What isn’t communion?
It is not transubstantiation as stated in article 28, for it is repugnant to the plain words of scripture.
It is not a sacrifice for Christ’s death on the cross is the one perfect sacrifice. Article 31 “The offering of Christ once made is that perfect redemption, propitiation (atonement) and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual and thee is none other satisfaction for sin but that alone.
What is it?
A memorial (Homilies) “So our loving saviour has ordained and established the remembrance of his great mercy expressed in his passion, in the institution of his heavenly supper.” This connects with Calvin where he Holy Spirit is emphasised. In the supper by faith the Holy spirit unites us with Christ through the “heavenlies” to his body and blood. We ascend through faith to Christ’s communion. Communion is about faith for Calvin. We partake in communion when we have faith. No faith, no communion. This is expressed in the Homilies “Yes the Communion of the Body and Blood of the Lord, in a marvellous incorporation, which by the operation of the holy Ghost (the very bond of our conjunction with Christ) is through faith wrought in the souls of the faithful, whereby not only their souls live to eternal life, but they surely trust to win their bodies a resurrection to immortality (1 Corinthians 10:16-17).” So the communion is a memorial where the Holy Spirit, spiritually present, unites us with Christ at his supper through faith. Herman Bavinck, “By our Spirit-empowered faith, believers are mystically united to Christ and spiritually feed on his flesh and drink his blood to their salvation.
A strengthening of faith. Communion is a visible act, instituted by GOD to reassure believers of his promises. The only grace given to us by communion is assurance by strengthening our faith and is not necessary for salvation for salvation comes by faith alone. The grace of the sacraments is the same grace that scripture imparts; proclaiming GOD’s promises. The purpose of the Eucharist is to strengthen faith. There is scientific evidence that show rituals are surprisingly effective. The Eucharist is a ritual to build faith and it works because GOD has made us able to respond to the ritual that he has given us. It will only work if we have knowledge in what it represents, faith in Christ (Homilies, “so that you acknowledge no other saviour, but Christ only”) and that we have upheld our part of the deal which is to avoid sin and repent of those that we have failed to avoid for heaven is filled with repentant sinners.
The Promise. That Christ died for our sins, to deliver us from death and that he rose again to give us life. By faith we raise up our souls and hearts to heaven where Christ is. But we must make ourselves worthy of receiving these gifts through knowledge, faith and in being free from unrepentant sin.
Role of a Minister.
Catholics when ordained have a spiritual gifting that allows them to concert the elements of bread & wine into the body and blood of Christ so that these can be offered up as a sacrifice. Anglicans see a Priest as a teacher, but we do follow the advice of St Agnatius of Antioch 100 AD, “a proper Eucharist is administered by a Bishop or one he entrusts ‘Priest’ so that everything that is done is valid. To go against to order of the church is rebellious and perhaps schismatic. The Priest is someone that preaches or teaches the Eucharist is similar, it is preaching through the symbols and ritual of the Eucharist and liturgy. To have anyone doing the Eucharist is to go against the unity of the church represented by the hierarchy. Article 23 “It is not lawful for any man to take upon him the public preaching or administering the sacraments before he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same”. All summed up in Romans 13 “We need to by subject of our authorities.”
Liturgy preserves the truth. Even if the priest is dodgy the liturgy maintains the truth.
Eucharist preserves the unity of the church, “we who are many are one body, for we all break the one bread”. 1 Corinthians 10:17. It is the ultimate act of worship.
Christ gives the gifts of his body and blood to be received by faith in order that the believer may be united in communion with him. Becoming apart of this body of Christ we are both demonstrating our love for Christ as well as our love for the other Christians that are a part of his body.
Homilies
Just as God intructed the jews to remember their deliverance from slavery with the passover with it’s rites and ceremonies so christians are to remember Christ’s sacrifice for us and our deliverace from sin with the communion.
“Yes the Communion of the Body and Blood of the Lord, in a marvellous incorporation, which by the operation of the holy Ghost (the very bond of our conjunction with Christ) is through faith wrought in the souls of the faithful, whereby not only their souls live to eternal life, but they surely trust to win their bodies a resurrection to immortality (1 Corinthians 10:16-17).”
