Renewing Your Mind Sacraments
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May 8, 2026 
R.C. Sproul, renowned Reformed theologian and founder of Ligonier Ministries, walks through the seven Roman Catholic sacraments. He contrasts faith-based justification with sacramental systems. He explains ex opere operato, historical reasons for seven sacraments, and how baptism, penance, matrimony, and ordination are understood differently.
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Roman Sacraments Work Automatically
- The Roman Catholic Church treats sacraments as automatic conveyors of grace, operating ex opera operato rather than depending on personal faith alone.
- R.C. Sproul explains this means the mere performance of a sacrament effects its grace, a key contrast with Protestant emphasis on faith as the instrumental cause.
Seven Sacraments Mapped To Life Stages
- Rome fixes seven sacraments tied to life stages, providing sacramental grace from baptism through extreme unction and covering ordination and penance as special supports.
- Sproul links the seven to medieval life stages and says this undergirds a pervasive sacramental view of human life.
Baptism Versus Faith As Instrument Of Justification
- In Roman theology baptism is the instrumental cause of justification and confers regeneration ex opera operato, while Protestantism names faith as the instrumental cause.
- Sproul contrasts 'infusion' of grace in Rome with Protestant 'imputation' of Christ's righteousness.