Does your church have an altar?

[robycop3]

There's quite a bit of difference between a table & an altar. A table is a flat-surfaced slab, usually supported by legs, while an altar is a flat surface on a raised solid object such as a rock or purpose-built box. A table is used for many things, from holding food to a work station, while an altar is used to offer sacrifices to a deity.

We Christians do not offer sacrifices; Jesus fulfilled the sacrificial law once for all, eliminating the need for altars. But there's nothing wrong with having a special table used only for Communion, or to use a given table for Communion.

 

[Cathode]

There's quite a bit of difference between a table & an altar. A table is a flat-surfaced slab, usually supported by legs, while an altar is a flat surface on a raised solid object such as a rock or purpose-built box. A table is used for many things, from holding food to a work station, while an altar is used to offer sacrifices to a deity.

We Christians do not offer sacrifices; Jesus fulfilled the sacrificial law once for all, eliminating the need for altars. But there's nothing wrong with having a special table used only for Communion, or to use a given table for Communion.

We do have a special table only used for Communion, we call it an Altar.

Ancient Catholic practice was to bury the martyrs under our Altars.

“ And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” Revelation 6:9-11.

So for us the Altar is a directly relatable organic and scriptural part of our faith and practice.

 

[CalTech]

Jesus used a Table when He performed communion.

Yes, He did, it was a dining table......not an "altar".

 

[Cathode]

Yes, He did, it was a dining table......not an "altar".

By instituting the New and Everlasting Covenant transforming bread and wine into His Body and Blood, He also transformed a table into an Altar.

 

[robycop3]

We do have a special table only used for Communion, we call it an Altar.

Ancient Catholic practice was to bury the martyrs under our Altars.

“ And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” Revelation 6:9-11.

So for us the Altar is a directly relatable organic and scriptural part of our faith and practice.

Yet another man-made RCC practice. Altars are for sacrifices, & Jesus took care of that on the cross.

 

[CalTech]

By instituting the New and Everlasting Covenant transforming bread and wine into His Body and Blood, He also transformed a table into an Altar.

Greetings,

Would you please point where that is written in the Lord's Word?
I have never read anything that states that.
Because Jesus Christ is the Living Tabernacle.......nothing "made of hands" represents what the Lord was talking about regarding, "The Cup", and "The Bread".

The Altar "concept" was a man made tradition to copy the Old Levitical Tabernacle covenant, which was done away with when Christ was crucified. Nothing that is instituted within the present day "Church" organizations and their "temple" buildings represents the True Foundation which the Lord and His Apostles taught.

The following gives one of the examples, that the old way of worshiping God would not exist.

Joh 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
Joh 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Do you think that the believer's of the Lord met in "Temples built with hands", after His Resurrection? They did not they met in person's homes........and there were no "Altar's" present. Just every day furnishing's of it's time, and according to their income or should I say their "wealth". The "altar" was the cross that Christ was offered upon. He was the sacrificial Lamb, upon the "cross He shed His blood, and died for the sins of those who were in the World.


Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Eph 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Therefore true disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ do not need to build a "temple" to worship Him, because "where two or three" are gathered together, there I am in the midst"
Mat 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

So therefore where ever Two or Three persons, who truly are disciples of the Lord, are gathered in His Name THAT is where the Lord is present. And all of the Godhead is with them. And all they have to do is meet in a home, an apartment or a room, and ALL the authority of Christ is with them.

That is why there is no call for "temples" to be built to honor the Lord God, because He dwells within us, and THAT is His dwelling place.

The Lord bless you....

 

[CalTech]

Yet another man-made RCC practice. Altars are for sacrifices, & Jesus took care of that on the cross.

AMEN!!!!

 

[AustinC]

There is an altar in heaven. The Tabernacle is a replica of heaven. When Jesus gave his life in substitution for our sin, he was a sacrifice for us.

Hebrews 13:7-16
Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

1 Peter 2:4-5,9-10
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

I have no problem with having a symbolic altar in a church. It points us toward our King who died so that we might live.

 

[Dave G]

No, my church does not have an "altar",
as we believe that the altar spoken of in many places in God's word is that of the believer's heart.

We do not have candlesticks, shewbread, or any other decorations, nor do we observe times and days and seasons.
Our gatherings are simple affairs with no ceremony, and there is no church building.

