1.  The function of the sacrament as theocentric

The traditional definition of a sacrament as a visible sign instituted by Christ to give grace, contains three essential Church teachings concerning the sacraments: they are signs; they were instituted by Christ; they give grace.  These statements explain each other as well as reveal the essential nature of sacraments which reassures us of God’s promises towards us. This function is specially associated with the reformers who laid particular emphasis upon faith as the human correlative to the promise of God. The reformers were deeply aware of the weakness of the falling human nature, and knew that it required considerable assurance concerning God’s love and commitment. The sacrament functions therefore to reveal the presence and action of God in His Christ. Aquinas’ treatise on the necessity of sacraments, expounds more succinctly on this matter. He explains that, the sacraments are undeniably necessary for man’s salvation for the reason that; first, man is drawn to spiritual thing only through the corporeal and sensible things; second, that man being taken up with material things cannot apply spiritual things to himself without the veil; and third, that man is consistently instructed through sensible things.

This confirms the theocentric function of the sacrament as the revelation of God, the promise of God to provide for his people a means to always reach the life of the Divine. The sacrament functions as a guide to man to receive from God’s providence the grace necessary of man’s own salvation. Through the sacrament man is not only instructed to know God, but we receive exactly what they are meant to signify, the grace of God necessary and profitable for salvation. Wherefore, Hugh of St. Victor avers that, “the sacraments were instituted because of instruction, that through that which is seen without in the sacrament, in the visible species, the human mind may be instructed to recognize the invisible virtue, which consists within the thing of the sacrament.”  The grace which the sacraments confer are from God, and the person who effects them in men is God in Christ. Therefore, the sacraments function as a revealer of the Divine life, and also as a communicator of salvific grace, that raises us to the mystery that is God. The sacraments have a divine origin and corresponding purpose or intention for their employment.  

To be continued