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cmbertrand
Guest
I would like to be able to explain this to others, so can someone give me a formal answer? Why do we, as Catholics, beleive that the Sacraments are necessary?
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elvisman
Guest
**Because the Church teaches that they are. **
Also because, as based in Scripture, they are necessary.
Is there any one Sacrament in particular that you have an issue with?
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cmbertrand
Guest
Well, no I do not have issues with any. I know and firmly beleive that they are necessary. I would just like to be able to support my beleif with a good explanation as to why that is so.
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xformer7
Guest
They are the only means we have to receive sanctifying grace.
We are cut off from a share in God’s life without them. (Unless you were immaculately conceived and remain sinless throughout your life)
We are cut off from a share in God’s life without them. (Unless you were immaculately conceived and remain sinless throughout your life)
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elvisman
Guest
Jesus gave them for us as a means of grace and to strenghthen us.
Here are some passages that illustrate the necessity of the Sacraments.
Baptism
**JOHN 3:5
Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
MARK 16:16
****“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”
**
**GALATIANS 3:27
****“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
**
1 PETER 3:21
“Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you**, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,**
**ACTS 22:16
**“And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’”
Holy Communion
John 6:53-56
**"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. **
**Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. **
**Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. **
1 Cor. 11:23-25
**For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, **
**and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” **
**In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” **
Reconciliation
John 20:21-23
(Jesus) said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” **
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven**** them, and whose sins you retain are retained." **
Matt. 18:17-18
“If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. **
Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven****, and whatever you loose**** on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”**
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Philthy
Guest
The Sacrament of Baptism washes away our sins and brings us into eternal life. It is the “bath of rebirth and renewal” (Titus 3:5), how we are “born again”(John3:5). In the event that we are subsequently “cut off” from the vine (Christ) through mortal sin (knowingly and freely choosing self over God in a situation involving grave matter), the Sacrament of Reconciliation restores us to the life of grace. The remainder of the Sacraments allow us to remain in a state of grace to ensure that we will “persevere to the end” in that state and “be saved”(Mark13:13; Mat 24:13). God “is faithful and will not let us be tried beyond our strength, but with the trial he will provide a way out” (1Cor 10:13) so that we will not be overpowered by Satan. The primary Sacrament to empower us to choose God over self is the Eucharist…Christ - body, blood, soul and divinity.
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RosaryFan
Guest
Sacraments are outward signs instituted by God to give grace. Grace is an absolute necessity for our salvation. Without grace, there is no salvation.
This is how I explain it to my 7 year old daughter…
The 7 sacraments are “tools” given to us by God. Tools are necessary for getting a job done. What is our job as human beings? As human beings our ONLY job is to get to heaven. Jesus gave us 7 tools for the job. The more we utilize the tools, the easier the job is. Again, what is the job? Getting to heaven.
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WMM
Guest
Baptism is necessary to initiate the person into the Church, the body of Christ.
The other sacraments are conduits of grace.
Confirmation is really a completion of baptism, a baptism “of the Holy Spirit”.
The Eucharist is the greatest of the sacraments, Jesus gives himself to us as a spiritual food - “living bread”.
Reconciliation offers us an opportunity to be forgiven from mortal sins after baptism.
It is not necessary for everyone to receive all seven sacraments; in fact very few people have that opportunity.
God love you.
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mdcpensive1
Guest
Why are Sacraments necessary? Because they convey Christ to us. The Sacraments are Christ’s tools for giving us the Graces necessary to be Holy. The more grace we get, they more Holiness we have within us. This Holiness is the life of Christ in us. This is why they are necessary.
This also makes us as Catholics more responsible. Those who have been given much, much is expected. Christ wants us to be with Him, so He gave us the means to receive His life into our souls. By making use of the Sacraments and being disposed to receive the Graces, we come into more of a wonderful relationship with Him and the Trinity. They are God’s actions for our behalf if we are ready to receive them.
mdcpensive1
This also makes us as Catholics more responsible. Those who have been given much, much is expected. Christ wants us to be with Him, so He gave us the means to receive His life into our souls. By making use of the Sacraments and being disposed to receive the Graces, we come into more of a wonderful relationship with Him and the Trinity. They are God’s actions for our behalf if we are ready to receive them.
mdcpensive1
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BootCampJr
Guest
The Sacraments are what bind our lives and our wills to God. The Sacraments deepen our relationship with God, and bring us closer to him.
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cmbertrand
Guest
I want to thank all of you for your replies. May God bless you all 
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WMM
Guest
If they were not necessary, Jesus would not have instituted them.
If you want more information the sacraments and their Biblical support, please visit
catholic-convert.com/Portals/0/SacramentChart.pdf
God love you.
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guanophore
Guest
No, they are not. God is not bound by the Sacraments. God can dispense His grace whereever and however He wants. The Sacraments are gifts He has given to the church, and are a normative and sure means whereby we can receive His grace.
God can save without baptism, just as He saved those of the OT prior to the institution of baptism. He has commanded baptism, and we follow His commandment, trusting in His grace. Those who have not received this commandment, though, we entrust to His mercy.
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WMM
Guest
True. God can do anything.
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guanophore
Guest
I have an exercise for you that might help. Was it “necessary” for jesus to use mud to heal the eyes of the blind man?
John 9:5-8
6 As he said this, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man’s eyes with the clay, 7 saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Silo’am” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.
Was it 'necessary" for the man to wash in the pool?
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