Faith is a necessary instrument in all these holy Ceremonies, we may thus assure ourselves, for that as Saint Paul says, without Faith it is impossible to please GOD (Hebrews 11.6).
We ought to purge our own soul from all uncleanness, iniquity, and wickedness, for fear that when we receive the mystical bread (as Origen says) we eat it in an unclean place, that is, in a soul defiled and polluted with sin (Origen, In Levit. Cap.).
Communion – Calvin
The Holy Spirit is emphasised. In the supper by faith the Holy spirit unites us with Christ through the “heavenlies” to his body and blood. We ascend through faith to Christs communion. Communion is about faith for Calvin. We partake in communion when we have faith. No faith, no communion.
Is this thing that I receive in my mouth the body of Jesus given to me for the forgiveness of sins? Calvin says no!
Article 28 – comments
The Eucharist Christ gives the gifts of his body and blood to be received by faith in order that the believer may be united in communion with him. Becoming apart of his body of Christ we are both demonstrating our love for Christ as well as our love for the other Christians that are a part of his body.
The gifts are that Christ died for our sins, to deliver us from death and that he rose again to give us life. By faith we raise up our souls and hearts to heaven where receiving these gifts through knowledge, faith and in being free from unrepentent sin.
28 critises transubstanciation as going against the clear reading of the bible but is Calvin supported by the clear reading of the bible.
Thanksgiving or Eucharist is spoken of in the old testament. The Jews had to make themselves ceremonially clean.
Leviticus 7:20 But if anyone who is unclean eats any meat of the fellowship offering belonging to the Lord, they must be cut off from their people.
Second book of Homilies
In Moses law, the man that did eat of the sacrifice of thanksgiving, with his uncleanness upon him, should be destroyed from his people. And shall we think that the wicked and sinful person shall be excusable at the table of the Lord? Let us call ourselves to an account, that it may grieve us of our former evil conversation, that we may hate sin, that we may sorrow and mourn for our offences, that we may with tears pour them out before GOD, that we may with sure trust desire and crave the salve of his mercy, bought and purchased with the blood of his dearly beloved son Jesus Christ, to heal our deadly wounds as well. Let us take heed we come not with our sins unexamined, into this presence of our Lord and judge. Shalt you be blameless which with a stinking soul, full of covetousness, fornication, drunkenness, pride, full of wretched contemplations and thoughts, do breathe out iniquity and uncleanness on the Bread and Cup of the Lord?
Before taking communion the Christian is to make ourselves morally clean.
How to take communion.
God decreed his wondrous benefits of the deliverance of his people, to be kept in memory by the eating of the Passover, with his Rites and Ceremonies (Exodus 12:14): So our loving saviour has ordained and established the remembrance of his great mercy expressed in his passion, in the institution of his heavenly Supper (Matthew 26:26-28), his commandment forces us, saying, Do you this, drink you all of this (Luke 22:17). This is my body which is given for you (1 Corinthians 11:24-25), this is my blood which is shed for you (Matthew 26:28). So we must frequent communion in a reverent and suitable manner, for fear that this comfortable medicine of the soul indecently received, tends to our greater harm and sorrow. Saint Paul says: He that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks his own damnation (1 Corinthians 11:29).
We must certainly know, three things: First, a right and worthy estimation and understanding of this mystery. Secondly, to come in a sure faith. And thirdly, to have newness or pureness of life to succeed the receiving of communion.
We must then take heed, for fear that of the memory, it be made a sacrifice, for fear that of a communion, it be made a private eating, for fear that of two parts, we have but one, for fear that applying it for the dead, we lose the fruit that be alive. In the worthy receiver, we have a right understanding of the thing it self. The ignorant man can neither worthily esteem, or effectively use those marvellous graces and benefits offered and exhibited in that Supper: but either will lightly regard them, or utterly condemn them. So that by his negligence he desires the plagues of God to fall upon him, and by contempt he desires everlasting damnation. Resort to the Lords Faith is a necessary instrument in all these holy Ceremonies, we may thus assure ourselves, for that as Saint Paul says, without Faith it is impossible to please GOD (Hebrews 11.6). Table with understanding: see the counsel of God in the like matter, who charged his
people to teach for posterity, not only the rites and Ceremonies of the Passover, but we may learn, that both more perfect knowledge is required and that the ignorant cannot profitably exercise himself in the Lords Sacraments.
