thoughts on communion
"And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you..." -- Luke 22:19-20
The Lord's Supper is an ordinance that takes place in most Churches today. A question that stirs up much debate is... Who is qualified to take part in the Lord's Supper?
Well, everyone has their own reasons for doing things the way they do... some of these reasons are scripturally valid, others are not.
First, what is GOD's view on communion? At the last supper, Christ said to His disciples "Do this in remembrance of me". I am quite sure Christ was speaking to all believers, not only certain denominations. I don't think Jesus believed in denominations. Now I was reading John chapter 17; this chapter brings me so much encouragement. Before Jesus was arrested, He prayed not only for His disciples at the time, but for all of us who believe in Him today.
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." -- John 17:20-23
It's very clear that Jesus believed in the universal body of believers. He wanted all of us to be in complete unity. Christ did a remarkable thing on the cross. The body of Christ was broken for all people; his blood shed for the sins of the world. Those who have accepted this as truth, and have put their faith in Christ... have every right to take part in the Lord's Supper. It's what Jesus wants us to do, to remember Him by. Simply put... if Jesus is your Lord and Savior, you are qualified to take communion. That is the Biblical perspective on communion.
But now we need to look at communion from the perspective of the local Church. Basically, Christ is not really your Lord and Savior unless you agree with the doctrine of that particular Church. Now this is not a problem... provided that the doctrine of that particular Church is Biblically sound. The fact that you've confessed your sin, accepted Christ into your heart, put your faith in the work He did on the cross... that really should be enough; but in many cases it's not. So some Churches require proof that you are actually "saved" before they let you partake in the Lord's table. I guess this is understandable... because in 1 Corinthians 11:27 it says... "Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord." Okay, so Churches tend to want to guard against this, rather than open the table to anyone. I don't think this is a problem until churches start enforcing "unwritten rules". In most Southern Baptist Churches, you are not qualified to take part in the Lord's Supper unless you are Southern Baptist. Don't ask me to explain the logic in this... because I can't. It's like saying, unless you are part of our denomination... you're not really a Christian at all.
I believe there are two things a person should think about before taking the Lord's Supper. First, look around you and know where you are. Personally, I would not feel comfortable taking communion in a Church whose doctrine I totally disagree with... because IF I think their view of God is corrupted, it makes me wonder if God is even worshipped there. And if God is not worshipped there, it's not really Church... and the Lord's Supper really isn't the Lord's Supper... it's something else, that I want no part of. Why you're there in the first place is another story.
Second, I believe in the warnings stated in 1 Corinthians 11:27-29. We do need to examine ourselves before we take the bread and the cup. Ask yourself.... "at this moment, Is Christ really LORD of my life?... Am I doing this in remembrance of Him?" Because drinking the cup in an unworthy manner really is a bad thing.
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you..." -- Luke 22:19-20
The Lord's Supper is an ordinance that takes place in most Churches today. A question that stirs up much debate is... Who is qualified to take part in the Lord's Supper?
Well, everyone has their own reasons for doing things the way they do... some of these reasons are scripturally valid, others are not.
First, what is GOD's view on communion? At the last supper, Christ said to His disciples "Do this in remembrance of me". I am quite sure Christ was speaking to all believers, not only certain denominations. I don't think Jesus believed in denominations. Now I was reading John chapter 17; this chapter brings me so much encouragement. Before Jesus was arrested, He prayed not only for His disciples at the time, but for all of us who believe in Him today.
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." -- John 17:20-23
It's very clear that Jesus believed in the universal body of believers. He wanted all of us to be in complete unity. Christ did a remarkable thing on the cross. The body of Christ was broken for all people; his blood shed for the sins of the world. Those who have accepted this as truth, and have put their faith in Christ... have every right to take part in the Lord's Supper. It's what Jesus wants us to do, to remember Him by. Simply put... if Jesus is your Lord and Savior, you are qualified to take communion. That is the Biblical perspective on communion.
But now we need to look at communion from the perspective of the local Church. Basically, Christ is not really your Lord and Savior unless you agree with the doctrine of that particular Church. Now this is not a problem... provided that the doctrine of that particular Church is Biblically sound. The fact that you've confessed your sin, accepted Christ into your heart, put your faith in the work He did on the cross... that really should be enough; but in many cases it's not. So some Churches require proof that you are actually "saved" before they let you partake in the Lord's table. I guess this is understandable... because in 1 Corinthians 11:27 it says... "Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord." Okay, so Churches tend to want to guard against this, rather than open the table to anyone. I don't think this is a problem until churches start enforcing "unwritten rules". In most Southern Baptist Churches, you are not qualified to take part in the Lord's Supper unless you are Southern Baptist. Don't ask me to explain the logic in this... because I can't. It's like saying, unless you are part of our denomination... you're not really a Christian at all.
I believe there are two things a person should think about before taking the Lord's Supper. First, look around you and know where you are. Personally, I would not feel comfortable taking communion in a Church whose doctrine I totally disagree with... because IF I think their view of God is corrupted, it makes me wonder if God is even worshipped there. And if God is not worshipped there, it's not really Church... and the Lord's Supper really isn't the Lord's Supper... it's something else, that I want no part of. Why you're there in the first place is another story.
Second, I believe in the warnings stated in 1 Corinthians 11:27-29. We do need to examine ourselves before we take the bread and the cup. Ask yourself.... "at this moment, Is Christ really LORD of my life?... Am I doing this in remembrance of Him?" Because drinking the cup in an unworthy manner really is a bad thing.
posted by Sunny Shih at
2:11 AM
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