So when the Church tells you that the Sacraments are necessary for salvation, and Jesus taught that only belief was necessary, in whom do you put your trust? Part 1 Baptism

Faith and the Sacraments: Trusting What Jesus Actually Taught

by Keith Abell RPh MI

Before We Begin: A Personal Journey from Autopilot to Understanding

In April of 1998, I received an email from a fundamentalist Christian challenging my Catholic faith. He asked pointed questions — not just about doctrine, but about the very heart of what we believe. Each message ended with the same haunting question:

“In whom do you put your trust?”

At the time, I was a cradle Catholic. I had grown up in the Church, received the Sacraments, and believed in my heart that Catholicism was the one true faith. But I’ll be honest — I had never really explored why. I was on spiritual autopilot.

That email exchange turned into months of dialogue. His challenges forced me to dig deeper, to study Scripture, Church teaching, and the writings of the early Church Fathers. And through that process, something incredible happened:

I didn’t just defend my faith — I discovered it.

Now, decades later, I realize I’ve never shared that journey publicly. Facebook didn’t exist back then, but today it does — and I want to share what I learned in hopes that it might help you, too, grow closer to Christ through His one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church.

So I’m launching this series to answer the 18 challenging questions my fundamentalist friend asked me back in 1998—questions designed to shake a cradle Catholic’s faith. The very first question he posed (and the one that hit hardest) was this:

“So when the Church tells you that the Sacraments are necessary for salvation, and Jesus taught that only belief was necessary, in whom do you put your trust?”

Because this single question touches the heart of Catholic teaching on grace and salvation, its full answer requires more depth than one post can hold. I’ve decided to devote seven posts to it—one for each of the seven Sacraments—exploring how they are not optional add-ons, but divinely instituted means through which Christ pours out His saving grace.

Each post will dive into one Sacrament, drawing from Scripture (both Old and New Testaments), Jewish roots and foreshadowing, the practice of the early Church, and the wisdom of the saints—not merely to “defend” the Catholic position, but to help us rediscover the profound beauty, power, and necessity of these encounters with Christ in our everyday lives as believers.

This series is for cradle Catholics like me—who grew up with the Sacraments but may never have stopped to ask why they matter so deeply. Let’s walk through these questions together, trusting not in human traditions alone, but in what Jesus actually taught and entrusted to His Church.

So Lets get started.

When someone asks, “If Jesus taught that belief alone is necessary for salvation, why does the Catholic Church teach that the Sacraments are necessary?” — the answer lies in understanding what Jesus actually taught and how the early Church lived out His commands.

Faith Alone? Scripture Says Otherwise

The idea that we are saved by “faith alone” is a misinterpretation of Scripture. In fact, the only time the phrase “faith alone” appears in the Bible is in James 2:24:

“You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”

This doesn’t mean we earn salvation by our own efforts. It means that authentic faith is never alone — it is always accompanied by obedience, love, and action. Jesus Himself taught this:

• John 14:15 – “If you love me, keep my commandments.”
• Matthew 7:21 – “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father.”
• Matthew 25:31–46 – Jesus judges based on works of mercy, not just belief.

For many cradle Catholics, the Sacraments are familiar milestones — Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation — celebrated with family and parish, but often not deeply understood. This series is an invitation to rediscover the richness of the Sacraments, not as rituals we “check off,” but as divine encounters with Christ that are essential to our salvation and spiritual growth.

Each post will focus on one of the seven Sacraments, showing how they are:

• Rooted in Scripture (Old and New Testaments),
• Practiced by the early Church, and
• Affirmed by saints and Church Fathers throughout history.

Faith is the beginning of salvation, but it must be lived out — and the Sacraments are how we live out our faith and receive the grace to persevere.

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We begin with Baptism, the gateway to the Christian life — the moment we are born

Part 1: Baptism – Born Again in Christ; The Gateway to Grace

Old Testament Foreshadowing

God has always used water as a symbol of cleansing, rebirth, and covenant:

• Genesis 1:2 – The Spirit of God hovers over the waters at creation.
• Genesis 6–9 – The flood washes away sin and begins a new creation through Noah.
• Exodus 14 – The Israelites pass through the Red Sea, leaving slavery behind — a type of baptismal liberation.
• Leviticus 16 – Ritual washings were required for purification before entering sacred spaces.
• Ezekiel 36:25–27 – “I will sprinkle clean water upon you… I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.”

These moments prefigure the cleansing and transformative power of Baptism, which brings about a new creation in Christ.

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Jesus Institutes Baptism as Necessary for Salvation

Jesus didn’t just suggest Baptism — He commanded it:

• John 3:5 – “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
• Matthew 28:19 – “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the...

What the Early Church Believed About Baptism

The early Christians didn’t see Baptism as a symbolic gesture — they saw it as essential, life-giving, and salvific. Here’s what some of the earliest saints and Church Fathers had to say:

St. Justin Martyr (c. 155 A.D.)
“As many as are persuaded and believe that what we teach and say is true… are brought by us where there is water, and are regenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated.”
(First Apology, Ch. 61)

St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 180 A.D.)
“We are made clean, by means of the sacred water and the invocation of the Lord, from our old transgressions, being spiritually regenerated as newborn babes.”
(Against Heresies, Book I, Ch. 21)

Tertullian (c. 200 A.D.)
“Without baptism, salvation is attainable by no one.”
(On Baptism, Ch. 12)

St. Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 350 A.D.)
“Great indeed is the Baptism which is offered you. It is a ransom to captives; the remission of offenses; the death of sin; the regeneration of the soul; the garment of light; the holy seal indissoluble; the chariot to heaven; the delight of paradise.”
(Catechetical Lectures, 3:10)

St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430 A.D.)
“Baptism is the visible word of God… He who created you without you, will not justify you without you.”
(Sermon 169)

These saints weren’t inventing new theology — they were handing on what they had received from the apostles. Baptism was never seen as optional. It was — and still is — the doorway to salvation, the washing away of sin, and the beginning of new life in Christ.

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Conclusion: Trusting What Jesus Actually Taught

Jesus didn’t say, “Just believe and you’re good.” He said, “Go, baptize.” He said, “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” The early Church took Him at His word — and so should we.

Baptism is not a nice tradition. It is the first step in the Christian life, the foundation of all the other Sacraments, and the moment when we are born again into the family of God.

So when someone asks, “If Jesus taught that belief alone is necessary for salvation, why does the Catholic Church teach that the Sacraments are necessary?” — we can confidently answer:

Because Jesus didn’t teach faith alone. He taught faith lived out in obedience, and He gave us the Sacraments as the very means of receiving His grace.

Stay Tuned for Part 2: The Eucharist – The Bread of Life

This is just the beginning of our 7-part journey exploring the Sacraments and how they reveal the fullness of what Jesus actually taught — not just belief, but a life transformed by grace.

In Part 2, we’ll dive into the mystery of the Eucharist, the true Body and Blood of Christ, and explore its deep biblical roots and central place in the life of the Church.

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Let’s walk this journey together — from autopilot to intentional discipleship.