Friday, August 2, 2013

Come to the Table Conclusion

Come to the Table Conclusion



  Yesterday I wrote about the origin of the "Lord's Supper" and we went through some passages where Christians commonly refer to in regards to communion.  Now I'm going to go through references that Paul had written on in regards to communion.

1 Cor 10:16-17
16 The cup of blessing which we are blessing, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we are breaking, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
17 For we, who are many, are one bread, one body, for we all are partaking of the one bread.

  At first glance it seems like Paul is talking about taking communion as we traditionally do in the Church, however, if we step back and read 1 Corinthians 10 as a whole (you can do this on your own) he's actually talking about idolatry that was going on in the ecclesia in the city of Corinth.

   Paul frequently writes about idolatry, which is prevalent in the Christianity today, yet not obvious to us all.  When he writes regarding the cup and bread and in reference to communion, he's doing so in a way that is not dissimilar to how Jesus spoke of it.  We who are the body of Christ LIVE in constant communion with Christ, WE are the bread, WE are the body, and thus we are in communion with one another and with Christ.

   Thus 1 Corinthians 10 is a warning against idolatry and how it is impossible to be in communion with the body of Christ while at the same time believing and being in communion with the doctrine of demons (religion).

  Then in 1 Corinthians 11:20-34

20 Then, at your coming together in the same place, it is not to be eating the Lord's dinner,
21 for each one is getting his own dinner before in the eating, and one, indeed, is hungry, yet one is drunk.
22 For have you no homes at all in which to eat and drink? Or are you despising the ecclesia of God, and mortifying those who have nothing? What may I be saying to you? Shall I be applauding you in this? I am not applauding.
23 For I accepted from the Lord, what I give over also to you, that the Lord Jesus, in the night in which He was given up, took bread,
24 and giving thanks, breaks it and said, "This is My body, broken for your sakes. This do for a recollection of Me."
25 Similarly, the cup also, after dining, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you are drinking, for a recollection of Me."
26 For as often as you are eating this bread and drinking this cup, you are announcing the Lord's death until He should be coming.
27 So that, whoever should be eating the bread or drinking the cup of the Lord unworthily, will be liable for the body and the blood of the Lord.
28 Now let a man test himself first, and thus let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
29 For he who is eating and drinking unworthily is eating and drinking judgment to himself, not discriminating the body of the Lord.
30 Therefore many among you are infirm and ailing, and a considerable number are reposing.
31 For if we adjudicated ourselves, we would not be judged.
32 Yet, being judged, we are being disciplined by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
33 So that, my brethren, when coming together to eat, be waiting for one another.
34 Now if anyone may be hungry, let him eat at home, that you may not be coming together for judgment. Now the rest I shall be prescribing as soon as I should be coming.

  Typically the ecclesia would meet in each other's homes and fellowship.  During which they would have what we would call today a "potluck" and in that way they had the "Lord's supper" together.  What Paul is admonishing against in this passage is against things that destroyed the communion of believers being together.

  Some who were rich were bringing food that they were not sharing.  Some were coming and gorging themselves on the food there.  Some where drunkards and drinking to excess.  In this way, their gathering together was no different than any revelry the pagans did.  Instead, he was teaching them to be orderly, sharing with one another and enjoying the communion or fellowship in a manner befitting a believer.

  Remember, there were no special buildings at the time Paul wrote this, for fellowship.  There was no "Church" or "Sanctuary" where they preformed what is now the rite of "communion" that various Christian denominations preform.  They often met in houses together and took the "Lord's Supper", so it would make no sense to say in verse 34 let him eat at home, unless he's referring to someone eating in a way that is different to the "Lord's supper" which is simply a meal taken together with the Body of Christ believers.

  IE. Gorging oneself on food, or eating a special meal selfishly without sharing it with others.

  At least this is what I understand of this.  If you have another view, feel free to write me on this.  I am definitely interested in hearing what others have to say.

   In any event, I cannot believe that the present day tradition of "communion" is at all what Paul is teaching in these passages.  

With all love and Peace,

Travis 

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