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1. Norman Geisler
Systematic Theology
Chapter 74
“The Ordinances of the Visible
Church”
PowerPoint Presentation created by Mark E. Hardgrove, Ph.D.,
D.Min.

2. The Ordinances
 Some (Bullingerites) say there are no continuing
ordinances in the church.
 Others (ultradispensationalists; Bereans) claim
there is one.
 Most Protestants say there are two.
 Roman Catholics insist there are seven.
 In addition, Catholics consider the ordinances to
be a cause of grace.
 Anglicans and Lutherans view them as a means
of grace.
 Others, Baptists, Pentecostals, Nazarines, etc.,
believe they are a symbol of grace.

3. The Roman Catholic View of
Sacraments
The Council of Trent (1545-1563) proclaimed in
general that “if any one shall say that the sacraments
of the New Law were not all instituted by Jesus Christ
our Lord . . . Let him be anathema.” This
excommunication includes almost all Protestants,
because there adhere to less than seven sacraments.
~ Geisler

4. The Nature of the Sacraments
 The word sacrament means a sacred or
holy thing.
 It is not merely a sign, but a cause of
grace.
 A thing perceptible to the senses, which
on the grounds of Divine institution
prossesses the power of effecting and
signifying sanctity and righteousness.
 It is anathema to claim that grace is not
conferred from the work which has been
worked.

5. The Function of the Sacraments
 Outward sign that the inner workings of God’s
grace occur.
 The sacraments “contain” the grace which
they signify.
 The sacraments or effective objectively,
whether or not their efficacy is felt subjectively.
 Sacraments confer grace immediately, without
mediation of ficudial faith.
 Sacraments operate by the power of the
completed rite.
 Sacraments move God to bestow grace
through the sacrament.

6. The Necessity of the Sacraments
 The purpose of the sacrament is to
bestow the grace of God through the
Roman Catholic Church to its recipient
in seven stages from birth to death.

7. The Number of the Sacraments
The Council of Trent proclaimed that there are
seven sacraments:
1. Baptism
2. Confirmation
3. The Eucharist
4. Penance
5. Extreme Unction
6. Holy Order
7. Matrimony

8. Administration of the Sacraments
 Except for Baptism and Matrimony, a
special priestly or episcopal power
conferred by the Holy Order, is
necessary for the valid ministration of
the Sacraments.
 Only human beings are valid recipients
of sacraments, and, “excepting the
Sacrament of Penance, neither orthodox
belief nor moral worthiness is necessary
for the validity of the Sacrament, on the
part of the recipient.”

9. Catholic Defense of 7
Sacraments
Acknowledging that the Bible and Church Father do
not agree on the enumeration of the seven
sacraments, the Catholic scholars seek to defend
them on these grounds:
 Theologically: They claim that they have existed
since the 12th century. Later confirmed that it was
from the 13th century.
 Historically: The Greek-Orthodox church, the
nestorian and monophysite sects of the fifth century
held to the 7-fold number.
 Speculatively: It is argued that the number 7 of the
Sacraments flows from the analogy of the natural
life of the body.

10. Two Important Sacraments
On the two sacraments that Catholics and
Protestants agree on, Baptism and
Eucharist (The Lord’s Supper), there are
differences on the nature of the sacraments.

11. The Sacrament of Baptism
 The Council of Trent declared that baptism
must be administered with water.
 Catholics argue that even baptism done by
heretics (Protestant and others) in the name
of the Trinity is valid.
 Denial of infant baptism is heresy.
 Baptism confers the grace of justification.
 Baptism is a one and for all act, not to be
repeated.

12. The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist
 Catholics argue that the bread and wine
are literally transformed into the body
and blood of Christ. This is known as
transubstantiation.
 As such, it is deemed appropriate to
“worship” the consecrated elements as
God.
 This view is based primarily on the
words of Jesus at the Last Supper: “This
is my body” (Matt. 26:26; cf. 1 Cor.
11:24).

