Means of Grace - What does this mean

Just Somebody · Jan 13, 2026

As someone who has never been involved in Christian communities where "means of grace" has been used, I'm trying to understand what people mean by this "expression". It seems to be usually (maybe always) tied to the purpose of the sacraments, but I'm clear what it actually means.

Perhaps it's because different communities use it differently?

So, please, explain like I'm 5, what you mean when use the expression "it's a means of grace"?

And please, let's not let this become a debate - there's a enough of that around. We all know different Christians view the sacraments differently. No need to debate their meaning or anything else in this tread. Feel free to ask clarifying questions, but let's leave disagreeing for somewhere else.

PloverWing · Jan 13, 2026

I'll start with the wording from my church's catechism:

Q.	What are the sacraments?
A.	The sacraments are outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace, given by Christ as sure and certain means by which we receive that grace.

Q.	What is grace?
A.	Grace is God's favor towards us, unearned and undeserved; by grace God forgives our sins, enlightens our minds, stirs our hearts, and strengthens our wills.

Source: The Book of Common Prayer, p. 857-858, which can be found online at The Online Book of Common Prayer

In my own words: God is, of course, present everywhere, and is not limited to any one place or ritual. But there are rites -- most notably, baptism and Holy Communion -- in which we receive God's love and presence and activity in a particular way. These are physical means by which God's grace especially comes to us -- hence, "means of grace".

I could say more, but I'll stop there for now. Is this making any sense?

Just Somebody · Jan 13, 2026

PloverWing said:
In my own words: God is, of course, present everywhere, and is not limited to any one place or ritual. But there are rites -- most notably, baptism and Holy Communion -- in which we receive God's love and presence and activity in a particular way. These are physical means by which God's grace especially comes to us -- hence, "means of grace".

Thanks for the reply, it's this paragraph where I get lost. What do you mean by:
1) "In which we receive God's love and presence and activity in a particular way." What do you mean by a "particular way" how is it different from how we receive it any other time?

2) "These are physical means by which God's grace especially comes to us." - What do you mean by "especially". Again - how is it different from any other time?

RileyG · Jan 13, 2026

Unmerited favor of God, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life. Grace is God's gift of God's self. The sacraments are used to confer that grace.

Just Somebody · Jan 13, 2026

RileyG said:
Unmerited favor of God, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life. Grace is God's gift of God's self. The sacraments are used to confer that grace.

So are you saying we can only experience that grace through the sacraments?

RileyG · Jan 13, 2026

Just Somebody said:
So are you saying we can only experience that grace through the sacraments?

No. Sacraments are just one way. Prayer is another. However, I don’t want to make grace sound mechanical. It’s a free gift from God.

PloverWing · Jan 13, 2026

Just Somebody said:
Thanks for the reply, it's this paragraph where I get lost. What do you mean by:
1) "In which we receive God's love and presence and activity in a particular way." What do you mean by a "particular way" how is it different from how we receive it any other time?

2) "These are physical means by which God's grace especially comes to us." - What do you mean by "especially". Again - how is it different from any other time?

Maybe something like this: We are spiritual beings, but we are also physical beings, and the sacraments are physical ways that we connect with the Divine.

The closest analogy I can think of at the moment is in marriage. I know that my husband loves me. But when he hugs me, or holds my hand, that physical touch conveys love more intimately and tangibly than just the general concept of my husband loving me. Holy Communion is something like that. God loves us in general, we know that, but on the night before he died, Jesus gave us Bread and Wine and the promise of his Presence in those elements. The sacraments give us a physical manifestation of the spiritual.

Sorry, I'm trying to put words to an experience that sometimes defies words. Am I making sense yet?

Just Somebody · Jan 15, 2026

PloverWing said:
Maybe something like this: We are spiritual beings, but we are also physical beings, and the sacraments are physical ways that we connect with the Divine.

The closest analogy I can think of at the moment is in marriage. I know that my husband loves me. But when he hugs me, or holds my hand, that physical touch conveys love more intimately and tangibly than just the general concept of my husband loving me. Holy Communion is something like that. God loves us in general, we know that, but on the night before he died, Jesus gave us Bread and Wine and the promise of his Presence in those elements. The sacraments give us a physical manifestation of the spiritual.

