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.

faithful God

Back at my base of operations in upstate New York, and I thought I'd share a little. The past 96 hours can be described as "memorable" at the very least.

The missionary Hudson Taylor once said,
"God always gives His very best to those who leave the choice with Him".
This is one of my favorite quotes... because it's so true. In the past I've learned... the more we focus on ourselves and try to make things the way we want it... the easier it is for us to miss out on what God really wants for our lives. Not that our choices are always bad (though many times they are..).... but there's a difference between a "good choice" and a "God choice". The idea is to desire what God wants... and believe me, He has ways of making it clear what He wants... the real question is whether you're actually gonna do it.

Great things happen by Faith. Five days ago something unbelievable happened in my life. And only because I had enough Faith in the one who has brought me this far. Since then I've lived some of the happiest moments in my life. I wouldn't trade these memories for anything in the world. It's indescribable what I've been experiencing lately, almost unreal. It's stuff like this that makes me want to fall facedown and worship. If we choose to proceed in life, with the understanding that God is God... He truly does amazing things... and He does give His very best. His faithfulness does not fail.

There is no better place to be than in the center of God's desired will.

staying focused

Some of my friends know there's an issue that's been on my heart for a while now... several years actually... And after months of praying and petitioning to the Lord, I have decided to do something about it... confident this is what He wants me to do. I mean, if we can't trust in His promises... what can we trust in?.. right?... So tommorrow I will take that historic journey down to the city... and I will be satisfied knowing His will is done.

It has not been an easy week for me, dealing with an array of political and social attacks from those I might call friends. It's not surprising satan has chosen this week to orchestrate this type of attack... causing confusion and tension among God's people... whom I need right now. Nevertheless, I am staying focused. When I return from the city... I am expecting a chain of dramatic events to unfold. Sometimes peace is so hard to find. I remember a quote from the Lord of the Rings..

Theoden: "I will not risk open war."
Aragorn: "Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not"

Such is the life of anyone who chooses to live in obedience to Christ. I don't know about you... but it's all worth it to me.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." -- Ephesians 6:12

tough issues & absolute truths

There are some topics many pastors tend to avoid, because it's too controversial, and there are too many views on it... you can't hold a particular view without offending somebody. We live in a world where the rules have changed... where preaching what people want to hear is the norm. And I understand where they're coming from. As a minister, the last thing you want is negative feedback... beause job security is a real isssue... unless of course you're the pastor of a g12 system.... *pause*... (okay, not right now.. we'll get into that later!). Anyway, somewhere along the line Christians have forgotten the Gospel of truth is an offense to the rest of the world. If there's an absolute truth, we must learn to follow it.

Well, even though I don't have all the answers... I'm all about dealing with the tough issues. If there's a tough issue somebody wants to talk about, BRING IT.
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When we talk about Churches, and when we talk about our spiritual walks... sometimes there's really a lot of stuff to process in our minds... Another option would be, Let's just leave it and not process it! But is that what GOD really wants? Being a mostly active Christian for many years now... I've probably seen as much of the bad as I have the good... if not more. Having heard 'different versions' of the gospel, and having observed all types of denominations and cults... I feel like I've seen things that most people don't even think about. In the Christian community, most people do avoid the tough issues... the ones that stir up "trouble", saying... Let's not be "troublemakers", let's just get along.... (*right!!.. whatever you say). Most people do find it irrelevant to dig deeper into the truth. In other words... Christianity has become "whatever works for me" rather than "what I believe is true". If you haven't noticed by now... I'm a pretty big "troublemaker".

When asked "Why are you a Christian?", common responses include; "because that's how I was raised", "all my friends are Christians", "Church is a fun place to hang out", "I enjoy rock music", "this is the religion that works for me". Seldom do I hear the proper response, which EVERY mature Christian should be able to say without even thinking about it... "This is what I believe is true".

When I was a young teenager many years ago, growing up in Church, I was blessed with teachers who shared the Gospel, and taught the truth... something I will be forever thankful for. And it's the truth I've been grounded in all these years. I realize not everyone gets the same opportunity... especially when I look at the condition of our churches today. It is nearly impossible for a young person to hear the Gospel of truth these days. Make no mistake... the mission field is right here.

