Ordinary Means of Grace: Introduction
“Ordinary Means of Grace, Pt. 1” is a sermon preached from Selected Scriptures, by Michael Beatty, pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in New Berlin, Wisconsin – a confessional Reformed Baptist church subscribing to the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith.
Introduction to the Series
This morning, if you have a copy of our confession with you—if not, you can look in the back of one of the Trinity Hymnals over there—I want to look at chapter 14 of our Confession of Faith. If you’re following along in the hymnal, that’s on pages 677–678.
This section of our confession, which is probably familiar to us, addresses how we typically grow in Christ. Under this “Saving Faith” section, we see something about how the Christian life begins—which we’ve seen over the last four weeks in terms of justification. We also saw last week how the moral life of the Christian changes under sanctification.
Today, I want to begin a four-week look at the means of grace—that is, the typical or ordinary ways God grows His people through the Word, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. My goal today is to give a broad, overarching overview. Over the next three weeks, we will then look in detail at:
- The Word (next week)
- Baptism
- The Lord’s Supper
So today is meant to introduce us to the topic. I don’t think there will be anything radically new for you, but I hope it will serve as a framework for what’s ahead. If you have questions, I’m happy to take extra time or even add additional weeks—especially for the Lord’s Supper, which can generate many questions.
Confession of Faith, Chapter 14, Paragraph 1
On page 677, in paragraph 1, notice what it says:
“The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts…”
This is what we have seen over the last four weeks.
It continues:
“…and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word; by which also, and by the administration of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, prayer, and other means appointed of God, it is increased and strengthened.”
For our purposes, this week and the next three weeks will focus on how faith is increased and strengthened in the believer.
Ordinary vs. Extraordinary Ways God Works
We are looking here at how faith is now increased or strengthened in the believer. This is the area we are going to focus on in our study of the Christian life—how God ordinarily works.
God can, of course, work in extraordinary ways. For instance, He could give us a particular experience with a profound impact on our lives. He could use illness, trials, or other unique circumstances to grow and mature us as Christians.
But here we are asking: What is the ordinary way God grows His people? In other words, what is the kind of pattern that happens week in and week out, beyond those extraordinary interventions?
Everything I am saying over these next few weeks should not be taken to mean that I reject the idea that God sometimes works in extraordinary ways. He does. But we cannot predict or structure our lives around those extraordinary events. Instead, we should orient ourselves around the ways God normally helps us grow in Christ.
The Objective Nature of the Means of Grace
Notice in paragraph 1 of our confession that the way faith begins in a Christian is basically the same way it is strengthened—it is through the Word.
This stands in opposition to views like baptismal regeneration, where baptism itself—apart from faith—automatically conveys saving grace. It is also different from the Roman Catholic idea of relying on the Church hierarchy, where some might say, “I don’t know, but I trust my priest—he knows,” and base their belief on his knowledge rather than their own understanding of Christ.
Instead, our confession affirms that each Christian has three components to saving faith:
- Knowledge
- Assent
- Trust
I like to remember it as “K-A-T” (though the “K” is silent).
Knowledge
We must know certain things: who Jesus is, that we are sinners, and how we cry out to Christ for salvation. Preaching is, in part, the transfer of this knowledge—declaring Christ and Him crucified.
Assent
We must agree that these things are true: Jesus really is the Son of God, He really did die on the cross, and He really did rise again on the third day.
Trust
This is the most crucial and supernatural component—what God Himself works in the heart. Trust means believing these truths are not just generally true but true for me. Jesus didn’t just die for your sins—He died for my sins. My hope rests entirely on Him.
Christ’s Work, Not Ours
Stepping back, the means of grace are not things we do to ourselves; they are what Christ does to us by His Word and Spirit. They are objective—based on His promises, not on how we feel in the moment.
Our Christian experience can have ups and downs. Some days we feel close to Christ; other days we may feel discouraged or weighed down by sin. But the truth is not based on our feelings—Christ works through His ordained means whether or not we feel it.
That’s why we must not neglect the Word or the Lord’s Supper when we are struggling. If you are a member in good standing, come to the table. Christ is at work there, and these means are for sinners like you and me.
The Word as Central to All the Means of Grace
Since the means of grace are objective, let’s consider their relationship to each other. There is a kind of hierarchy among them: the Word is always present in all of them.
Think about it:
- Baptism – We read the words of institution, such as: “Go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19–20). Or we might say, “You have been buried with Christ and raised to walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).