We meet to thank the Lord for His salvation and for sending His Son to redeem us with His blood, and we wait for the Lord Jesus to return.

 

[CalTech]

There is an altar in heaven. The Tabernacle is a replica of heaven. When Jesus gave his life in substitution for our sin, he was a sacrifice for us.

Hebrews 13:7-16
Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

1 Peter 2:4-5,9-10
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

I have no problem with having a symbolic altar in a church. It points us toward our King who died so that we might live.

Greetings,

We do not need anything that is made with the "hands of man" to cause us to "look unto Jesus" why? First anything that is "natural" shall be burnt.
Secondly, For we have His Holy Spirit dwelling within, the Lord's kingdom dwells within our hearts and souls through the Power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit causes us to "look unto Jesus" for everything we need. That is why the Lord and the Apostles taught we are guided by His Holy Spirit, so that we may know "All things" that are granted unto His Own.

The Lord bless you......

 

[AustinC]

Greetings,

We do not need anything that is made with the "hands of man" to cause us to "look unto Jesus" why? First anything that is "natural" shall be burnt.
Secondly, For we have His Holy Spirit dwelling within, the Lord's kingdom dwells within our hearts and souls through the Power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit causes us to "look unto Jesus" for everything we need. That is why the Lord and the Apostles taught we are guided by His Holy Spirit, so that we may know "All things" that are granted unto His Own.

The Lord bless you......

Where did I say we need something?

I simply quoted scripture and the fact that there is an altar in heaven. Is the remembrance of Jesus sacrifice something we should avoid? Is an altar of remembrance forbidden by God?

 

[Baptist Believer]

We set the communion elements on it. It is a table that says "This do in remembrance of me.".

Do you find fault with every tradition of the church?

Not every tradition -- only the traditions that are theologically damaging.

 

[Eliyahu]

Yes, our Assembly has an Altar, the Cross at Golgotha is our Altar which is written in our Hearts.
Our Great High Priest Lord Jesus Christ offered Himself on the Cross which is our Altar and is in our Hearts,
We don't need any other Altar.
RCC ask their god to forgive their sins by lifting up the chalice and the cookie because
they don't believe All the sins were forgiven at the Cross by virtue of the precious Blood of Jesus Christ Once For ALL
They demand their god to forgive their sins every week, all the time because they don't have the assurance that their sins were forgiven at the Cross already.

But we the true Believers believe that all the sins were forgiven already at the Cross and need NO MORE Sacrifice at all.

Hebrews 10

14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,

16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;


If you still believe that you need the sacrifice and the altar so that you may offer the sacrifice and thereby you need to be forgiven,
You must be born again as you are not forgiven yet!
You must be born again by believing all your sins were forgiven already at the Cross by the precious Blood shed at the Cross, our Altar.


Eliyahu

 

[Reynolds]

Yes, He did, it was a dining table......not an "altar".

We don't have room for a dining table up front. It would be aggravating trying to prepare communion on the floor. We have a table of appropriate size to do that. What is the problem with that?

 

[CalTech]

Where did I say we need something?

I simply quoted scripture and the fact that there is an altar in heaven. Is the remembrance of Jesus sacrifice something we should avoid? Is an altar of remembrance forbidden by God?

I never stated "you (personally) needed something". I said as follower's of Lord, (generalizing, meaning ALL true disciple's of the Lord) have no need for "material objects" to be bring their thoughts upon Christ and His Sacrifice, because it has been written upon the "tablet's or our hearts" by and through the Power of the Holy Spirit.
I hope that clears it up for you.....

Lord bless you....
In His Love......

 

[CalTech]

We don't have room for a dining table up front. It would be aggravating trying to prepare communion on the floor. We have a table of appropriate size to do that. What is the problem with that?

Greetings,

I was pointing out that at the time the Lord gave out the "cup" and the "bread", it was a dinning table, never an alter.
I can share the "bread and the Cup of suffering" from my small coffee table at home. I only meet the Lord at my apartment.
I do not attend any denominational institution whatever and have not for over 16 years.

I have been called out, here in Quebec all main-stream "churches" have been compromised in the faith of Christ, they are ecumenical, allowing women pastor's or supporting and promoting Rick Warren's agenda to the "communities", are hyper-faith, New Apostolic, Charismatic, Vineyard, Calvary Chapel influenced, Rock music, a feel good Gospel.....etc.,

Once a follower of the Lord hears the call to come out, and they do come out, they will discover how much of "man-made" tradition's are not needed.

