveys a meaning

A: Miracles as Signs (Exo. 3:12, Jn. 3:2) 

B: Covenant Signs (Exo. 31:13, Matt. 26:26-28)

C: A Sign to God

Genesis 9:13-16 ... " I will remember My covenant … 16 "The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant …”

God established the sign for both __________________ in the 	Covenant. 

Emphasized in the Passover (Exo. 12:13, 23) 

II: THE SACRAMENTS ARE SEALS

A: A seal ________________ or __________________ something. 

B: What comes 1st? The Sign or the Reality?

Before the sign, Abraham had the ___________________ of faith.

Conclusion