The Truth About Communion

[Apostolic Soldier]

Have you ever wondered why some take communion? Have you wondered what communion is about, truly? I am here to tell you that most teach the doctrine of communion and they teach it incorrectly. The Lord's Supper is something much greater than an oyster cracker and some grape juice. It is a very spiritual and meaningful thing. First of all, let us analyze what actually took place at the Lord's Supper. We know that Jesus did not eat or drink anything at this supposed "supper"

Luke 22:16 - For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
(v. 18) For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

Second of all, let's look at what this all means. Because the supper and the discussion worked in as one of Jesus' many metaphorical teachings. The bread and the cup represent something so glorious that we should hold it dear every day.

Luke 22:19 - And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in rememberance of me.
(v.20) Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

Now that we understand the metaphorical teaching, there is still another question. Why would you say that we are not to take communion. That one is very simple and one verse from Paul tells us that we are not to take communion at church. This also goes to show that communion is most DEFINATELY NOT a required sacrament (as is baptism).

1 Corinthians 11: 18 - For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there are divisions among you; and I partly believe it.
(v.20) - When ye come together therefore into one place, this is NOT TO EAT THE LORD'S SUPPER.

Verse 18 tells us that the one place he is talking about is the church. So, Paul has commanded us not to take the Lord's Supper (or communion) in church. He then goes on to condemn the act of eating/drinking period in a church. Hopefully now, someone has had their eyes opened to the truth.

 

[follower of Christ]

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You have completely torn the Corinthian verse out of context there, gent.
Paul is CHASTISING them, not saying that they arent to take part of the Lord supper...
Lets examine MORE than you offered above. All you needed to do was read the very next verse, friend, to see exactly what Paul is actually SAYING

Therefore when you assemble in the same place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper.
For when you eat, each one takes first his own supper, and one goes hungry and another is drunk!
What? Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God, and disgrace those who do not have? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you!
(1 Corinthians 11:20-22 EMTV)


This is not ... - Margin, “Ye cannot eat.†The meaning of this expression seems to be this. “Though you come together professedly to worship God, and to partake of the Lord’s Supper, yet this cannot be the real design which you have in view. It cannot be that such practices as are allowed among you can be a part of the celebration of that supper, or consistent with it. Your greediness 1Co_11:21; your intemperance 1Co_11:21; your partaking of the food separately and not in common, cannot be a celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Whatever, therefore, you may profess to be engaged in, yet really and truly you are not celebrating the Lord’s Supper.â€
Albert Barnes


1Co 11:20
This is not to eat the Lord’s Supper - They did not come together to eat the Lord’s Supper exclusively, which they should have done, and not have made it a part of an ordinary meal.
Adam Clarke


1Co 11:17-22
The apostle rebukes the disorders in their partaking of the Lord's supper. The ordinances of Christ, if they do not make us better, will be apt to make us worse. If the use of them does not mend, it will harden. Upon coming together, they fell into divisions, schisms. Christians may separate from each other's communion, yet be charitable one towards another; they may continue in the same communion, yet be uncharitable. This last is schism, rather than the former. There is a careless and irregular eating of the Lord's supper, which adds to guilt. Many rich Corinthians seem to have acted very wrong at the Lord's table, or at the love-feasts, which took place at the same time as the supper. The rich despised the poor, and ate and drank up the provisions they brought, before the poor were allowed to partake; thus some wanted, while others had more than enough. What should have been a bond of mutual love and affection, was made an instrument of discord and disunion. We should be careful that nothing in our behaviour at the Lord's table, appears to make light of that sacred institution. The Lord's supper is not now made an occasion for gluttony or revelling, but is it not often made the support of self-righteous pride, or a cloak for hypocrisy? Let us never rest in the outward forms of worship; but look to our hearts.
Matthew Henry

Paul isnt telling them that they ARENT TO take the Lords supper...he's accusing them of coming together, not to take the Lords supper, but to be childish, immature and disobedient in the assembly.

Hopefully now, someone has had their eyes opened to the truth.

Hopefully at some point the endless barrage of self proclaimed 'teachers' here will give the rest of us a break


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[GodspromisesRyes]

1Cr 11:33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.


