Matt Black said:Eliyahu, putting it in big red letters doesn't make you any more right...
LOL, "its funny because its true" - Fat Tony
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Matt Black said:Eliyahu, putting it in big red letters doesn't make you any more right...
1 Cor 11:23Eliyahu said:The Bible refutes you:
1 Cor 11:
23..... Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 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.
He said : This ( Bread) is my Body, This do( EAT the Bread) in remembrance of me.
NO MAGIC TRANSFORMATION THERE. - brake, take, eat.
Christ said they are His Body and His Blood to be believed by faith, as He said about " True Vine"
Otherwise, he woul have been breaking the LAW.
Have the Disciples suck the Blood out of the Body of Jesus when He shed the Blood at the Cross?
Agnus_Dei said:1 Cor 11:23Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread 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.For those who can't read.
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Even though "participation" is one of the meanings that can be translated into the Greek word here, it is not "participation" the way you are thinking of it. The actual word is koinonia (2842; from 2839 koinos "common")and also means partnership or (social) intercourse or pecuniary benefaction and is also translated elsewhere as "communication", "distribution", "fellowship". The context of 1 Cor 10 is Paul's instruction to flee from idolatry, because whoever gets involved with it is partaking of the devils of pagan religion worship. He is not saying there is some "real presence" of the devils in the objects, (though that is often what [ironically, anti-Catholic] Jack Chick and other radical "spiritual warfare" types claim, with all sorts of descriptions of demons "clinging onto" things, as if these were physical space-bound beings; and use this notion against Catholicism, rhythmic music, bad emotions and whatever else they are trying to demonize). You are spiritually partaking of their altar (worship)(v.18), and thus fellowshipping with them (v.20).Chemnitz said:Why should we condemn Paul? He does not reject the presence of Jesus' body and blood. He first affirms the words of Christ and then acknowledges that unworthy participation is profain the body and blood of Christ. Such a warning would not be given if they were not present. He also affirms the presence of body and blood when he states, "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?" 1 Corinthians 10:16
Eric B said:Even though "participation" is one of the meanings that can be translated into the Greek word here, it is not "participation" the way you are thinking of it. The actual word is koinonia (2842; from 2839 koinos "common")and also means partnership or (social) intercourse or pecuniary benefaction and is also translated elsewhere as "communication", "distribution", "fellowship". The context of 1 Cor 10 is Paul's instruction to flee from idolatry, because whoever gets involved with it is partaking of the devils of pagan religion worship. He is not saying there is some "real presence" of the devils in the objects, (though that is often what [ironically, anti-Catholic] Jack Chick and other radical "spiritual warfare" types claim, with all sorts of descriptions of demons "clinging onto" things, as if these were physical space-bound beings; and use this notion against Catholicism, rhythmic music, bad emotions and whatever else they are trying to demonize). You are spiritually partaking of their altar (worship)(v.18), and thus fellowshipping with them (v.20).
So he starts with an example of how this works, with first, the Communion, and then the sacrifices of OC Israel. Again, there is no claim of any "real presence" of God IN the food in the OT practice. It is a sign of spiritual allegiance to the true God or false gods by participating (in social religious intercourse) with a group of people worshipping whichever God.
So what he is saying there is the bread we break and cup we bless (and eat/drink TOGETHER) is the partnership with Christ, whose body and blood we use bread and wine to represent. It is a sign (of allegiance; baptism also), not a claim of anything happening to the food, either "literally", or "invisibly".
He later goes on to point out that people's gluttony of it (which is the only "unworthy manner" in the context) violates this unity, and thus disrespects the meaning of the solemn meal. (Which is why you do not need a concept of a "real presence" in order for it to be profaned, and Paul's words to have meaning).
(Italics mine.)1. The Supper of the Lord Jesus was instituted by Him the same night on which He was betrayed to be observed in His churches until the end of the world for the perpetual remembrance, and showing forth of the sacrifice of Himself in His death. It was also instituted by Christ to confirm believers in all the benefits of His death; - for their spiritual nourishment and growth in Him; - for their further engagement in and commitment to all the duties which they owe to Him; - and to be a bond and pledge of their communion with Him and with their fellow believers.
3. The Lord Jesus has, in this ordinance, appointed His ministers to pray and bless the elements of bread and wine (so setting them apart from a common to a holy use) and to take and break the bread, then to take the cup, and to give both to the communicants, also communicating themselves.
5. The outward elements in this ordinance which are correctly set apart and used as Christ ordained, so closely portray Him as crucified, that they are sometimes truly (but figuratively) referred to in terms of the things they represent, such as the body and blood of Christ. However in substance and nature they still remain truly and only bread and wine as they were before.
7. Worthy receivers, outwardly taking the visible elements in this ordinance, also receive them inwardly and spiritually by faith, truly and in fact, but not carnally and corporally, and feed upon Christ crucified, and all the benefits of His death. The body and blood of Christ is not present corporally or carnally but it is spiritually present to the faith of believers in the ordinance, just as the elements are present to their outward senses.