13. Protestant Response to the
Catholic View of Sacraments

14. Response regarding the Number of
Sacraments
 The Bible does not summarize the
Sacraments in the figure seven.
 No formal enumeration of seven
Sacraments is found in the Church
Fathers.
 It cannot be shown that any one of the
seven Sacraments was at any particular
time instituted by a Council, a Pope, a
Bishop or a Community.
 Nowhere does the Bible teach that
marriage, penance, and confirmation are

15. Response Regarding the Nature and
Necessity of the Sacraments
 Baptismal regeneration is contrary to grace, which
precludes works.
 Baptismal regeneration is contrary to the need for
faith. The Bible consistently maintains that faith
alone is the condition for receiving God’s gift of
salvation.
 Baptismal regeneration is contrary to Paul’s
teaching. “God did not send me to baptize, but to
preach the gospel” (1 Cor. 1:17).
 “Baptism of Desire” proves that baptism is not
essential. Even Catholics state that one can be
saved if the desire to be baptized was present but
the opportunity was not.

16. Response to Transubstantiation
 It is not necessary to take some phrases
literally— “I am the vine” (Jn. 15:1); “I am the
gate” (Jn. 10:9); “this is my body” (Matt. 13:11).
 It is not plausible to take Jesus’ words literally.
Vivid phrases are no proof of their literalness,
any more than God is literally a rock (Ps. 18:2),
a bird (Ps. 63:7), a tower (Prov. 18:10), and so
forth.
 It is not possible to consistently take a physical
view. Jesus was right in front of them handing
them the elements.
 It is idolatrous to worship the elements.

17. Response to Transubstantiation
 Transubstantiation undermines belief in the
resurrection.
 The mass shows no evidence of being a miracle.
The Catholics claim it is a miracle, but if Mass is
a miracle, then virtually any natural empirical
event could also be a miracle, and if this is true,
then nothing is a miracle, since nothing is
unique.
 The problem with viewing the Eucharist as a
bloodless sacrifice. It diminishes the sacrifice on
the cross.
 The multilocality of Christ’s physical body. To
argue for the actual presence of the Lord’s body

18. The View That There Are No
Ordinances

19. The View of No Ordinances
 Salvation Army, under Booth adopted a
nondenominational policy; while he drew
criticism for observing no sacraments, he
“denied he was against them.”
 The Bullinger View, E. W. Bullinger, a noted
Greek scholar and father of
ultradispensationalism, which contends that
true church did not appear until Paul’s
prison epistles and thus were not
commanded to observe the sacraments,
which are not mentioned in the prison
epistles.

20. Response to No-Ordinance View
 In truth Booth did not reject the ordinances, but he
omitted them on pragmatic grounds, seeing them as an
endless source of conflict.
 Bullinger, on the other hand, argued: 1)The Christian
church did not begin until after Acts 28, therefore
baptism and the Lord’s Supper do not apply to the
church; 2) there are no references to water baptism in
any epistle written after this time.
 In response to Bullinger, the first argument is at best an
argument from silence and therefore very weak. Second,
Paul alludes to baptism as burial in later epistles. Third, it
can be demonstrated that the church existed prior to
Acts 28. Fourth, this view engages in distinctions without
real differences. Finally, this view misses the whole
point of Acts 10 where Peter called the Gentiles to be

21. The Berean View (One
Ordinance)
 This is the view of the
ultradispensationalists, which claims that
there is only one ordinance for the
church—the Lord’s Supper.
 This view holds that the church began
sometime between Acts 9 and 13.
 They believe they can avoid Bullinger-related
criticisms and retain the Lord’s
Supper without hold to water baptism.

22. The Berean View (Response)
First, it is an argument from silence.
Second, it makes distinctions without real differences.
Third, the position that the church did not exist before
Paul is erroneous.
Fourth, the church existed at least from the time the
Holy Spirit baptized people into Christ’s body at
Pentecost.
Fifth, water baptism took place after Acts 9-13
Sixth, confuses OT prophesies that Gentiles would be
blessed with there being to predictions as to how
they would be on the same level, soteriologically, as
the Jews.
Seventh,claims that there are different gospels

23. Protestant Views on the
Ordinances

24. Differences Concerning Baptism
1. There are differences over mode of baptism.
Some believe the correct method is immersion
while others by effusion (sprinkling or
pouring).
2. There differences over the candidate for
baptism. Some insist that candidate must be
a believer, while others baptize infants.
3. There are differences over the efficacy of
baptism. Some hold to baptismal
regeneration, while others do not. Some see
baptism as symbolic, while others see it as a
means of grace.

