REBUTTAL: THE SACRAMENTS WERE GIVEN TO US BY CHRIST, AS BLUE PRINT TO THE RELATIONSHIP HE DESIRES WITH US.

What the Church teaches…

• CCC 774: “The Greek word mysterion was translated into Latin by two terms: mysterium and sacramentum. In later usage the term sacramentum emphasizes the visible sign of a hidden reality of salvation which was indicated by the term mysterium. In this sense, Christ himself is the mystery of salvation; ‘For there is no other mystery of God, except Christ.’ The saving work of his holy and sanctifying humanity is the sacrament of salvation, which is revealed and active in the Church’s sacraments. The seven sacraments are the signs and instruments by which the Holy Spirit spreads the grace of Christ the head throughout the Church which is his Body. The Church, then, both contains and communicates the invisible grace she signifies. It is in this analogical sense, that the Church is called a ‘sacrament.'"
  • Let me explain that a “sacrament” is a physical sign, symbol or act, of a spiritual reality, Sacraments, outward signs of inward grace, instituted by Christ for our sanctification. God understands that we are physical beings, he created us that way. Our loving and compassionate Savior, Jesus Christ, became the sacrament of our salvation (a spiritual reality) in his incarnation (the word became flesh), for the fulfillment of his passion and resurrection. That being said, he also handed down the seven sacraments so that God could communicate His grace with us in this real physical world, so that the transformation of our even more real spiritual world, could take place. 

​Consider this, at the moment of Jesus’ baptism, the Spirit descends upon him, of course he didn’t need baptism since he is without sin and he is God, but Jesus did this to fulfill all righteousness Mt 3:15, and to prefigure the effects of our Sacramental Baptism, the spirit of God fills us with His life.    James 3:2, "we all fall short of the glory of God".  "Nothing unclean shall enter heaven", Revelation 21:27.  Matthew 5:26, you must pay the last penny before you can get out.  This place mentioned in Matt 5:26 cannot be the everlasting fire. Since the everlasting indicates a permanent state and no one will get out.  Matthew 12:32, says there isn't any forgiveness of "sin against the holy Spirit in this age or in the age to come,” which indicates forgiveness for some sin in the next age.  1 Corinthians 3:15, "But if someone's work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire". This parable is like putting natural gold to the fire, it burns but does not destroy, and the gold is purified by the fire burning up all its impurities.  The impurities are what the gold 'suffers' from but in the end it is made perfect and more valuable.
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A beautiful sacrament Jesus gave his church is called the Anointing of the sick.  When a person is in serious danger of death, preferably still conscious, they, are the family should call on the church, and the priest will anoint the sick individual with oil.  If possible the priest will her the person's confession and the individual if they are in good standing with the Catholic Church may receive the Eucharist, the viaticum, for passing over from this life to the next.  This sacrament is so merciful, the Lord Jesus has promised us, whoever is blessed to receive this sacrament and dies before any sinful act thereafter is assured heaven.  This Sacrament is also capable of healing power, both of the body and/or the soul, as God's will to decide. Mark 6:13 ”They anointed many with oil who were sick and cured them".  James 5:1315, “Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord": If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven".

The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is one of healing of both body and soul, like that of The Anointing of the Sick. Sin has the power to weaken us, if it is serious sin and not repented from, it can destroy both body and soul.  Among Christians there is no argument Jesus forgave sins, "But that you may know the Son of man has the authority on earth to forgive sins", Matthew 9:6.  Before Jesus ascended to heaven He told His disciples and apostles several very important commands, so that His mission of forgiveness of sins for salvation could continue. In Matthew 28: 19, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit".  Matthew 18:18, "Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loose in heaven".  This sacrament is also called the Sacrament of Reconciliation, in which, when properly done will re-bind us to God and His family. Jesus gave the apostles this ministry, 2 Corinthians 5:17-20.  James 5:13-15, the prayer of faith prayed over you by a priest is powerful; the result is your sins will be forgiven.

