The Ordinary Means of (Extraordinary) Grace

There is something wonderfully comforting about the way our God works. In a world chasing spectacular experiences, dramatic conversions, or quick fixes for holiness, the Scriptures and our Reformed confessions point us to something far more reliable: the ordinary means of grace. These are not second-best options. They are the very channels through which the triune God nourishes us, strengthens us, and conforms us to the image of His beloved Son.

Standing in the confessional stream of the Savoy Declaration of 1658, we confess with joy that the Lord Jesus has not left us to wander toward maturity on our own. He has given us clear, accessible means by which He brings the benefits of redemption to our souls. The Savoy, following the Westminster tradition, sets before us the Word, the sacraments, and prayer as the ordinary instruments of our sanctification. Far from being cold duties, these are the tender gifts of a heavenly Father who knows we are dust and delights to meet us where we are.

The Triune God at Work in the Ordinary

At the heart of everything is the beautiful work of the Trinity. The Father, in His wise and fatherly love, has appointed these means for His children (1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11-12). The Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, is both the heart and the provider of these means. He bought every blessing with His precious blood, and it is into His likeness that we are being shaped (Romans 8:29). The Holy Spirit, sent by the Father and the Son, is the One who makes these ordinary things powerful in our lives. He opens the Scriptures to us, seals the sacraments to our hearts, and helps us when we pray (Romans 8:26; 1 Corinthians 2:10-13).

This is not a mechanical routine. It is the living, personal ministry of our triune God.

The same God who spoke the world into being now speaks life into our souls through the reading and preaching of His Word. The same Saviour who broke bread with His disciples still feeds us at His table. The same Spirit who hovered over the waters at creation now works in our hearts through prayer.

The Puritans knew this well.

Thomas Watson wrote, “The ordinary means which the Lord uses in calling us, is not by raptures and revelations.”

God works through the everyday channels of His grace.

Why the Ordinary Means Matter for Growth

Christian maturity does not usually come through rare mountaintop moments. It grows slowly and steadily as we live in these means. The Savoy Declaration reminds us that saving faith is strengthened and preserved through the ordinances Christ has given His church.

• The Word of God (read at home and preached in the church) is the main way we grow. “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). When the gospel is faithfully preached, the Spirit applies the truth of Christ to our hearts. We are convicted, comforted, taught, and changed. Week by week and day by day, the Word becomes our food, moving us from milk to solid food (Hebrews 5:12-14).

  
  

• The Sacraments, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, are visible signs that confirm God’s promises. Baptism as a sign and seal of the covenant of grace. The Lord’s Supper is the repeated feast where the risen Christ nourishes our souls and draws us closer to Him and to one another. The Spirit uses these to assure us of God’s love and deepen our faith.

  
  

• Prayer, both alone and with others, is the breath of the Christian life. Here we speak honestly to our Father, confess our sins, and depend on the Spirit who helps us when we do not know how to pray.

  
  

The Westminster Shorter Catechism, so loved by the Savoy divines, says it clearly: “The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption, are his ordinances, especially the word, sacraments, and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation.”

When we cherish these means together in our lives and in our churches, real growth follows: a deeper love for Christ, a stronger hatred of sin, growing humility, firmer faith, and more joyful obedience. We become more like our Saviour.

Modern Reformed pastor Sinclair B. Ferguson puts it this way: “There is nothing more important to learn about Christian growth than this: Growing in grace means becoming like Christ.”

A Warm Invitation

If you are feeling dry or stuck in your walk with Christ, do not chase something new or exotic. Come back with fresh joy to the ordinary means. Come to the Word hungry. Come to the Lord’s Table expectant. Come to prayer like a child. Gather faithfully with God’s people on the Lord’s Day, where the triune God has promised to meet us.

The God who began a good work in you will complete it (Philippians 1:6). He has given you everything you need in Christ and in these means. Let us “consider how to stir one another up to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together” (Hebrews 10:24-25), but encouraging one another all the more.

May the Father who chose us, the Son who redeemed us, and the Spirit who sanctifies us help us to treasure these ordinary means until we see Him face to face.