Three sacraments – three holy acts

Sacraments are holy acts. In the Holy Scriptures, among other things, you will read “And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one” (cf. 1. John 5:8). In accordance with this sequence, the New Apostolic Church, therefore, knows three sacraments: Holy Sealing, Holy Baptism and Holy Communion.

Holy Baptism with Water

The sacrament of Holy Baptism with Water is the first and fundamental act of grace of our Triune God bestowed on a human being who believes in Christ. The act of Holy Baptism with Water includes the washing away of the original sin. In this respect, the person to be baptized has a share in Christ’s merit and experiences his first close relationship with God. He (the baptized) becomes a Christian and is thus adopted into the fellowship of those who believe in Christ and profess their faith in Him.

The Holy Baptism with Water is a first step to a renewal in the Holy Spirit. By this act, God opens the person to be baptized the way to salvation in Christ and lastly to perfect redemption.

The Christian Baptism is recognized if it was performed properly by another Christian Church, i.e. in the name of the triune name of God.

In the New Apostolic Church the Holy Baptism with Water is also dispensed to children; in this case, the parents profess their faith in Christ. This practice is based on the understanding that children must not be excluded from God’s acts of blessing, as they too are in need of the Lord’s grace.

Holy Communion

Holy Communion is a ceremony of joy and thankfulness. It commemorates the sacrificial death of the Son of God, who allowed Himself to be crucified for the sins of mankind despite His perfect innocence. Holy Communion preserves the eternal life of the soul and accords it the security of remaining in the fellowship of life with its Redeemer Jesus Christ (John 6: 51-58). The “body and blood” of Jesus are today dispensed as bread and wine in the form of a consecrated wafer. By partaking of it in faith, an individual assimilates the nature of Jesus and receives new strength to overcome everything that could be a hindrance to the eternal salvation of the soul (cf. Revelation 12: 11).

Holy Sealing

The sacrament of Holy Sealing is the dispensing of Holy Spirit. By this act the faithful is filled with Holy Spirit as a strength of God. It comes about through prayer and laying on of hands of an apostle on souls baptized with water.

The Holy Baptism with Water and the Holy Sealing conjointly constitute the rebirth out of Water and Spirit; by this the childhood in God is attained. As a child of God the reborn is entitled to become a heir of the future glory. Both acts together allow a transference to Christ. The faithful is incorporated in the body of Christ; he is a member of the Work of the Lord.

In the act of Holy Sealing, Christ enters the faithful into the Lamb’s Book of Life. He receives the purchase sign of the Lamb and is entitled to belong to the bride of Christ and to be firstfruit in the future kingdom of Christ.

In the New Apostolic Church the Holy Sealing is also dispensed to children whereby the parents must profess their faith in the doctrine of Jesus and the apostles.