- The Lord’s Supper – We read from Scripture, as we did last week: “Take, eat; this is my body… Take, drink…” (1 Corinthians 11:23–25).
The Word is always present in these sacraments, and it is the Word of Christ that makes them effective. That is the objective reality behind them.
Because of this, we will start with the Word, then see how it flows into baptism and the Lord’s Supper in the weeks ahead.
Scripture Reading – 2 Corinthians 4
Let’s turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 4. I want to look at a few verses that align with our confession.
2 Corinthians 4:13 says:
“Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, ‘I believed, and so I spoke,’ we also believe, and so we also speak…”
We see here again that it is by the work of Christ in our hearts that these things are accomplished—by that same spirit of faith.
Verse 14 continues:
“…knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into His presence.”
Verse 15 adds:
“For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.”
This is the work of Christ, and it is accomplished by His Word.
Scripture Reading – Romans 10
Let’s make this even plainer by turning to Romans chapter 10.
Romans 10:14–17 describes the “chain” of belief in relation to the Word of God:
“How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (v. 14)
“…So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (v. 17)
People believe by hearing the Word of Christ—through preaching. That is how Christ normally works through the ordinary means.
Practical Application
When someone comes to me pastorally and says, “I really want to believe. What should I do?” I would say:
- Pray and ask the Lord for faith.
- Come to church—sit under the ministry of the Word.
Why? Because the Bible tells us that’s how Jesus ordinarily works. It’s not flashy or miraculous in outward appearance, but many of us were saved under the preaching of the Word.
For those of us already in Christ, this means we should come to the Word knowing that this is where Jesus strengthens our faith. That’s why our confession speaks about preparing for the Sabbath—clearing our schedule and our hearts so that we can receive the Word without distraction.
The Lord has promised to work where His Word is proclaimed—not just for the salvation of new believers, but for the strengthening of His people.
Other Means Appointed by God
Our confession of faith (Chapter 14, Paragraph 1) says that faith is “increased and strengthened” by the administration of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, prayer, and other means appointed by God.
In other words, there is a certain way God normally grows His people. It’s not a mechanical process, but it is a regular pattern—one that is objective and independent of our changing emotions.
We come to these means saying, “Lord, You have promised to work through these things. Please do so again for the sake of Christ.” That’s not presumption; it’s trust in His promises.
Ephesians 4 – Growth Through the Body of Christ
Let’s look at Ephesians chapter 4, verses 15–16, which our confession highlights:
“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”
Here we see that Christian maturity is Christ-centered—it comes from Him. So we ask: How does Jesus say He normally does that?
As we’ve already seen in Romans 10, it is through the Word. In the weeks ahead, we’ll also see it is through baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These are His promised ways of growing His people.
Guarding the Means of Grace from Human Additions
If we look over at our confession in Chapter 22, Paragraph 5, it helps us define what “other means appointed by God” really are. Sometimes that phrase can be misused. People might suggest all sorts of creative ideas for how to “help people grow,” but not all of them are biblically ordained.
For example, I’ve seen services where someone rides a motorcycle onto the stage or where they have a “powerlifting hour” as part of worship. That may draw a crowd, but that is not what our confession means by “other means appointed by God.”
Confession of Faith – Chapter 22, Paragraph 5
Here’s what our confession actually says:
“The reading of the Scriptures, preaching and hearing the Word of God, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord; as also the administration of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, are all parts of the religious worship of God, to be performed in obedience to Him, with understanding, faith, reverence, and godly fear. Moreover, solemn humiliation with fastings and thanksgivings upon special occasions ought to be used in a holy and religious manner.”
So, the “other means” are not a blank check for anything we think might work. They are specific, biblically commanded elements of worship:
- Reading Scripture
- Preaching and hearing the Word
- Singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
- Administering baptism and the Lord’s Supper
- Praying together
- Observing special occasions of fasting or thanksgiving in appropriate situations (e.g., after a national tragedy or in times of urgent need)
Conclusion and Preview
In short, the means of grace are very specific, and they center on the public worship of God, especially on the Lord’s Day.
In the weeks ahead, we will examine each of these in detail:
- The Word – How God uses His Word to create and strengthen faith
- Baptism – Its meaning, purpose, and role in the believer’s life
- The Lord’s Supper – How it nourishes and confirms faith
These are the things Christ has promised to use to grow His people. If we want to grow in Christ, why would we not orient our lives around them?
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