The Lord’s Supper: The Real Presence of Christ
"The Real Presence of Christ "
By Wayne Grudem
The Lord’s Supper is not simply an ordinary meal among human beings — it is a fellowship with Christ, in his presence and at his table. We must avoid the idea that any automatic or magical benefit comes from sharing in the Lord’s Supper, whether a person participates in faith or not. But when a person participates in faith, renewing and strengthening his or her own trust in Christ for salvation, and believing that the Holy Spirit will bring spiritual blessing through such participation, then certainly additional blessing may be expected.
We must be careful here to avoid the mistake of overreacting to Roman Catholic teaching and maintaining that the Lord’s Supper is merely symbolic and not a means of grace. Paul says, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation (Gk. koinonia , “sharing,” “fellowship”) in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation [koinonia] in the body of Christ?” (1 Cor. 10:16 ).
Because there is such a sharing in the body and blood of Christ (apparently meaning a
sharing in the benefits of Christ’s body and blood given for us), the unity of believers is beautifully exhibited at the time of the Lord’s Supper. “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread” (1 Cor. 10:17 ). And since we are participants at “the table of the Lord” (1 Cor. 10:21 ), Paul warns the Corinthians that they cannot participate in the Lord’s table and also participate in idol worship: “You cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons” (1 Cor. 10:21 ). There is a spiritual union among believers and with the Lord that is strengthened and solidified at the Lord’s Supper, and it is not to be taken lightly.
This is why the Corinthians were experiencing judgment for their abuse of the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:29-30 ). But if Paul says there will be judgment for wrong participation in
the Lord’s Supper, then certainly we should expect blessing for right participation in the
Lord’s Supper.
When we obey Jesus’ command , “Take, eat” (Matthew 26:26 ), and go through the physical activity of eating and drinking at the Lord’s table, our physical action pictures a corresponding spiritual nourishment, a nourishment of our soul that will occur when we participate in obedience and faith. Jesus says, “For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him” (John 6:55-56 ).
Certainly Jesus is not speaking of a literal eating of his flesh and blood . But if he is not speaking of a literal eating and drinking, then he must have in mind a spiritual participation in the benefits of the redemption he earns. The spiritual nourishment, so necessary for our souls, is both symbolized and experienced in our participation in the Lord’s Supper.
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