A STUDY IN DOCTRINE
By Rev. Richard Burgett
Introduction
As a child of God we must understand our Father's love for us. His chief motivation in our life is to make us the best person we can possibly be. Everything He does, as He deals with us in our Christian life, is to develop our full potential to the greatest degree possible. To help us understand Him better, He has manifested Himself in many different ways so men could know His attributes or characteristics thereby coming to know Him. The study of the WORD of God gives us an understanding of the greatness of the Almighty. By His dealing with mankind, He reveals Himself to mankind as their Creator. Because He is the Creator of all things, including mankind, He is our Father.
When mankind fell into sin, that same God manifested Himself as Savior through the Redeeming work of the Cross at Calvary. For this reason came I into the world, He said of Himself. Upon finishing His work on earth and before His ascending to heaven, He promised the believers that He would be with them unto the end of the world. This was accomplished by the outpouring of the Holy Ghost upon the one hundred and twenty in the upper room; consequently bringing about the birth of the Christian Church with power to witness in the earth. As Father in Creation, Son of Redemption in flesh, God empowers the Church through the indwelling presence of the Holy Ghost. This Great God our Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, who as the Spirit in each believer, shall quicken us together and take us away to be with him and shall present us to himself, a glorious bride without spot or wrinkle.
This study I am offering has to do with being a partaker with His "Flesh and Blood". For Jesus said unless you eat of my "Flesh" and drink of my "Blood", ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth of me, even he shall live by me. This is the bread which came down from heaven: not as your father did eat manna and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live forever. As John recorded these words, he was bringing the believer to the importance that Jesus is the "Staff of Life" to the soul and spirit of man, as was bread to the physical part of man.
Jesus was not here offering his physical flesh or blood to be consumed by those listening to him. He was offering the "Message" that he was bringing to those present; "the WORD" I speak to you, they are spirit and they are life. It was in the words of the preaching and teaching of Jesus that truth was found. That truth had the power to set men free from sin and it's effects.
The Gospel, "The Good News" to all mankind was that God desired "Peace" for humanity, and that as their Father, He would offer Himself, for the payment of sin, and by doing so, He as Savior would set all men that believed on Him, free. Therefore to believe the message of Redeeming Grace, in the spirit of "Liberty" would and does set the soul of men free. The "flesh" of the message is "JESUS SAVES" and the drink of the message is "COME, DRINK FREELY OF THE WATER OF LIFE, THIS SPAKE HE OF THE SPIRIT".
As you note that neither here in John chapter six nor in chapter thirteen is there any reference to Christ transferring the acceptance of himself into natural elements. John the beloved omits the Last Passover or some call it the Last Supper dinner and goes to the events that come afterward. John deals with "washing of feet" by the Lord as an ensample to the disciples. Why did Jesus wash their feet? Because the disciples had been debating all the way to Jerusalem about who would be the greatest in the kingdom. So Jesus gives a lesson on humility by bathing their feet. When He had finished He said; "Ye know not what I have done to you? If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet."
Did Jesus implement a church ordinance at this point or was He just giving an ensample on brotherly kindness? Personally I believe Christ was teaching by example a spiritual truth, of others before self. Let me return to the issue of the teaching on the natural "Bread and Wine" issue, that says a believer must partake of the Lord's Supper or be outside of the fellowship of God and the Church. In Matthew 26: 20-24, Mark 14:17 and Luke 22: 14, 21-23; the supper scene is portrayed by all of these writers speaking of the "Bread and Cup" which Jesus used to unveil the salvation of the New Testament. Paul , at that time having not been converted or even present, thus received instruction from the Lord himself about the events of that night. Paul writes to the Corinthians who had apparently ask about the proper way to conduct a Passover or Lord's Supper. Paul's instruction was; "When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's Supper." There was no ordinance in the church of Paul's day concerning the Lord's Supper. The apostles would not need to replay the events of the last night their Lord had spent with them, by mimicking those events. Looking back from Calvary, now they could see why Jesus had done what he did on the night he was betrayed. As we go into our bible study, let us read aloud the word of God to unfold the true revelation of this subject.
RECAP ON JESUS BREAD OF HEAVEN
If Jesus was the Bread from Heaven, which came down, then when and how did that bread come?
How was this bread to be given or received?
