### 66. Q. What are sacraments?

**A**. Sacraments are visible, holy signs and seals. They were instituted by God so that by our use of them he might make us understand more clearly the promise of the gospel, and seal that promise.<sup>1</sup> And this is God’s gospel promise: he grants us forgiveness of sins and eternal life by grace because of Christ’s one sacrifice accomplished on the cross.<sup>2</sup>

<sup>1</sup> [Gen. 17:11](/index.php/get-passage/Genesis+17:11); [Deut. 30:6](/index.php/get-passage/Deuteronomy+30:6); [Rom. 4:11](/index.php/get-passage/Romans+4:11)
<sup>2</sup> [Matt. 26:27-28](/index.php/get-passage/Matthew+26:27-28); [Acts 2:38](/index.php/get-passage/Acts+2:38); [Heb. 10:10](/index.php/get-passage/Hebrews+10:10)