For many of the tough issues some of us think about (and others avoid), there are absolute truths. It's been said that if we seek the truth, we will find it... (Matthew 7:7).

My friends, does GOD challenge you to think about the tough issues? (or do you not care), Do you care about digging deeper into the truth? (or do you feel fine where you are), Are you doing this for Jesus? (or are there other reasons), Is Christianity who you are? (or is it just what you do).
If you answered yes to these questions, we have something in common. So let's encourage each other. God bless!
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"I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me." - (Proverbs 8:17)

Question: who was the biggest "troublemaker" of all time?
Answer: JESUS

Denominational Hermeneutics

The interpretation of Scripture, otherwise known as "Hermeneutics" varies within just about every denomination. I was reading about it today, and here is a pretty good illustration...

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IF the phrase, "THE CAT SAT ON THE MAT" was in the Bible, this is how it might be interpreted:

The Liberal theologians would say, the cat didn't really sit on the mat... it's just an expression. Furthermore, cat and mat had different meanings back then, and it should be interpreted according to the customs and practices of that time period.

The Evangelicals would make an essential condition of faith that a real physical, living cat, being a domestic pet of the Felix Domesticus species, and having a whiskered head and furry body, four legs and a tail, did physically place its whole body on a floor covering.

The Catholics would develop a holiday called the 'Festival of the Blessed Cat'. This day would teach about how the cat was naturally white, and the mat was made out of gold, and how the cat eventually ascended into heaven. The ceremony would require the mandatory lighting of 5 candles, and the ringing of bells 3 times.

The Orthodox Church would immediately break away from the Catholic Church saying, scripture mandates that 6 candles be lit, and the bell should ring 4 times.

And eventually... the Southern Baptists will say, the cat actually dunked it's whole body in water and was fully submerged... before it came up out of the water, and sat on the mat. Therefore, we must do the same.
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So which view is correct? Most people in Church will believe whatever they're told. It's not even an issue.

Here's what I think; GOD gave us Scripture for a reason. If He didn't mean what He wrote, He wouldn't have written it. So I think we should take God's word at face value. As I previously stated... when it comes to doctrine, I believe the only thing worse than legalism is liberalism.

Now about legalism... If GOD actually required more than what the Scripture says... I think He would have wanted us to know, and I think He would have been clear about it.

"My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge." -- Hosea 6:4

only the truth matters

Ever since my fall-out with the Southern Baptists... there has been a fire burning inside of me, which has sent me on a quest for theological truth. We live in an age where the Church is divided, the doctrine of man is being preached everywhere, and being "Christian" is no longer enough. Instead we must choose whether we're Baptist, Anabaptist, Presbyterian, Dispensationalist, Calvinist, or some other label. It's too much... and I don't believe it's the picture Christ had in mind when He established the Church.

Well, I am a Christian, and I refuse to label myself as anything else... I believe the only thing more dangerous than legalism is liberalism. The truth based on scripture which is God breathed, is really all that matters. Denominations are nothing more than men coming up with their own set of rules of what Christianity should be. There's nothing wrong with Churches having preferences on secondary issues... but when preferences become absolutes, and secondary issues become primary issues... that's a problem. Now I understand there are many genuine Bible believing Christians who happen to find themselves in a denominational Church... but it's usually the "higher ups" who are problematic... those who issue statements like this:

"My way is the only way acceptable to God. If you don't believe what I believe, then you are in error. Therefore I will not fellowship with you."

This statement is all too familiar to me. I've had my share of pointless theological debates over the past months. I'm sure there will be many more, which I am NOT looking forward to. The truth is, I'd rather spend my time preaching the Gospel to those who haven't yet heard. However, I am passionate about disproving false doctrines, and I will do what it takes to stand up for whatever is true.

Hello World

Today I've decided to get into the sport of blogging. It's good place to express some of my serious thoughts with the rest of the world. Hopefully it will be a blessing and encouragement to others... I know it will be for me. I'll be writing mostly about theology and Christian related issues... because that's who I am, and that's what I do. If you have a problem with that... please leave... (just kidding).

I didn't want to do this on xanga, because the environment there seems a bit immature. No offense to those who use xanga. Besides, everyone I know uses xanga... and I have to be different.

You can also visit here to read about the latest news and trials in my life (just the facts ... I will not drown you with my sorrows).
God bless you, and have a great day!