Can natural or literal elements in a church service become the Bread of Heaven?
Why do people hold a Memorial service?
What is the meaning of the word Mass?
What is Communion?
What is the New Testament (Covenant)?
Now can you Biblically partake of the Lord's Supper?
What does Bread of Life mean to you?
THE COMMUNION MESSAGE IN LIGHT OF THE FOUR GOSPELS
......... In Matthew's gospel we read; "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples and said, Take, eat, this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives." (KJV)
1. As they were eating, what meal was it? Passover or Lord's Supper
2. When Jesus had taken the bread and blessed it, and break it, and gave it to the disciples, what did he say this bread was?
3. What did Jesus say the cup was?
4. Where did Jesus say he would drink the cup "new"?
5. At the end of the meal, what did they do and where did they go?
Mark's report about those events of the last night that Jesus spent with the disciples, start with "On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus's disciples asked him, 'Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?" Sending two of the disciples into the city (Jerusalem), there they would see a man carrying a vessel of water upon his head. They were to follow him and ask the master of the house where the man carrying the water enters, to make ready the upper room for the Lord. When even came Jesus arrived with the Twelve. While they were eating Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many". I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine until I drink it anew in the kingdom of my Father. When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (NIV)
1. On what day did Jesus and the Twelve have their Passover meal?
2. When did Jesus take bread and break it, saying this is my body?
3. When Jesus gave bread to his disciples, what did he call it?
4. When Jesus gave them the cup, what did he call it?
5. When did Jesus say he would drink of the cup?
6. The meal being ended, what did they do and where did they go?
....... Luke's accounting of those events on the night Jesus was betrayed states, "Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, 'Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover." When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God." After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink it again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." And he took some bread, gave thanks and broke it and gave it to them saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you". (NIV)
1. What day did Luke say had come?
2. What was to be sacrificed on that day?
3. In what style of seating did Jesus and his disciples gather around the table? A. They sat B. They stood C. They reclined.
4. How many cups at the end of the meal are reported?
5. Jesus said, take this and divide it among you. To what was he speaking?
6. When Jesus broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, what did he say the bread was?
7. When did Jesus give them the cup of the new covenant in his blood?
8. If there were a cup of thanksgiving and another cup of testament in the meal, what would be the message Jesus would be conveying to those men?
....... Now to John's Passover story; "Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son to betray him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He rises from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples feet and wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded."
1. What feast did John say this was?
2. What did Jesus know that the disciples did not know?
3. Who did John say had placed something in the heart of Judas?
4. What had been placed in Judas' heart?
5. What did John say about the "Passover or Lord's Supper?
6. When Jesus rises from supper, what does he do?
7. Is there an Old Testament custom that Jesus could have patterned his actions after?
....... Three out of the four gospels records the supper meal events as being the Passover, a Jewish celebration. Many teach that after the Passover Supper, Jesus instituted a new meal called the Lord's Supper. If Jesus was instituting a new meal or supper, would not all four of the disciples have recorded it? Would one of the leaders neglect to write about something so important to the Christian church? John is known as the "Beloved Disciple". It was he who was leaning upon the breast of Jesus. He could hear the very heartbeat of God himself, and then to leave out such an important event is hard to accept. John places his interest on the act of foot washing. He is the only writer to do so. Was John introducing the act of foot washing into a Christian service? Was he teaching that foot washing is a part of salvation? Or did John mean to show the act of foot washing only in the light of the custom of that day, showing that Jesus took the lower place of a servant in order to teach his disciples that they should be more willing to serve than to be served?
........ Why did not John address the bread and wine elements? If natural bread in a Christian service is to be given to all believers as the flesh of Jesus, why did not John document it? If the cup of the Passover has the blood of the Lord or even wine that was turned to blood, which all believers must partake of, how is it that John left out that event? Could it be that he knew that the events the night of the Passover were training illustrations to prepare those disciples, of which he was one, for the up coming trials that they all were to face? Could it be that John saw the cup, as a container for the wine as parallel to the fleshly body of Jesus as being the container for the blood that would buy our salvation? Did John catch the vision that the bread broken, was only a type for the broken body of Jesus beginning at Pilot's Hall all the way to Calvary and beyond to the grave? If John did not infuse the event of that night, could he then go from those same events and teach those events as being salvation? As you can tell, it is hard for me to understand John's shortcomings in not reporting the table events of the Last Passover.
