They partake in condemnation, as St. Paul warns.
How do you not know that taking the bread at communion under the belief that Christ's Presence is in it is not part of Paul's warning?
Matthew 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
The above reference is what 1 John 4:2 is talking about in testing the spirits.
1 John 4:1Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ
is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that
confesseth not that Jesus Christ
is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Many believers think John was referring to any doubting that Jesus had come in the flesh at all, but not so. This is about testing the spirits and the use of the term "is come" means presently as in where He abides.
So in according to our faith that Jesus Christ is in us and that which is outside of us is the spirit of the antichrist, the Eucharist is an unclean thing because it has become an idol.
That which was made by man, bread, and treating it as a living "god" is an idol.
That is why Jesus & Paul had said to do communion in remembrance of Him, because you cannot receive Jesus "again".
2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
There is no way the Eucharist can avoid these scripture as reproofs.
Protestants should drop the term sacrament because the bread and the wine are not sacred: it is taking it in remembrance of what He has done is the ordinance to follow.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. 23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
If Lutherans are to expect Catholics to question their practises in according to the scripture, then Lutherans should lead by example in the event that they are carryings some things over from catholicism that they should not have.
John 6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
Never in John 6th chapter was Jesus talking about communion but how we are saved, and that is by coming to & believing in Jesus Christ. The RCC based their doctrine on what Jesus said to the Pharisees and not on what He had said to His disciples in that chapter and He did point out to His disciples what He did to the Pharisees that they did not all believe that.
John 6:36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and
believe not.
John 6:61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? 62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
Although Paul was reproving the ignorant practise of eating and drinking their fill when having communion wherein he said for those that do such thing to eat at home, thus come to church not hungry, hopefully by His grace & by His help, Lutherans as well as Protestants are due for another reformation if they expect Catholics to see clearly their error by His grace & by His help.
1 Corinthians 11:27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.
34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.
How do you not know that taking the bread at communion under the belief that Christ's Presence is in it is not a part of Paul's warning? Look at what Paul had said before that chapter.
1 Corinthians 10:
14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. 18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? 20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. 21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? 23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
For anyone to claim they are consecrating the bread & wine at communion to contain His Presence is to testify that they are stronger than the Lord to make this happen.
And yet other scripture would reprove such notions that there ever was a "presence" in the bread & the wine, and thus truly symbolic.