Hope that gives you an understanding from where I am coming from.

Lord bless you.....
In His Love....

 

[AustinC]

Greetings,

I was pointing out that at the time the Lord gave out the "cup" and the "bread", it was a dinning table, never an alter.
I can share the "bread and the Cup of suffering" from my small coffee table at home. I only meet the Lord at my apartment.
I do not attend any denominational institution whatever and have not for over 16 years.

I have been called out, here in Quebec all main-stream "churches" have been compromised in the faith of Christ, they are ecumenical, allowing women pastor's or supporting and promoting Rick Warren's agenda to the "communities", are hyper-faith, New Apostolic, Charismatic, Vineyard, Calvary Chapel influenced, Rock music, a feel good Gospel.....etc.,

Once a follower of the Lord hears the call to come out, and they do come out, they will discover how much of "man-made" tradition's are not needed.

Hope that gives you an understanding from where I am coming from.

Lord bless you.....
In His Love....

The table in the holy place, within the tabernacle was a foreshadowing of the table in the upper room. On the table is the bread offering and the wine offering to God. When Jesus took of the bread and of the wine, he established the New Covenant that God made with all who believe.
The supper is also foreshadowed in the meal which the elders of Israel ate with God on Mt Sinai when God established the Old Covenant with Israel.
The church is the embassy of the Kingdom of God. Should it not have a symbolic replica of the heavenly tabernacle with the table and the altar?

 

[CalTech]

The table in the holy place, within the tabernacle was a foreshadowing of the table in the upper room. On the table is the bread offering and the wine offering to God. When Jesus took of the bread and of the wine, he established the New Covenant that God made with all who believe.
The supper is also foreshadowed in the meal which the elders of Israel ate with God on Mt Sinai when God established the Old Covenant with Israel.
The church is the embassy of the Kingdom of God. Should it not have a symbolic replica of the heavenly tabernacle with the table and the altar?

Greetings!
The Living Body of Christ (individual persons) indwelt by the Holy Spirit is the Kingdom of God, NOT built with hands.
Because Jesus Christ is the symbol of the Heavenly Tabernacle.... Because Jesus Christ IS the Living Tabernacle!
So I and no other believer's need a "symbolic hand made replica" to represent Jesus Christ the living Tabernacle!

Lord bless you!
In His Love....

 

[AustinC]

Greetings!
The Living Body of Christ (individual persons) indwelt by the Holy Spirit is the Kingdom of God, NOT built with hands.
Because Jesus Christ is the symbol of the Heavenly Tabernacle.... Because Jesus Christ IS the Living Tabernacle!
So I and no other believer's need a "symbolic hand made replica" to represent Jesus Christ the living Tabernacle!

Lord bless you!
In His Love....

Again, where did I say we "need?"

My question is whether God forbids the symbolism?

 

[Walter]

It seems like the OP is going on a major campaign against having a table for the Lords Supper
Unless you can show scripture - that we should NOT have one - this is much ado about nothing!

If a church wants an alter fine - if not fine!
Bottom line -where does Scripture prohibit it!

I think it comes down to how people define 'altar'. Is a communion table an 'altar'? I have been in many churches that call the entire area at the front of the 'sanctuary' the 'altar'. I think they mean that this area is reserved for people to come at the 'invitation' and offer themselves as 'living sacrifices' to the Lord and give 'their hearts to Jesus'."

The fact that all the earliest excavated Christian churches had altars where the Eucharist was offered. All the Early Church writings support this. The Church did not stop recording it's history at the end of the 27 books of the New Testament. Reading what the Early Church recorded about the significance of 'The Lord's Supper' is what got me realizing that the Church of the New Testament looked nothing like the modern day Baptist church.

The oldest Christian churches and their liturgies all support the focus on liturgical worship with the Eucharist. Study the Coptic and Maronite Church which have ties to the New Testament Church. Any history of Baptist churches dating back to New Testament times? Were all the post apostolic writings that would support a 'Baptistic' interpretation of the Lord's Supper? Ignatius of Antioch sat at John's feet and wrote in support of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Should I believe what he heard from John or your 16th century reformers who decided the Church was wrong for a century and a half..