........ However looking to the reports of the other three disciples, let us look at the events that they reported. All start their introductions with the day that the Passover Lamb is to be offered for sacrifice. All writers speak of two disciples being sent ahead to make preparations. Luke said that it was Peter and John who were sent. While we are in Luke's gospel, note that it says: "and he took the cup and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. And he took bread and gave thanks and breaks it, and gave unto them, saying; this is my body, which is given for you; these do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, this cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you." Here Luke speaks of two cups, one during supper and the other following after the meal had ended. The first cup Jesus blessed and told them to divide among them. The second cup Jesus tells them to do in remembrance of him, saying it was the "New Testament in my blood". Was then the first cup a Passover cup and the second a new cup, not part of Passover? The first of the cups held the fruit of the vine, speaking of the kingdom of God, Jesus said. The second cup then, what drink was in it? This cup, Jesus said; is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
........ Now, Mark says, "While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, 'Take it; this is my body.' and the cup he took, gave thanks and gave it to these saying, 'this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many". On the other hand, Matthew reports, that the cup and bread were both offered in the midst of the Passover meal, not separating the two events. Looking at the variations of writers, how could anyone accept that a clear doctrine for a Lord's Supper was set forth in scriptures when the events are not clear. Was there one cup or two? Did he wash the disciples's feet or not? If so, was this event a part of the meal? Was the bread offered first or the cup? What was in the cup, fruit of the vine or blood? Were the natural elements changed to a spiritual flesh and blood? Should there be a service where there is an attempt to reenact the Passover meal? Does such a service hold a really essential act or empowerment to bring about our salvation?
....... Looking at all accounts of the events leading up to and thru the Passover meal, it would be hard to see anything but a visual aid attempt by Jesus to prepare his disciples for the upcoming trials. The four gospels tell the story of the life, death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus alone saves. There is no salvation in any other thing. The same bread baked in the bakery taken home and eaten will give only natural life. To take bread from that same bakery to church, pray over it, and say it gives you eternal life, will not stand scriptural study. To pour wine from out of a bottle to drink with a meal would be preached against by many Christians. Yet some will teach to pour a glass full of that same wine in a church service, pray over it, and give it to the members saying this is the blood of our Lord: this, too, has no scriptural grounds.
THE LORD'S SUPPER IN THE LIGHT OF PAUL'S TEACHING
......... Paul's writing to the Corinthians in his first letter, chapter ten, gives a warning to that church, by using Israel's history as an example. He said, "I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact: Fact (1) our forefathers were under the cloud and passed through the sea. Fact (2) they all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. Fact (3) they all ate the same spiritual food and drank from the spiritual rock, that rock was Christ. Fact (4) God was not pleased with most of them, so their bodies were scattered over the desert." Now these things occurred as examples, to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, who eat and drink and get up to play like the world. Nor should we commit sexual immorality, as some of them did and in one day twenty-three thousand laid dead. Neither should we tempt God as some of them, who died by serpents.
......... Separation in preparation to partake of our Lord's service is clearly set forth. Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf (NIV). In the KJV, it speaks of the cup and bread. Saying it is the communion of the Lord. Whether by fellowship or thanksgiving, it takes both to worship the Lord and receive His good favor. But one thing for sure according to PAUL'S TEACHING, a person cannot be a partaker of the Lord's table and the table of demons. We cannot service our Lord one minute and the devil the next. To attempt to do so is idolatry. Such actions will arouse the Lord's jealousy. Are we stronger than he? This teaching and warning is as good today as it was in Paul's day.
