Communion.
After a mix of research, prayer and my beliefs I have compiled my views and the views that I believe to be true on the subject of communion in the Christian church.
The bread and wine:
Catholics (as one denominational example) believe in the idea of transubstantiation. This means that although the bread and wine still taste, look, small and feel like the original substance they actually change into the real body and blood of Christ.
Using Lutherans as the next denominational example, they believe in the idea of consubstantiation which means that although the bread is bread and the wine is wine the body and blood of Christ is still truly present in these objects. This is better explained in their "rules" in which they use to filter out those who cannot take communion: "Confess the real presence in the Sacrament of Christ’s body and blood, given and shed for the forgiveness of sins."
Although these can be very valid beliefs I choose to believe in the idea of representation. Christ is not truly present in the bread or wine but these are symbols that represent His body and His blood.
Who can take communion?
The Bible does not say whether you need to be baptized. Coming from a Lutheran church one of the "rules" of communion is : "Be baptised and believe in the Triune God." Now fair enough, belief in God is essential but to be baptised? I question this.
1 Corinthians 10:21 says you cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons.
It is obvious here that you need to be a believer. As a believer you should be baptised although it is not needed for salvation. This is why some churches say you need to be baptised to take communion - I guess it's a proof of your belief in Christ.
In my personal opinion some believers may not have yet had the opportunity to be baptised and therefore we shouldn't deprive them of participating in the Lord's supper.
One other thing which I've been asked is at what age can someone take communion? My next blog will be on baptism and my views on communion/baptism are the same in this respect. When a person is able to understand why we take communion and what it's done for - then they are ready. We shouldn't deprive someone of the Lord's supper if they understand and want to participate.
Why do we take communion?
1. Thanksgiving. 1 Corinthians 10:16 says: Is it not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ. And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?
It clearly says "cup of thanksgiving". So first off we take communion as a mode of thanks to Christ for spilling His blood. It goes on to say give thanks again. Thank Christ that we can freely participate in this meal.
2. Fellowship. In the second half of that 1 Corinthians verse it says "....Bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?" The Lord's supper is also about fellowship with other believers. This is reiterated in verse 17 - Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf. Although these verses do backup the idea of fellowship they also made me think about the idea that maybe we need to question HOW communion is taken?
3. Remembrance. In 1 Corinthians 11:24-26 it quotes "do this in remembrance of me." So the third why is that we need to continually remember what Christ did for us. He under went torture and cross and a resurrection to save us from our sin.
4. Examination. 1 Corinthians 11:28 says that a man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. So another purpose of communion is to keep us accountable and help us as an encouragement to become more and more like Christ and follow His examples and teachings in the Bible.
When I go up to communion each week at Church these are the beliefs I carry in the back of my mind. These are the reasons why I take the bread and drink the wine. I take these symbols of His love for me and use it as a time of rememberance and self examination. I pray that others will do the same.
After a mix of research, prayer and my beliefs I have compiled my views and the views that I believe to be true on the subject of communion in the Christian church.
The bread and wine:
Catholics (as one denominational example) believe in the idea of transubstantiation. This means that although the bread and wine still taste, look, small and feel like the original substance they actually change into the real body and blood of Christ.
Using Lutherans as the next denominational example, they believe in the idea of consubstantiation which means that although the bread is bread and the wine is wine the body and blood of Christ is still truly present in these objects. This is better explained in their "rules" in which they use to filter out those who cannot take communion: "Confess the real presence in the Sacrament of Christ’s body and blood, given and shed for the forgiveness of sins."
Although these can be very valid beliefs I choose to believe in the idea of representation. Christ is not truly present in the bread or wine but these are symbols that represent His body and His blood.
Who can take communion?
The Bible does not say whether you need to be baptized. Coming from a Lutheran church one of the "rules" of communion is : "Be baptised and believe in the Triune God." Now fair enough, belief in God is essential but to be baptised? I question this.
1 Corinthians 10:21 says you cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons.
It is obvious here that you need to be a believer. As a believer you should be baptised although it is not needed for salvation. This is why some churches say you need to be baptised to take communion - I guess it's a proof of your belief in Christ.
In my personal opinion some believers may not have yet had the opportunity to be baptised and therefore we shouldn't deprive them of participating in the Lord's supper.
One other thing which I've been asked is at what age can someone take communion? My next blog will be on baptism and my views on communion/baptism are the same in this respect. When a person is able to understand why we take communion and what it's done for - then they are ready. We shouldn't deprive someone of the Lord's supper if they understand and want to participate.
Why do we take communion?
1. Thanksgiving. 1 Corinthians 10:16 says: Is it not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ. And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?
It clearly says "cup of thanksgiving". So first off we take communion as a mode of thanks to Christ for spilling His blood. It goes on to say give thanks again. Thank Christ that we can freely participate in this meal.
2. Fellowship. In the second half of that 1 Corinthians verse it says "....Bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?" The Lord's supper is also about fellowship with other believers. This is reiterated in verse 17 - Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf. Although these verses do backup the idea of fellowship they also made me think about the idea that maybe we need to question HOW communion is taken?
3. Remembrance. In 1 Corinthians 11:24-26 it quotes "do this in remembrance of me." So the third why is that we need to continually remember what Christ did for us. He under went torture and cross and a resurrection to save us from our sin.
4. Examination. 1 Corinthians 11:28 says that a man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. So another purpose of communion is to keep us accountable and help us as an encouragement to become more and more like Christ and follow His examples and teachings in the Bible.
When I go up to communion each week at Church these are the beliefs I carry in the back of my mind. These are the reasons why I take the bread and drink the wine. I take these symbols of His love for me and use it as a time of rememberance and self examination. I pray that others will do the same.