25. Differences Concerning the Lord’s
Supper
 Protestants differ in the nature, number,
participation and effect regarding the Lord’s
Supper.
 Roman Catholicism claims that the bread
and wine become the body and blood of
Christ (transubstantiation).
 Protestants hold two other primary views
(consubstantiation and memorial).
 Catholics view the Eucharist is a means of
grace.
 Nonsacramentalists insist it is a symbol of

26. The Ordinance of Baptism

27. The Command to Be Baptized
Jesus commanded it in Matthew 28:18-
20
All authority in heaven and on earth has
been given to me. Therefore go and
make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and
teaching to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with
you always, to the very end of the age.

28. The Command to Be Baptized
Not only did Jesus command it, but His disciples
practiced it:
Peter: Acts 2:38; 10:47
Paul: Acts 19:1-6; 22:16
Phillip: Acts 8:27-40

29. The Command to Be Baptized
The debate on baptism falls into two basic
categories:
Pedobaptists (lit.: “child-baptizers”)
Anabaptists (lit.: “rebaptizers”)

30. The Argument for Infant Baptism
Baptism is like the OT circumcision
(performed on infants).
 Proponents of this view appeal to
Colossians 2:11-12.
 However: 1) the text says nothing about
baptizing infants, 2) only males were
circumcised in he OT, 3) the text mentions
faith as the means by which one is saved.
Faith is the only means of salvation and
infants are not old enough to “believe.”

31. The Argument for Infant Baptism
There were many household baptisms in the
NT.
 Four times the NT mentions whole households
being baptized. A household would normally
include infants.
 However: 1) the text does not say infants were
baptized, there is evidence in the passages that
no infants were baptized, 3) Lydia was a single
woman and virtuous, she had no children.
 All that support infant baptism must argue from
silence, which is a weak argument at best.

32. The Argument for Infant Baptism
Every instance of NT baptism is of an
adult.
Belief is a condition for being baptized,
and infants are not able to
comprehend faith, or to believe.
Baptism is an outward symbol of an
inner reality, therefore one must
believe and be saved before being
baptized.

33. The Mode of Baptism
 Argument for Pouring: Sprinkling or pouring
symbolizes the acts of salvation as in sprinkling
the blood on our souls or pouring the Holy Spirit
in our lives. Acts 1-2 indicates that baptism is
symbolized by pouring. Peter said in Acts 2:17
(quoting Joel), “I will pour out my Spirit on all
people.”
 Response: Early believers were also immersed
in the Spirit, since Luke says the room was “filled”
with the Spirit’s presence (2:4).

34. The Mode of Baptism
 Argument for Sprinkling: Sprinkling was a
common figure of salvific speech under both
covenants. Heb. 12:24 states, “Jesus [is] the
mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled
blood that speaks a better word than the blood of
Abel.”
 Response: Salvation is sometimes symbolized
by sprinkling; however, water baptism never uses
this symbol in the NT, and two, death and
resurrection are at the heart of the gospel (1 Cor.
15:3-5), which is best symbolized by immersion
(Rom. 6:4).

35. The Mode of Baptism
 Argument for Sprinkling: Isaiah speaks of
sprinkling many nations (Isa. 52:15), which is the
passage the Ethiopian eunuch was reading when
eventually Philip baptized him (Acts 8:36).
 Response: The better translation for the word in
Isaiah is “startle” and not “sprinkle.” Also, neither
Luke (the author of Acts), Philip, or the Ethiopian
make the connection between his baptism and
text of Isaiah.

36. The Mode of Baptism
 Argument favoring baptism by immersion:
 Jesus was baptized by immersion— “He went up
out of the water” (Matt. 3:16).
 John baptized where there was much water—
John 3:23
 The Eunuch’s baptism was by immersion—”came
up out of the water” (Acts 8:39).
 The Early Church baptismal tanks support
immersion
 The Greek word baptizo found in the New
Testament means "to immerse."

