Today, reply is made on whether all who attend church should have the same access to the Lord’s Supper. While the church founded by Jesus Christ often appears to be having an “open house” for sinners, there are many practices, programs, and pursuits provided only for those participating as members (e.g., baptism, judgment, ordination). Many agree that the terms for membership of assemblies and congregations may vary among denominations and localities. Even so, the conditions, sacred operations, and standards for existence and life with Christ and the Father are recorded in the holy writings as immutable and unchanging. The Communion meal pertains to the fullness and unity of GODhead, and mature believers are commanded to become one with divinity by symbolically eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Jesus Christ. The occasion of the Last Supper (the Lord’s final Passover meal with his disciples) occurred hours before his arrest and death on the cross, and saw the unveiling of an observance to cultivate and nurture the new creation that would appear on the day of Pentecost. Properly understood, Communion is a sacred event wherein those who manifest the righteousness of the law through faith in Jesus Christ apprehend aspects of his relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit. While on earth, the living receive only an earnest or “good-faith payment” from the full spiritual treasure intended by GOD. Thus, multiple sacred events have been provided to prepare mankind to exist with divinity who displays oneness without sameness. The transformation of mankind to exist on the new earth is not simply a matter of managing formal organizations, providing fellowship, and supporting social activity. Men must receive the flesh, heart, mind, and spirit—the full makeup of Christ. A writer at “Yahoo! Answers” using the ID “Jim” (Level 7 with 38,359 points, a member since February 20, 2011) posted the following:
Is it right for all church goers to take communion?
THE GOLDEN ARROW: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. (John 6: 47-57, King James Version, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Frequency of The Lord's Supper? (10/30/2016); Becoming A Christian Believer (08/08/2016); To Drink Holy Blood? (02/16/2015); Modern Communion? (08/11/2014); How Can Christians Believe? (08/12/2014); Eat His Body, Drink His Blood (03/21/2013); Foolish For Not Believing? (03/22/2013)
“Jim”, here are a few points I may share. The Bible includes reliable instruction regarding the Lord’s Supper (we also say, Communion, the Communion Supper, the Eucharist), however, for many participation is a matter of individual conscience. Consider the following points of belief and the Scriptures that speak to them:
(1.) Many receive Communion as a memorial meal established to fulfill and continue an earlier sacred event (the Passover instituted by Moses). The community of believers are to acknowledge the Incarnation of divinity as well as the provision of atonement, divine revelation, sacred events (we say, miracles), consecrated ministry and anointing as High Priest, sacrificial death, resurrection, ascension, the reign of Jesus as Risen Lord, and the commanded expectation (we say, hope) that those belonging to Christ will be harvested from the earth at his coming (we say, the Advent, the Rapture, the Second Coming). 1st Corinthians 11: 24-26. King James Version (KJV): 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.
(2.) Communion has been provided as a meal that signals and seals a believer’s entrance into covenant relationship. Everyone eating and drinking the emblems of bread and wine that represent the Lord’s blood and flesh accept the terms of a new covenant agreement between mankind and divinity. The “new Passover” was not to annul or remove existing law, or the customs and traditions among the Jews so much as it was to provide an expression of the same meanings and values in clearer, more complete terms. Hebrews 8: 6-10, KJV: 6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. 8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: 9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
(3.) Communion speaks to sinners undergoing permanent change and receiving divine substance necessary for the transformation of mankind to exist as immortal, incorruptible companions to Deity. Hebrews 9: 14-16, KJV: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, those who receive adoption through the Holy Spirit and experience rebirth through baptism become sons and daughters of GOD as well as joint-heirs with Christ. They are granted a fresh endowment of spirit substance from the makeup of divinity that includes faith, holiness, joy, longsuffering, lovingkindness, wisdom, and wrath against sin. Once “born again” believers are to display the active presence of GOD and are accountable as vessels of the Spirit. (4.) 1st Corinthians 11: 27-29, KJV: 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.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
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