Sorry, I'm trying to put words to an experience that sometimes defies words. Am I making sense yet?

Totally making sense. If that's what / all it means than it totally makes sense to me.

I guess the terminology "means of grace" just throws me off. Probably because he seems to have provide many other "means" in which we also experience his grace.

Thanks for answering.

Linda426 · Monday at 9:19 PM

RileyG said:
Unmerited favor of God, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life. Grace is God's gift of God's self. The sacraments are used to confer that grace.

If you are Catholic, you know what really
Bothers me about this statement the most?
Albeit we know its true by Gods Promises to
Us all, but how its taught to not emphasizing
How important it is for each person to be
Reminded about in these promises of Grace through the Sacraments for us to know
The criteria for the Unearned Graces are
Only mirrored by our hearts purity in the
Eyes of God.

In other words, the Sacrament is not like
Taking a Vitamin where we know it has
Vitamins in it for anyone who takes it
They’ll receive, rather, we cannot receive
Graces from God in an unworthy Manner.

PloverWing · Tuesday at 9:11 AM

Linda426 said:
In other words, the Sacrament is not like
Taking a Vitamin where we know it has
Vitamins in it for anyone who takes it
They’ll receive, rather, we cannot receive
Graces from God in an unworthy Manner.

You've summarized two of the major schools of thought regarding the sacraments. Do the sacraments convey grace to us regardless of our state of mind, or do we have to be in the right state of mind to receive grace?

A possible pair of analogies might be: When I eat my dinner, I am nourished even if I don't understand the biochemistry of how food works. (This is like your vitamin picture.) Alternatively, when I have a conversation with someone, the conversation isn't really happening at all unless I understand what everyone is saying.

While I do encourage everyone to be in the right state of mind at the Altar, I lean toward the "dinner" picture. But I know many Christians favor the "conversation" picture.

This is also going to be relevant for infant baptism vs believer's baptism, which famously is a difference of opinion among Christians.

RileyG · Tuesday at 1:01 PM

Linda426 said:
If you are Catholic, you know what really
Bothers me about this statement the most?
Albeit we know its true by Gods Promises to
Us all, but how its taught to not emphasizing
How important it is for each person to be
Reminded about in these promises of Grace through the Sacraments for us to know
The criteria for the Unearned Graces are
Only mirrored by our hearts purity in the
Eyes of God.

In other words, the Sacrament is not like
Taking a Vitamin where we know it has
Vitamins in it for anyone who takes it
They’ll receive, rather, we cannot receive
Graces from God in an unworthy Manner.

Unworthy manner? Correct! That would be sacrilegious

Linda426 · Tuesday at 3:27 PM

PloverWing said:
You've summarized two of the major schools of thought regarding the sacraments. Do the sacraments convey grace to us regardless of our state of mind, or do we have to be in the right state of mind to receive grace?

A possible pair of analogies might be: When I eat my dinner, I am nourished even if I don't understand the biochemistry of how food works. (This is like your vitamin picture.) Alternatively, when I have a conversation with someone, the conversation isn't really happening at all unless I understand what everyone is saying.

While I do encourage everyone to be in the right state of mind at the Altar, I lean toward the "dinner" picture. But I know many Christians favor the "conversation" picture.

This is also going to be relevant for infant baptism vs believer's baptism, which famously is a difference of opinion among Christians.

Your reply matched the analogy i gave
Of vitamins, true enough, vitamins or food
Do not depend on our heart as to what
Benefits we are nourished by one way
Or the other, but not so with receiving Grace
In taking the Holy Communion.

We must have good conscience before God
To receive that Sacrament or we are considered “ unworthy” in the eyes of God.

Unlike vitamins and food its altogether different
And you would be surprised how many people
Think of it as taking a vitamin or eating food,
So they are not in the correct mindset, if
They dont find any connection to their
Hearts condition upon taking the Communion,
When comparing it to your analogy of food,
Because they think receiving the Sacrament
Will remove their unworthiness, instead of
Having a clean conscience before receiving
The Sacrament.

Its like putting clean curtains on a dirty window, the dirt is still there and the sacrifice of our
Lord is the receiving of Graces from His death, so unworthily means we are then still dirty
Being unworthy, unless we are good standing
With God before taking the Sacrament.

Thank you

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Means of Grace - What does this mean

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