Questions for Interlocutor:
How Many Sacraments Are There?
Anglicans hold to 7 (with a asterisk distinguishing 2 from the other 5). Orthodox mostly agree on the sacraments (with the asterisk that they haven’t officially numbered them, except kind of they did in response to Protestants).
Most other Protestant denominations, including Lutherans, Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians, officially hold only to two though (to the extent they have a theology of Sacraments - outward signs of inward graces - at all) - Baptism and the Eucharist/Communion, holding that only these two were institute by Christ.
Catholics hold to 7, defined and taught at Lateran IV, Florence, Trent, and in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Is Marriage a Sacrament?
Many Protestants will want to answer yes because of how important they think Marriage is. If they answer yes and this is contradicted by their denomination’s official theology, you can point this out and explain their denomination’s position. See if you can get them to change their mind and agree with their denomination, or to look into the matter further and decide what they think.
If they say no, the reason is likely because they either 1. Do not believe in sacraments or 2. Only believe in two sacraments, believing only Baptism and the Eucharist/Communion were instituted by Christ.
It’s helpful here to know good arguments and explanations for all 7 sacraments, but for the purpose of this mini-argument you only need to know generally that Christ re-established marriage as it was originally supposed to be, which qualifies it as a sacrament because it’s from Christ. See e.g. Matthew 19:3-11.
The Hook
But the gotcha argument is better - “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” Ephesians 5:31-32.
St. Paul, in speaking of the love and marital union of Husband and Wife compares it to Christ’s love for and mystical union with the Church. He calls this union (in the infallible Word of God) “a great mystery.”
In Greek, the word used is Mysterion.
But in Latin, Mysterion translates as Sacramentum: “This is a great Sacrament” - St. Paul, Ephesians 5:32.
Checkmate. Marriage is a Sacrament, and Catholicism is true.
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