Protestants: What do you believe happens when you take communion?

ptomwebster

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Do you believe it is merely symbolic, or does it actually change into the Body and Blood?

Anyone is free to take part in this discussion of course, I just put that in the title as I've never really knew the stance of the different churches. :)



It is symbolic. I remember Christ's death and resurrection every time I eat when I bless my food.

 
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Albion

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It is symbolic. I remember Christ's death and resurrection every time I eat when I bless my food.


So, it's no different from any other meal?

You're probably not helping those who want to say that it is deeply significant to them even though it is not seen as involving the Real Presence of Christ.
 
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ptomwebster

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So, it's no different from any other meal?

You're probably not helping those who want to say that it is deeply significant to them even though it is not seen as involving the Real Presence of Christ.


Or, maybe, I look at every meal differently than you. I worship and find rest in God every day of the year, don't you. Or are you limited to worshipping God only on Sunday?

 
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Albion

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Or, maybe, I look at every meal differently than you. I worship and find rest in God every day of the year, don't you. Or are you limited to worshipping God only on Sunday?


Uh, no one was talking about Sunday worship, ptom. The topic was the nature of the Eucharist/Holy Communion/Lord's Supper. See the title of the thread.
 
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sunlover1

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Well, Sunlover, the point is just that the wording of Scripture indicates that there's more at work there than symbolism. Exactly what that is, I was not attemting to define for you, but I think you can see that some of the wording suggests more than symbolism or remembrance.
I'm not really sure, some define it that way,
others see it as symbolic. it's quite controversial, or so it seems.
I figure that God didn't intend for us to fill out a form
or take a quiz on exactly "how" it is His body/His blood.
At least I haven't seen any indication of such, myself.
:p

Of course also, if you don't bother with all the words but instead just cherry-pick the passages, as it looks to me that Optimax did in the verses we were working with, you can MAKE it look like symbolism is the beginning and the end of it.
I would suppose each side would feel that way...

I just take and eat and do it in remembrance of Him,
making sure to discern the body, that I'm not considered
to be partaking in an unworthy manner.
 
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N

Nanopants

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Do you believe it is merely symbolic, or does it actually change into the Body and Blood?

Anyone is free to take part in this discussion of course, I just put that in the title as I've never really knew the stance of the different churches. :)

I don't exactly classify myself as Protestant, but I have experienced things surrounding the Eucharist that were much more than bread and wine, and I can't explain it.
 
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ptomwebster

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Uh, no one was talking about Sunday worship, ptom. The topic was the nature of the Eucharist/Holy Communion/Lord's Supper. See the title of the thread.



Well I am able to think on two things at the same time, and interweave the two. Sorry if it goes beyond you.

 
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Albion

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Well I am able to think on two things at the same time, and interweave the two. Sorry if it goes beyond you.


No need to be insulting, ptom. If you think that the Lord's Supper is no different from any meal you take and would pray over, then you are clearly looking at the Lord's Supper as even less significant than those Christians who see the meaning of the sacrament/ordinance as symbolic and nothing more. Of course, you are entitled to your opinion, even though we'd probably have to work to find any church that would agree with you.
 
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Rhamiel

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No need to be insulting, ptom. If you think that the Lord's Supper is no different from any meal you take and would pray over, then you are clearly looking at the Lord's Supper as even less significant than those Christians who see the meaning of the sacrament/ordinance as symbolic and nothing more. Of course, you are entitled to your opinion, even though we'd probably have to work to find any church that would agree with you.

you think it would be hard to find a church that agrees with him?

I would assume that you could find a few Baptist churches that agree with him

or maybe some Methodist congregations
 
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Willie T

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I think many Protestants would tell you the Lord's Supper, or communion, is far more profound and spiritually deeper than just a symbolic occurrence... but that the piece of bread and glass of juice or wine happen to be just what they are... some bread and drink, purchased at the store.
 