37. The Mode of Baptism—
Exceptions to Immersion
The Didache was written around A.D. 70 and,
though not inspired, is a strong witness to the
sacramental practice of Christians in the apostolic
age. In the 7th chapter, the Didache reads,
"Concerning baptism, baptize in this manner:
Having said all these things beforehand, baptize in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit in living water [that is, in running water,
as in a river]. If there is no living water, baptize in
other water; and, if you are not able to use cold
water, use warm. If you have neither, pour water
three times upon the head in the name of the
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." [Note that

38. Views On The Lord’s Supper

39. Five ways to understand Jesus’
words, “This is my body . . .”
1. Transubstantianally/physically (Roman
Catholic)
2. Really/actually (Eastern Orthodox)
3. Consubstantially/permeationally
(Lutheran)
4. Spiritually/dynamically (Reformed)
5. Symbolically/memorially
(Zwinglian/Baptist)

40. Roman Catholic View
 The official Catholic view—
transubstantiation—affirms that the
elements of bread and wine are
transformed, under priestly
administration, into the actual body and
blood of Jesus.

41. Lutheran View
 Lutherans adopt the consubstantiation
view that Christ’s actual body is in and
under the elements, penetrating in the
same way that fire penetrates metal. It
is not that the bread and wine have
become Christ’s body and blood, but
that they are the body and blood in
addition to the bread and wine. Like
Catholics, Lutherans believe that the
sacrament is a means of grace.

42. Reformed View
 The Reformed view is that the bread
and wine spiritually contain the body and
blood of Christ; He is found in the
sacrament in a spiritual, dynamic sense
rather than through physically or bodily
presence. The elements signify the
body and blood of Christ, and they seal
the believe with the assurances of God’s
promises. The elements do not impart
grace, but they elicit faith which
appropriates God’s benefits.

43. Memorial View
 Expressed by Reformation leader Ulrich
Zwingli, this view is that the Lord’s
Supper is a memorial (symbolic) act
which commemorates the death of
Christ. Those who hold this view prefer
to use the term ordinance rather than
sacrament.
 Symbolically, the value lies in simply
receiving by faith the benefits of Christ’s
death. It is a visual reminder of the life
and sacrifice of Christ for sinners.

44. Evaluation of these views
The Roman Catholic view is unfounded
because:
 It is not necessary to take the words of
Jesus literally
 It is not plausible to take the words of Jesus
physically
 It is not possible to take a physical view
 It is idolatrous to take a physical view
 It undermines belief in the Resurrection to
take the physical view.

45. Evaluation of these views
The Lutheran view is not much better:
 How could Christ by physically with them in
a human body, and also be in the bread
and wine?
 How could two material substances be
simultaneously in two places?
 In Paul’s account of the Lord’s Supper he
says nothing about Christ’s presence in the
elements.

46. Evaluation of these views
The Reformed view:
 Cannot be referring to Christ’s omnipresence
as God, for in that sense He is everywhere.
 Cannot mean He is spiritually there in His
human nature.
 Cannot mean that He is automatically there in
a spiritual way to bless those present, for only
those who participate by faith in a worthy
manner have this experience.
 Therefore, the elements symbolize the sacrifice
of Christ and the presence of Christ is
dependant upon the faith of the recipient.

47. Efficacy of the Ordinance
Sacrament versus Ordinance
 Views claiming Jesus is present in the
elements are sacramental; they hold that
the elements are a means of grace.
 This is contrary to the claim of the passage,
“Do this in remembrance of me” and “you
proclaim the Lord’s death” (1 Cor. 11:24, 26)
 Communion’s efficacy did not depend on the
elements or the ritual but on the faith and
reception of the participant.

48. Biblical Basis for the Lord’s Supper
Matthew 26:26-28
26 And as they were eating, Jesus took
bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to
the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is
My body.”
27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks,
and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it,
all of you. 28 For this is My blood of the
new covenant, which is shed for many for
the remission of sins.”

