Thoughts on Communion

It seems that there is something unique and holy about communion or as it is referred to in the New Testament, “the Lord’s Table”, the “Lord’s Supper” or “the Breaking of Bread”. Yet so few Christian churches regularly participate in this unique and holy Christian ritual. If Christianity is divided into three general categories (Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Protestant), then a whole 1/3 of those who practice the Christian faith do not frequently participate in communion or the Eucharist. That third of Christianity is the self-proclaimed biblical (solo Scriptura) and is the fastest growing, most contemporary third.

Holy Communion is one of two very simple and yet hugely profound rituals or ceremonies that originated with our Lord (the other being water baptism—which is also a reminder of Jesus’ death and resurrection). When we observe or partake of Holy Communion, that simple ritual it is loaded with significance.

• Holy Communion is a reminder of Jesus Christ’s death on the Cross for our sins. The reminder of His body that was broken for us and His blood that was shed for us in order to pay the eternal penalty for our sins and to redeem us to God the Father.
• Communion is also the Holy Act that unites and binds us together as a catholic body of believers in Jesus Christ. Our participation in Holy Communion identifies us with our community of faith—specifically our community as followers of THE Faith. It is our holy feast as Christians. The Jews had their holy rituals—especially their sacrifices and feasts they ate together that united them and the pagans had their sacrifices, rituals and feast to their demonic gods that unite them. Paul taught the Corinthian believers that to participate in either the Jewish holy rituals or the pagan holy rituals AND in the Christian Holy Communion was to deny Christianity (1 Corinthians 10:21). Participating in the holy feasts, sacrifices and rituals of other faiths is to violate the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Holy Communion is also a time of personal purification and continued sanctification for the believer. As the believer approaches the Communion Table or the Lord’s Table, the Bible instructs him to examine himself to see if he is worthy to partake of the Body and Blood of our Lord. The result of not examining ourselves is that we bring God’s judgment upon ourselves resulting in illness or even death. The purpose of our examination is so that we can worthily partake of communion or to put it in the negative to not partake unworthily. Paul tells us that to partake in an unworthy manner (unworthily) is to be unfit or irreverent when we take communion. When we do so we are guilty sinning against or profaning the Body and Blood of Christ. The judgment that we incur isn’t an eternal judgment, but a judgment on our wellbeing and life on this earth. We are to try, test and prove ourselves worthy to partake before entering into Communion. We are to hesitate for a time, step aside and discern whether we are fit join our fellow believers in this uniting memorial of our Lord. It is true that in and of ourselves none of us is worthy, but we are instructed to live a blameless life. Blameless means that we have identified our sins and shortcomings and have dealt them. Everything has been taken care of...there are no outstanding accusations against us. Paul focuses our examination specifically on how we act toward our fellow believers. our examination of ourselves would result in:
• confession of our sins (Mathew 5, James 5)
• forgiveness of our sins (James 5, John 20)
• future self-discipline (1 Corinthians 9:27; 11)
• restored unity in the body (1 Corinthians 11; Ephesians 4:14-4)
• emotional, physical, spiritual healing (1 Corinthians 11; James 5)
• Our Holy Communion is also a time of anticipation toward the coming of our Lord (1 Corinthians 11:26). Paul instructed us that every time (as often as) we “eat this bread and drink this cup” we proclaim our Lord’s death until He comes”. Our continued and frequent commemoration reminds us that one day we will commune directly with our Lord Jesus when He returns for us.

On the unresolved (in my mind) issue of healing and communion, could it be that some people are sick because they have unconfessed sin and/or that they are taking communion irreverently—with unconfessed sin? 1 Corinthians 11 would indicate so.

If during the service of Holy Communion, a person is examining himself and the Holy Spirit points out a sin—whether it be against another person or an area of sin in his life, that person should confess his sin to God and to another person in the congregation. This person should be the offended party (if that is the issue) so they can be reconciled or another person. This would provide for what we today call “accountability partners”. This biblical and contemporary idea provides for accountability with someone who is traveling the road of life with you and has a committed relationship with you, yet is of the same gender and station in life. as people in the congregation are being accountable to each other and confessing their sins to each other (mutual confession), they pray for each other (mutual intercession) many times there will be healing (James 5 ) or even averted illness (1 Corinthians 11).

Application to church services: our frequent Communion Services should include time for personal reflection, mutual confession and mutual prayer before communion is partaken of. Whether communion is taken as a body together or individual at stations or as it is passed, time should be taken to adequately prepare as individuals and as a congregation for communion. this would encourage Communion to not be something that is tacked onto the end or beginning of a service, but to either be (in our modern mindset) a separate service or a regular premeditated part of our time together as a church—included with the preaching service (Acts 20) or a common meal together (1 Corinthians 11).

what are your thoughts?