......... Too often people come into the truth, to only decide that they want an easier way. They leave the truth for a lesser truth. They claim to be a follower of the truth but live a life that is in conflict with the message. Knowing what God's word says and what he requires, they go about living their lives according to their own will. While claiming to be partakers with the cup and bread of the communion of our Lord, they serve self, defiling their bread and polluting their cup. While praising the Lord with their lips, their hearts are far from him. Offering their body in service has a form of godliness yet inwardly they deny him by refusing to follow him, not keeping his word. Clouds with no rain, wells that are dry, waves of the sea that throw up the trash that is in it, this is the type of person who defiles the table of our Lord. They are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Sign seekers, whose desire is for the Lord and his people to always do something to make them feel special. Grumblers which I did not include when speaking about Israel's history at the beginning, which I will bring in now: always complaining, nothing is right, everything is wrong, always moving trying to find the perfect place where they will be appreciated and their talents used. People who want to be first at the table whether natural or spiritual, but first they must be, and everyone must acknowledge that they are special and the greatest blessing since Jesus himself. These do not keep their first estate, becoming filthy dreamers; they reject authority and slander dignities. Speaking evil of the things which are unknown to them. They are trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead and plucked up by the roots. Wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. We must all remember that there is a way that seems right to man, but it is the way of death. But there is a WAY that is found in truth, which leads into light and will guide us safely home. JESUS the WORD is that way!
PAUL'S TEACHING ON THE LORD'S SUPPER CHAPTER ELEVEN
........ In chapter eleven of First Corinthians, Paul addresses the night in which the Lord was betrayed. This was a revelation to Paul seeing that he had not been present that night. Paul instructs the church to follow his example as he followed the example of Christ. I praise you, Paul said, for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you. Next Paul addresses the order in the family structure; stating that the head of woman is man, the head of man is Christ, the head of Christ is God. He teaches that a woman should not pray or prophesy with her head uncovered, for in so doing she dishonors her head, which is man. But a man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, which is Christ. Paul explains that long hair is given to woman as a covering by which she has power over angels. But short hair is for man and if a man wears long hair, it is a shame to him. Now if anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice nor do the churches of God. I can't help but wonder why Paul addresses these issues before addressing the Lord's Supper.
........ In the following directives I have no praise for you, Paul told the Corinthians, for your meetings do more harm than good. Think about it: a church service that hurts more than helps. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt that there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval. WHEN YOU COME TOGETHER, IT IS NOT TO EAT THE LORD'S SUPPER, OR IT IS NOT OF THE LORD'S SUPPER YOU EAT. For as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else, one remains hungry, another gets drunk. Don't you have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? SHALL I PRAISE YOU FOR THIS? CERTAINLY NOT! The Passover meal was done in the homes of the Jews. When Jesus shared the last meal with his disciples, it was in the house or home of the master where the man with the water pot had entered. Passover was not a Temple service. Churches are not to hold a Passover meal in their place of worship, according to Paul. If the Lord's Supper is to replace the Passover meal, then the same rules must be enforced for both or done away with altogether as having been fulfilled.
........ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me". In the same way, after supper he took the cup saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For whenever you eat this bread or drink this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, you will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of that bread and drinks of that cup. For anyone who eats or drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord, eats and drinks judgment on himself. If you come together wanting to eat, let everyone prefer his brother or sister before himself.
........ Paul gives no instruction on conducting a Lord's Supper within the worship service of the church. It would appear that such a service was not recommended to be held in any form. When you come together this is not to eat the Lord's Supper, Paul says. Sounds clear enough that the very act of such a service was not in line with the apostles teaching. Even gathering in homes as Passover had been done, was dangerous because some of the poor were left out and went away hungry, while other members became drunk, having too much. By such actions they were not discerning the Lord's Body, which is the church itself. As Paul said that he received from the Lord his teachings about the night Jesus was betrayed, Paul never gave a command to perform the act; on the contrary Paul said not to do it. Paul knew that the night Jesus took bread, break it, and gave it to his disciples, that the Lord was preparing those men for the events that would shortly take place. Paul knew that the cup symbolized the outpouring of Christ's blood at the cross. Because Jesus loved these men, he pre-warned them using the illustrations of the bread to his body and wine-fruit of the vine to his blood. Jesus knowing all things knew what the disciples did not know nor could they accept; Jesus would shortly be put to death.
........ If Paul was setting in order the Lord's Supper as some teach and believe, then why did he not make plain what was to be done? The Passover was clearly set forth by Moses, the month, the day, the preparations, how it was to be eaten, what was to be eaten, where it was to be eaten, all clearly marked for a substitutional act. One greater than Moses had come and all he said was as often as ye do it do it in remembrance of me. The meal called the Lord's Supper, was to replace the Passover; yet there was no clear month, day, instruction of preparation, how is one to eat it, what is one to eat in the course of the meal except bread, who could eat it and how often is one to eat this meal? What is to go into the cup, fruit of the vine (juice), wine, or water? If this meal can bring judgment to those who eat or drink unworthily then these questions should be answered before one should attempt to conduct such a service.