49. Biblical Basis for the Lord’s Supper
1 Corinthians 11:23-31
23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you:
that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed
took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and
said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do
this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took
the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in
My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance
of Me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you
proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord
in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the
Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the
bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an
unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not
discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and

50. An Outline of the Biblical Data on
Communion
The Names of Communion
A. The Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:20)
B. The Lord’s Table (10:21)
C. Communion (10:16)
D. Eucharist (“Thanksgiving,” 11:24)
The Elements of Communion
A. Bread (“This is my body,” 11:24)
B. The Cup (11:25)
C. Cup of blessing (10:16)
D. Cup of the Lord (10:21)
The Participants in
Communion
A. Believers (“My brethren,” 11:33)
B. Those who “examine” themselves
(11:27-28)
The Location of Communion
A. “When you come together in one
place” (11:20, NKJV)
B. “When you come together as a
The Frequency of
Communion
A. The early church: daily (Acts 2:46)
B. The later church: weekly (Acts
20:7)
C. Any church: “As oft as you do it” (1
Cor.11:26)
The Meaning: It is a . . .
A. Remembrance service (11:24)
B. Communion service (10:16)
C. Covenantal service (11:25; cf.
Mat. 26:28)
D. Fellowship service (11:18; 11:33)
E. Thanksgiving service (11:24)
F. Proclamation service (11:26)
G. Anticipation service (11:26)

51. Feetwashing as a Sacrament—John 13
For more information on this subject refer to the work of J. Christopher
Thomas, Footwashing in John 13 and the Johannine Community, Sheffield,
England: Sheffield Academic Press , 1992.

52. John 13
 Though not discussed by Geisler, there are several
groups that observe feet washing as an ordinance of
the church.
 Jesus told Peter, “If I do not wash you, you have no
part with me” (v. 8b).
 Peter immediately submitted and offered his head
and hands as well, to which Jesus said, “He who is
bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is
completely clean. . . .” (v. 10a).
J. Chris Thomas notes that the words of Jesus carry
spiritual significance. If Peter did not submit his
relationship with Jesus would be over. Jesus didn’t
want to give him a bath, because Peter had already

53. John 13
Thomas notes that the account of the feet washing is
found in John’s Gospel where we would expect to
find the Lord’s Supper. He argues that this is for
theological purposes, intending to commend this act
as an ordinance in the church on the same level as
the Lord’s Supper.
After washing the disciples’ feet Jesus says, “Do you
know what I have done to you? You call me
Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I
then, your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet,
you also ought to wash one another’s feet. Four I
have given you an example, that you should do as I
have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a
servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who
is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know

54. John 13
Thomas asks what more could Jesus have said to
indicate that we, the church, should “do” this, that is,
wash one another’s feet.
From a sacramental point of view, what is the
symbolic value of this act as it related to salvation?
It is not, says Thomas, merely an example of
servanthood, but from a sacramental perspective, it
symbolizes something related to salvation.
What? Go back to Jesus’ words to Peter. “He who
bathed needs only to wash his feet.” Thomas
argues that bathing is a reference to baptism, and
that the dirty feet represent that fact that even
believers sometimes sin. Do they need to be
rebaptised every time they fail? No, the blood of
Jesus continues to cleanses us from all

55. Denominations that Observe
Foot Washing as an Ordinance
Many Baptists observe the literal washing of feet
as a third ordinance. The communion and foot
washing service is practiced regularly by members
of the Separate Baptists in Christ, General
Association of Baptists, Free Will Baptists,
Primitive Baptists, Union Baptists, Old Regular
Baptist, and Christian Baptist Church of God. In
addition to the Church of God (Cleveland, TN),
Church of God in Christ, and Brethren in Christ.
Feet washing is also practiced as a third ordinance
by many United Baptists, General Baptists,
Independent Baptists and Pentecostals.

56. To purchase Thomas’ book:
Footwashing in John Thirteen and the Johannic
Community
Author: John Christopher Thomas
Format: Hardcover Publish
Date: February 1992
ISBN-10: 1850753083
ISBN-13: 9781850753087
http://www.allbookstores.com/Footwashing-John-Thirteen-Johannic-
Community/9781850753087