The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist: is the source and summit of the Church's life, for in it Christ pours out the graces of salvation on his Body which is the Church and her members.  Jesus said:" I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread he will live forever; my flesh which is true food and my blood true drink".  John 6:53-56. In Exodus 12:6; 21, the Paschal Lamb had to be slaughtered and had to be eaten. 1 Corinthians 5:7, Jesus is called the paschal lamb that was sacrificed. 1 Corinthians 11:23-29, Paul explains the new paschal supper (feast) is Jesus' body and blood and we must eat him, just as God's people had to eat the lamb in the Old Testament. Exodus 12:14, a day of remembrance for you, forever. In the Gospels, Matthew 26:29, and Mark 14:25, and Luke 22:18, the account of the Last Supper, Jesus says, "He will not drink or eat of the Passover feast until the day when I do this with you knew in the kingdom of my Father".  Jesus himself says he partakes of the new Passover meal in the kingdom. The kingdom which Peter holds the keys too, Jesus' Church, which is His Body. And this feast we must do in memory of him just as in the OT's day of remembrance, see also (1 Corn. 11:26). Exodus 12:15 eat leaven bread and you or cut off from God's family.  John 6:56, "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him". Eating the unleavened bread of both the OT and particularly the New Testament is essential to everlasting life, since Jesus is the Living Bread from heaven, in which He fulfilled the OT.  Exodus 12:43-49, outsiders not welcome, you must be in communion with the family if God.  1 Corinthians 11:27-32, eating the body of Christ unworthily, or not fully believing in the Eucharist, will bring judgement on you.  Exodus 12:17 do this forever throughout generations as a statute.  1 Corinthians 11:25-26, eat and drink Jesus' feast proclaims Him forever. Exodus 12:46-49, any nationality free or slave can participate, but the alien must first be circumcised, in which you become a family member of the one house of God.  Col. 2:11–12, baptism replaced circumcision, 1 Peter 3:21, you must be baptized to become a member of the Church, the one house, the family of God. 1 Corinthians 11:14-17, to be eligible to participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, you must have first been baptized and received the holy Spirit, and believe, then you would be in communion with the Church and with Jesus.

In other words…
I once heard a Protestant say that humans are "much like caterpillars, born into a fallen world and living in the dust" (Fusilier, The Ultimate Gift). He's right. God is infinitely greater than us; yet he begot his only son to come down, become a caterpillar, and die a horrible death to save us stupid and sinful caterpillars. He saved us all, that is clear. What is not clear is this. Unlike the caterpillar, we do not instinctively understand how to transform ourselves into butterflies. Jesus, in his eternal wisdom, knew this. He left with his apostles; an unwritten guide, complete with teachings and traditions on how to be transformed into beautiful butterflies through a relationship (religion) with Him. That guide is The Church which Jesus built and handed over to Peter. Thousands of years ago Jesus transformed caterpillars into butterflies through entering into communion with him. Jesus then entrusted those butterflies to spread his “good news” of how others could also become transformed. We, the caterpillars, must enter into His Church, the pupa (the housing of the caterpillar where the metamorphosis takes place),and in the pupa’s protection the caterpillar grows and receives the grace it needs to become that miracle the butterfly, so it is in the Church we can be transformed into a New Creation in Christ. That pupa, The Church, is of, and is with, and hangs onto, the Tree of Life; the cornerstone of our faith, Jesus Christ.
 
The following extensive quote, from Against Heresies by Saint Irenaeus, the Bishop of Lyon was written around 190 AD (that’s only roughly 160 years after the death of our Lord): 

• The Church which has spread everywhere, even to the ends of the earth, received the faith from the apostles and their disciples.  By faith, we believe in one God, the almighty Father who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them. We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God who became man for our salvation. And we believe in the Holy Spirit who through the prophets foretold God’s plan: the coming of our beloved Lord Jesus Christ, his birth from the Virgin, his passion, his resurrection from the dead, his ascension into heaven, and his final coming from heaven in the glory of his Father , to recapitulate all things and to raise all men from the dead, so that, by the decree of his Father, he may make a just judgment in all things and so that every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth to Jesus Christ our Lord and our God, our Savior and our King, and every tongue confess him. ​