1Cr 11:34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.



we can see by the end of the context that follower is correct, this is telling us HOW to do it rightly and rebuking them because they were doing it wrongly. Clearly here paul is showing WHEN ye come together to eat tarry for one another and IF any man is hungery LER HIM EAT AT HOME( proving this is at CHURCH not at home that they are together to eat)


although i do agree we can do it at home also or whereever, we also likewise can gather together at church or whereever fellowship is and do it but we are to consider each other and not ourselves! After all the Lords body was broken for us and His blood spilt for us- LIKEWISE, WE now are His body and should be broken for each other.

 

[follower of Christ]

Verse 18 tells us that the one place he is talking about is the church. So, Paul has commanded us not to take the Lord's Supper (or communion) in church. He then goes on to condemn the act of eating/drinking period in a church. Hopefully now, someone has had their eyes opened to the truth.

Another error here is that you say we're not supposed to do so 'in church'.

WE are the 'church' (the 'calling out' or 'assembly').

"church"
G1577
????????
ekkl?sia
Thayer Definition:
1) a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly
1a) an assembly of the people convened at the public place of the council for the purpose of deliberating
1b) the assembly of the Israelites
1c) any gathering or throng of men assembled by chance, tumultuously
1d) in a Christian sense
1d1) an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting
1d2) a company of Christian, or of those who, hoping for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, observe their own religious rites, hold their own religious meetings, and manage their own affairs, according to regulations prescribed for the body for order’s sake
1d3) those who anywhere, in a city, village, constitute such a company and are united into one body
1d4) the whole body of Christians scattered throughout the earth
1d5) the assembly of faithful Christians already dead and received into heaven.

Anywhere we gather together is 'church'...whether its a building down on the corner, your or my living room or a corn field in Ohio.
So we are taking communion 'in church' by default regardless of where we partake of it when we are gathered together.

 

[Apostolic Soldier]

[quote="Apostolic Soldier":s0pr3f2q]
Verse 18 tells us that the one place he is talking about is the church. So, Paul has commanded us not to take the Lord's Supper (or communion) in church. He then goes on to condemn the act of eating/drinking period in a church. Hopefully now, someone has had their eyes opened to the truth.

Another error here is that you say we're not supposed to do so 'in church'.

WE are the 'church' (the 'calling out' or 'assembly').

"church"
G1577
????????
ekkl?sia
Thayer Definition:
1) a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly
1a) an assembly of the people convened at the public place of the council for the purpose of deliberating
1b) the assembly of the Israelites
1c) any gathering or throng of men assembled by chance, tumultuously
1d) in a Christian sense
1d1) an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting
1d2) a company of Christian, or of those who, hoping for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, observe their own religious rites, hold their own religious meetings, and manage their own affairs, according to regulations prescribed for the body for order’s sake
1d3) those who anywhere, in a city, village, constitute such a company and are united into one body
1d4) the whole body of Christians scattered throughout the earth
1d5) the assembly of faithful Christians already dead and received into heaven.

Anywhere we gather together is 'church'...whether its a building down on the corner, your or my living room or a corn field in Ohio.
So we are taking communion 'in church' by default regardless of where we partake of it when we are gathered together.
[/quote:s0pr3f2q]


You are actually the one in error there. By saying "church" maybe I should have said "sanctuary, temple, etc." Because we know that there are houses of prayer and temples of worship that God holds more important than mine and your living room (e.g. Jesus became angry at those who were selling in the temple). And Paul plainly spells out that he is speaking of the "sanctuary" by saying " have you not houses to eat or drink in, or do you despise the temple of God?" So, how can take communion in the temple if Paul has plainly told us that we are not to eat/drink there.

 

[jasoncran]

weird way of looking at that chapter. what if the "church" was in hiding and persecuted what then, go home to have communion or do it at wherever the place called the church meeting place.

ever heard of the city of petra , it was a hiding place for the early church after the time of the apostles.

 

[Apostolic Soldier]

But what can we do with the verse "When you come together into one place this is not to eat the Lord's Supper."