........ I believe all the apostles got the message, that "Christ our Passover is sanctified for us. That we are partakers with Christ and that Christ is not divided. That the kingdom of God is not meat or drink; but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost (Rom 14:17), so come and dine with Jesus. The Holy Ghost baptizes all of us into the one body we are made to drink of the one Spirit (I Cor. 12:13). So then the cup of blessings, which we bless, is it not the communion (fellowship of thanksgiving) for the Blood of Christ and the bread we break is it not the communion (fellowship of thanksgiving) of the Body of Christ? The real message is; that we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread (Christ). We have all drank into the one Spirit, by baptism of the Holy Ghost.
....... The message of the night Jesus was betrayed was that salvation was coming. If you believe the message JESUS SAVES, then pass the bread along to someone else. If you have drank from the cup of salvation, you have received the Spirit of truth, then pass the cup, and tell someone else about what Jesus did for you. Share the gospel with those who need to know that Jesus loves them and died for them and that Jesus has power to forgive sins because he paid for the sins of the whole world on the cross. The good news is sin, death, the grave and hell itself, have all given up their keys to Jesus. If a person will repent of their sins, be buried with Jesus in water baptism in his name and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, they can have communion with Him.
JESUS BREAD OF HEAVEN:
...... In John chapter six, we find the teaching of the Lord about himself being the bread that cometh down from heaven. This teaching is called by us, the Bread Of Life message. The meaning of the message is that Jesus in flesh became the source of life giving truths which nourish the soul. As bread was a staple to the diet of those to whom Jesus was speaking, so is His message a staple to the spiritual diet of every man. When Jesus speaks of the Bread that cometh down from heaven, he is talking about himself, God in flesh. To eat of the Bread of Heaven, a person must accept the message of Jesus and practice His doctrine. Moses did not give bread in the wilderness, but my Father, Jesus said. The living bread was not the bread that had to be renewed every day. The living bread was the WORD of God, which was standing in their midst and they rejected. As a starving man should desire bread to satisfy his hunger, so the hungry soul should desire the living bread of heaven which are the words of Jesus.
......... Having this in mind, let us look at the statement, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." We know and must accept that Jesus was speaking allegorically. He was not literal bread for he was flesh and bone. The people to whom he was speaking had followed him only for the natural needs to be met. They had missed the message and by doing so were rejecting the messenger and in turn rejecting eternal life. By putting the natural above the spiritual, these people had lost their identity with heaven while they were hung-up with material things. Jesus was addressing their problem that they were so carnal minded that they were of no heavenly good.
......... People today go where truth is preached and never hear the preaching. They attend service but never learn to serve; always praying for their needs and wants instead of praying for God's will to be done in their life; accepting natural blessings at the expense of loosing spiritual truths; looking for an easy life, provided by the Almighty and his church, while never getting involved to help in the kingdom; always asking for proof whether by a sign or a wonder, not committing themselves to the word of truth. This people need a neat miracle to make their lives worth living and their christ a provider of all their worldly wants and desires. These are hooked into the here and now with no real awareness of eternity.
.......... In today's Christian world, those same type people are always looking for the bells and whistles in a church service, having no true desire to hear or obey the Word of God. They can only believe in what they see, hear only what they already believe and are determined to have things their way. Literal and carnal is all they understand because that is what they are. Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Our forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever."
........ As the Jews had a problem with the idea of eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Jesus, so have many over the years, therefore men came up with a perpetual continuation act of sacrifice for sin. Instead of accepting the truth of the word of God and receiving the spirit of that truth, men exchanged the spiritual teachings for natural elements of a communion service. Therefore Christ is being offered up daily in our world some estimated 200,000 times in the form of a Mass. The teaching is that of a physical sacrifice by Christ to the Father on the behalf of the believer. They teach the Mass is identical to Calvary - it is a sacrifice for sin - it must be perpetuated to take away sin. The catechism of the Council of Trent requires all pastors to explain that not only did the bread and wine of the Mass contain flesh, bones, and nerves as a part of Christ, "But also a Whole Christ." Thus it is referred to as "the sacrifice of the Mass" and as "a renewal of the sacrifice of the Cross." If I believed that Christ offered his flesh and blood as natural elements, I would come closer to believing the doctrine of transubstantiation, the idea of a memorial service of communion.