8. All ignorant and ungodly persons who are unfit to enjoy communion with Christ are equally unworthy of the Lord's Table, and therefore cannot without great sin against Him, take a share in these holy mysteries or be admitted to the Supper while they remain in that condition. Indeed those who receive (the elements) unworthily, are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, eating and drinking judgement to themselves.
Matt Black said:Eliyahu, you missed out some important paragraphs of the London Baptist Confession:-
(Italics mine.)[/font][/color]
You see, even the Baptists (used to) acknowledge some kind of Presence.
Article 28 (of the 39 Article os the Church of England)- The Lord's Supper
The Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves, one to another, but rather it is [also] a sacrament of our redemption by Christ's death: to those who rightly, worthily, and with faith receive it, the bread that we break is a partaking of the body of Christ, and likewise the cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ.
Transubstantiation (or the change of the substance of bread and wine) in the Supper of the Lord, cannot be proved by Holy Scripture, but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthrows the nature of a Sacrament, and has given occasion to many superstitions.
The body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten in the Supper, only after an heavenly and spiritual manner. And the means by which the body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper is faith
The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped.
Matt Black said:Yes, but I don't think anyone other than Agnus is arguing transubstantiation. Many of us are however arguing against mere memorialism - and the Confession cited would seem to suggest that the early Baptists at least agreed with us on that point.
Article 25 - The Sacraments
Sacraments ordained of Christ are not only badges or tokens of Christian men's profession, but rather they are certain sure witnesses and effectual signs of grace and God's good will towards us, by which He works invisibly in us, and not only quickens, but also strengthens and confirms, our faith in Him.
There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel, that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord.
Those five, commonly called Sacraments, that is to say, Confirmation, Penance, Orders, Matrimony, and Extreme Unction, are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel, being such as have grown partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles, partly are states of life allowed in the Scriptures; but yet have not the like nature of Sacraments with Baptism and the Lord's Supper, for that they have not any visible sign or ceremony ordained of God.
The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon or to be carried about, but that we should duly use them. And in such only as worthily receive the same, have they a wholesome effect or operation: but they that receive them unworthily, purchase to themselves damnation, as S. Paul said.
It condemns the Catholic practice of reservation of the Blessed Sacrament, putting it in a monstrance and carrying it about in worship.Eliyahu said:Matt,
I don't find any problem with COE statement, but could you help me by explaining what this means?
The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped.
OK, thanks.Matt Black said:This Wikipedia article fairly accurately sets out Church of England view(s) on communion. I personally incline to the more Cranmerian view.
Hi Matt, I don’t see the Cranmerian view listed in your Wikipedia article.Matt Black said:This Wikipedia article fairly accurately sets out Church of England view(s) on communion. I personally incline to the more Cranmerian view.
Once again, as I've said before; it's not "mere" anything! What you have just highlighted regarding the definition of koinonia is exactly what I was trying to convey. It is a close sharing on a [spiritual] level humans cannot otherwise attain. Still, the sharing is of Christ in us, (having the social intercourse) and not Christ in the bread and wine. The shared bread and wine only represents the sharing of Christ. I don't see where koinonia suggests anything special about the elements in themselves. It's the people taking them.Chemnitz said:koinonia is its own word, any attempt to relegate it to the meaning of koinos is a faulty use of Greek vocabulary. Koinonia is a far more intense word than koinos. BDAG has many possible definitions for including fellowship and participation, but they have one thing in common a close intimate sharing. A close intimate sharing does not exist at the level of a loose fellowship that is social intercourse. It goes far beyond social niceties. It is a sharing on a level we humans could only dream of obtaining. To relegate the participation in Christ's body and blood to a mere social intercourse is horrendous.
Again, I did not say anything about "nonexistent". It's just not in the Bread; it is in the people. To come and profane such a meal like that with gluttony would be a serious disregard to Christ, without some "presence" of His being in the bread. All Paul mentions is gluttony that defined their nonrecognition of the Body, not as a "symptom" some other problem. the other problem was a corollary of their behavior that they inadvertently didn't realize. Of course, they were not regarding the body in being gluttonous, but it was not physical food they were not regarding, but rather Christ and the fellowship of Christians making up His spiritual Body. Again, if you understand it along the lines of the Baptist confession, there won't be a problem with this passage.Gluttony, he only identifies as a symptom. It in and of itself is not the core problem. The problem is they were not rightly regarding what communion is. He correctly moves beyond the idea of gluttony and reminds them that what they are partaking in is the very body and blood of Christ. If they had rightly regarded Christ's body and blood they would not have abused it in such a manner. If this were not the case he would have called them down for gluttony not for their nonrecognition of the body. Again if it is as you say nonexistant then there would be nothing to profain, but because there is something to profain then it must be there.