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Albion

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I think many Protestants would tell you the Lord's Supper, or communion, is far more profound and spiritually deeper than just a symbolic occurrence... but that the piece of bread and glass of juice or wine happen to be just what they are... some bread and drink, purchased at the store.

Agreed...but that's far different from what ptomwebster was telling us.
 
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ptomwebster

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No need to be insulting, ptom. If you think that the Lord's Supper is no different from any meal you take and would pray over, then you are clearly looking at the Lord's Supper as even less significant than those Christians who see the meaning of the sacrament/ordinance as symbolic and nothing more. Of course, you are entitled to your opinion, even though we'd probably have to work to find any church that would agree with you.



Haven't had any trouble finding a church that agrees.

I Sabbath in Christ every day also.

 
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Rhamiel

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Absolutely not!

you mean you can not find Methodist Pastors who, when pressed, will say that their is no real difference between communion and any other food that is prayed over and eaten while thinking about Jesus?

I would say that would not be the norm among Methodist, but also, it would not be impossible to find very liberal ministers who might go along with that
 
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Giantbear

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Do you believe it is merely symbolic, or does it actually change into the Body and Blood?

Anyone is free to take part in this discussion of course, I just put that in the title as I've never really knew the stance of the different churches. :)

Transubstantiation happens in the believer where the Holy Spirit of Christ dwells.

Bread is bread and wine is wine.

Jesus Christ came to change us and not bread and wine to something else.

Only crazy monkeys in dark shades can't see past this point. I am sure most humans can.
 
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Grafted In

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Haven't read every opinion posted but I believe that Jesus was explaining to those present that what they had practiced for 1500 years or so was what He would soon accomplish. The were celebrating Passover and He wanted them to understand that the bread and wine were symbols of a Feast He would soon fulfill. I don't think they understood that at the time because they did not have The Holy Spirit but at Pentecost they would understand and He asked them to remember the price He paid as they took communion. It is purely ceremonial, in my opinion.
We have Christ in us.
 
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sunlover1

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Transubstantiation happens in the believer where the Holy Spirit of Christ dwells.

Bread is bread and wine is wine.

Jesus Christ came to change us and not bread and wine to something else.

Only crazy monkeys in dark shades can't see past this point. I am sure most humans can.
Way to think outside the box.
But really?? ... Only crazy monkeys in dark shades, huh?
 
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MoreCoffee

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Transubstantiation happens in the believer where the Holy Spirit of Christ dwells.

Bread is bread and wine is wine.

Jesus Christ came to change us and not bread and wine to something else.

Only crazy monkeys in dark shades can't see past this point. I am sure most humans can.

Does that reply mean that nothing happens when you take and eat the bread and take and drink the liquid in the cup?
 
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Giantbear

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Does that reply means that nothing happens when you take and eat the bread and take and drink the liquid in the cup?

Holy communion is with Christ's Holy Spirit. As Jesus said I in you and you in me.

The holy communion is supping with Christ and therefore the Transubstantiation happens in the believer who takes part in it.

The bread and the wine are not the focus of Christ, the focus of Christ is us who take part in him.

Therefore the power that transforms the believer in the body of Christ is not the priest who says that God does this with bread and wine, but rather we the believers are the bread and the wine in spiritual marriage with Christ.

It is us who are given to Christ in communion / community / family. One spiritual body in Christ the living vine.

The priest praying in order for the bread and wine to be transformed by God makes the priest somehow empowered indirectly in this communion when the priest is not the third person, but rather it is solely between God and man, and the priest too is a faithful taking part in Christ.

The transformation happens in the priest and the believer and a priest is not needed to sanction a communion, it could be a group of followers in Christ who under the presence of the Holy Ghost are all partaking in being transformed body and soul to be spiritually one with Christ as the bride of Christ.

Therefore the Transubstantiation happens to the faithful by the hand of the Holy Ghost who turns us into good tasting wine. The believer is the wine and Christ works in the believer to transform him into a good tasting wine as was depicted in the miracle of the wedding.
 
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