Just happened to be in the etherhood and caught what you said. Trevin’s remarks address part of what you said.

I do not know of any verse that says that the Word creates saving grace. He does, but I do not know of a verse that states it like that. However, the preached word is not the Word and even though faith comes by hearing, that is its real time “declarative” experience, not it spiritual time “actual” reality. You experience the effects of your salvation through the preaching of the word, and you are right it is the Word that creates it in you. But, the creation of faith (see Calvin, books iii and iv on a good indepth definition) is not an occurance that can be observed, John 3. There is no doubt that the Word says “hear” and we hear. However, before that can happen we must be born again, and that cannot happen except that we received the grace of faith.

To your point: Actions speak louder than words. Parables are word pictures. The pictures speak louder than the words that describe it. The act of communion in it protrayal speaks the Gospel. You cannot divided the doing from the word. The grace gift of communion itself is a devotive act bestowed upon the believer. Actions of obedience in the word of God carry their own merit. Not that we merit it, but that the act is prompted by the HS and is empowerd by him for our edification. Each act of obedience the word of God says, that the Lord will not forget our labors for they are not in vain. Think of this as it concerns baptism, the LS, worship in any form of sacrement, the preaching of the word, even deeds, it all impartst grace to the hearer. The only ones that can hear are those who are his sheep. But as Christ said, hearing is seeing, seeing is believing and believing is by grace.

You state that the “sacraments” ‘impart a strengthening grace, not a saving grace, much like hearing the Word of God preached.’

Does not faith come by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God? The Scriptures teach that the Word creates saving faith. By extension the sacramental churches teach that when the Word is attached to a visible/ material element(water, wine, bread) according to Christ’s command, saving grace is conferred also. There is no scriptural support for two different kinds of ‘grace’ in the Word as opposed to the sacrament.

I would agree that there are other aspects of life and worship that are sacramental. Surely it’s unwise to limit the “means of grace.” But as far as the church’s “sacraments/ordinances” go – there are only two commanded by Jesus. Grudem’s chapter in Systematic Theology on “Means of Grace within the Church” is helpful in this regard.

In your definition of sacrament, then what aspects of worship aren’t sacramental? What aspects can’t or aren’t used by God as means of strengthening grace?

Baptists are clearly sacramental. Look at their whack theology of “come to the altar and pray.” What are they even talking about?

Our desire to locate grace in places and things, rather than entirely in Christ and the mediation of the spirit in whatever he chooses, is problematic. God works with it, but we’re a mess because we get really sloppy on “how do we connect with God.” There’s one mediator, and the LS preaches and presents him. As does anything that has the Gospel in it.