........ What is the reason for my point of view; easy, Jesus said unless you eat of his flesh and drink of his blood you have no life. If Christ did not give the flesh from his bones or the blood from his veins to give life, then pray tell what did he offer? The WORD, he said the words that I speak to you they are spirit and they are life. Life that is spiritual comes from a spiritual source. The wellspring is Jesus whereby Jesus is the WORD made FLESH. If the WORD was made FLESH, then the flesh Jesus offered to the people to eat of and live was the WORD. Therefore the Bread of Heaven was the Word made Flesh, He dwelt among us, giving the message of the Spirit in the hearing of those around him. His message was bread to the hungry and drink to the thirsty.
........ Should there be a memorial or communion or mass in remembrance of the work of the Cross? NO! There is no need of a memorial service, memorials are conducted for the dead, is Christ dead? Did not our Lord rise on the third day according as He had said! If Jesus is alive and well, why hold a memorial service as if he is still in the grave! When He came forth He led the captive free, therefore if the sainted dead who were before the flood have been set free, why should we who are alive in Christ hold to dead philosophy? Should we hold a communion service? NO! The word communion means "fellowship". If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we will have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus cleans us from all unrighteousness. If there is communion, it is in the WORD, by the WORD and through the WORD, which is Jesus.
....... We have come into this fellowship in the same manner as we came into the church, both being by birth. Through our repenting, being baptized in the name of Jesus and receiving the infilling of the Holy Spirit, salvation is attained for they that believe and are baptized shall be saved. Rise therefore and wash away your sins, we are instructed, calling upon the name of the Lord. For as many of us who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. One Spirit baptized us all into one body. Our communion or fellowship rests in our salvation, not in our observance of a special service that is set aside once or twice a year. As for having a Mass, Christ should not have to die daily, but we are commanded to do so. The writer of Hebrews wrote; "Who needed not daily, as those high priest, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people: For this He did once, when He offered up Himself." (&:27) "By His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us" (9:12) "Nor yet that He should offer HImself often ... but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself ... so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many." (9:25-28) "We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." "He had offered one sacrifice for the sins forever...for by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified." (10:10-14) Note the statement "once and for all".
....... When Jesus said, "it is finished", it was finished. Not only was the payment of sin made in that statement, but also our Lord's suffering in His earthly work was completed and the offering was made, the payment was accepted and salvation came to the world. All of this proving that God did so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him should have eternal life. "Christ, being raised from the dead, death is rendered powerless," (Rom. 6:9) With these truths written in the Bible, to offer natural elements as the flesh and blood of Jesus, stating that the only way to receive Christ and salvation is to partake in a Mass undermines the very foundation of salvation. In the Mass, the Bread of the Eucharistic is called the "host", which in the Latin word "hostia", literally means "victim." Therefore in the Mass by the offering of the bread and wine, Christ is crucified afresh. However, the act of Calvary was a one-time event, it cannot be repeated, it is final and finished. The teaching of the Mass also holds the doctrine that on the night Jesus was betrayed, he empowered the apostles with the ministry of priests to perform the Mass, changing the natural elements of bread and wine to His flesh and blood. Thereby the Mass would give salvation to the taker because they were eating "THE FLESH and THE BLOOD" of the Lord. That doctrine also holds to the order of priest, who would follow after the apostles, being given the same ability to change the natural elements to spiritual elements by the words that are said over the "Host". However, Jesus holds his priesthood permanently, it cannot be transferred to another (Heb. 7: 17,24: Psalm 110:4). Those who hold to this teaching believes that the mortal men who perform the Mass are the priesthood of Jesus and that they are called "other Christs" (alter Chnstus).
....... I give you some direct quotes about the Mass by some who believe in it and the priests who administer it. The mass is the "very essence of the church". If there were no Mass, there could be no church. The Mass performs: "perfect atonement for sin". Is there salvation in a piece of bread or a sup of wine? Or is salvation found in the name of Jesus?
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