Saint Paul blaming the Corinthians for the profaning of the Lords Supper, concludes that ignorance both of the thing it self, and the cause of their abuse: for they came to that place irreverently, not discerning the Lords Body. But (as the Scripture says) the Table of the Lord, the Bread and Cup of the Lord, the memory of Christ, the moment of his death, Yes the Communion of the Body and Blood of the Lord, in a marvellous incorporation, which by the operation of the holy Ghost (the very bond of our conjunction with Christ) is through faith wrought in the souls of the faithful, whereby not only their souls live to eternal life, but they surely trust to win their bodies a resurrection to immortality (1 Corinthians 10:16-17).
Now it follows to have with this knowledge a sure and constant faith, not only that the death of Christ is available for the redemption of all the world, for the remission of sins, and reconciliation with GOD the Father: but also that he has made upon his cross a full and sufficient sacrifice, a perfect cleansing of your sins, so that you acknowledge no other saviour, but Christ only, and that you may say with the Apostle, that he loved you, and gave himself for you. Faith is a necessary instrument in all these holy Ceremonies, we may thus assure ourselves, for that as Saint Paul says, without Faith it is impossible to please GOD (Hebrews 11.6).
Dare you presume to come up to these sacred and fearful mysteries? O man, to which rush you unadvisedly? It is a table of peace, and you art ready to fight. It is a table of singleness, and you art imagining mischief. It is a table of quietness, and you art given to debate. It is a table of pity, and you art unmerciful. do you neither fear GOD the maker of this feast, or reverence his Christ the refection and meat, tender your own salvation, examine and try your good will and love towards the children of GOD, the members of Christ, the heirs of the heavenly heritage: Yes, towards the image of GOD, the excellent creature your own soul. If you have offended, now be reconciled. If you have caused any to stumble in the way of GOD, now set them up again. If you have disquieted your brother, now pacify him. If you have wronged him, now relieve him. If you have defrauded him, now restore to him. If you have nourished spite, now embrace friendship. If you have fostered hatred and malice, now openly show your love and charity, Yes be at hand and ready to procure your neighbours health of soul, wealth, commodity, and pleasures, as your own. Last of all, as there is here the mystery of peace, and the Sacrament of Christian society, whereby we understand what sincere love ought to be between the true communicants (Chrysostom, Ad Popu. Ant. Homil. 6). We ought to purge our own soul from all uncleanness, iniquity, and wickedness, for fear that when we receive the mystical bread (as Origen says) we eat it in an unclean place, that is, in a soul defiled and polluted with sin (Origen, In Levit. Cap.). In Moses law, the man that did eat of the sacrifice of thanksgiving, with his uncleanness upon him, should be destroyed from his people. And shall we think that the wicked and sinful person shall be excusable at the table of the Lord? Let us call ourselves to an account, that it may grieve us of our former evil conversation, that we may hate sin, that we may sorrow and mourn for our offences, that we may with tears pour them out before GOD, that we may with sure trust desire and crave the salve of his mercy, bought and purchased with the blood of his dearly beloved son Jesus Christ, to heal our deadly wounds as well. Let us take heed we come not with our sins unexamined, into this presence of our Lord and judge. Shalt you be blameless which with a stinking soul, full of covetousness, fornication, drunkenness, pride, full of wretched contemplations and thoughts, do breathe out iniquity and uncleanness on the Bread and Cup of the Lord? Thus have you heard, how you should come reverently and decently to the Table of the Lord, having the knowledge of his word, of the thing it self, and the fruits of that, bringing a true and constant Faith, the root and wellspring of all newness of life, as well in praising GOD, and loving our neighbour, as purging our own conscience from self-indulgence. So that neither the ignorance of the thing shall cause us to treat with contempt, or unfaithfulness make us void of fruit, or sin and iniquity procure us GODS plagues: but shall by Faith, in knowledge and amendment of life in Faith be here so united to Christ our Head in his mysteries, to our comfort, that after we shall have full fruition of him indeed, to our everlasting joy and eternal life, to the which he brings us, that died for us and Redeemed us, Jesus Christ the righteous, to whom with the Father, and the holy Ghost, one true and eternal GOD, be all praise, honour and dominion for ever, Amen.
Question?
What passages in the bible support the spiritually