Baptism and the Lords Supper - Our Daily Bread …web001.rbc.org/pdf/discovery-series/baptism-the-lords-supper.pdfBaptism And The Lord’s Supper by Richard W.De Haan The Meaning Of

Baptism Baptism AndAndThe Lord’The Lord’s Suppers Supper

by Richard W. De Haan

The Meaning Of Baptism

TTo begin our study on the ordinances of the church, I

would like to focus your attention on baptism. In the first two lessons we will explore its meaning and its

relationship to salvation, then we will consider what the Bible teaches about the Lord’s Supper.

You may have noticed that I referred to baptism as anordinance—not a sacrament—of the church. I did so for a very definite reason. There are those who, in using the termsacrament to apply to baptism, view it wrongly as a means of imparting some special grace. I realize that there are somewho use the word sacrament without any such intendedapplication. However, because of the wrong connotation giventhe term by others, I prefer to call baptism an ordinance rather than a sacrament.

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SACRAMENTALISMWhen the word sacramentwas first applied to baptismin the latter part of thesecond century AD, it was associated with someerroneous ideas that had beendrawn into Christendom fromthe Greek mystery religions.The converts from paganismwere accustomed to havingcleansing ceremonies forspiritual purification, andthey began to think ofbaptism as a means by whichthe stain of sin was removed.These former pagans hadbeen involved in practicesthey had looked on as havingspecial powers, so it was onlya small step for them to viewthe waters of baptism aspossessing redemptive value.

Constantine, the Roman emperor who made Christianity the state religion in the fourth century,reportedly postponed hisbaptism until he was on hisdeathbed. We presume thathe hoped all his sins would

be washed away just before he died.

By the 12th century, asmany as 30 different rites and ceremonies were beingpracticed in the church. Thesewere called either “mysteries”or “sacraments.” That number,of course, has been graduallyreduced, but the termsacrament has been retained.And for many it still refers to something that provides aspecial means of grace. Thesepeople therefore think ofsalvation as a combination of faith, good works, and the sacraments. The biblicalteaching of salvation by gracethrough faith alone has beenlost to them.

Yes, sacramentalism is still with us today. Because of the misleading connotationattached to the wordsacrament, I repeat myconviction that we should bevery careful to refer to theordinances rather than thesacraments of the church. Soimportant is it that we make

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plain the way of salvation bygrace through faith —apartfrom works or ritual—thateven in our terminology we must avoid giving theimpression that baptism has any saving power.

I would never baptizeanyone who had the idea thatdoing so would wash away hissin. If I were the pastor of alocal church and someonerequested to be baptized, Iwould first ask him if heknew its meaning. I’d makesure he understood that it hasno saving power whatever. Iwould then want to hear fromhis own lips a clear testimonythat he has recognized whatthe Lord Jesus accomplishedfor him at Calvary throughHis sacrifice for sin, and thathe has placed his trust inChrist, and in Him alone, forsalvation. Being assured ofthat, and satisfied that herecognized baptism as anordinance rather than asacrament of the church (thatit has no redemptive value),

I would gladly encourage him to be baptized.

In this series of lessons we will discuss only twoordinances, baptism and theLord’s Supper, rather than theso-called “seven sacraments ofthe church.” There are thosewho insist that baptism,confirmation, penance,the partaking of the breadand the wine, ordination,marriage, and extremeunction are all to berecognized as sacramental.They therefore look on each of these observances as ameans by which supernaturalgrace is received. According to this belief:

• Baptism is thought towash away the stain ofsin.

• Confirmation (whichincludes laying on ofhands, anointing, andprayers) is said tobestow the sevenfoldgrace of the Holy Spiriton the person who hasalready been baptized.

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• In penance, theforgiveness of post-baptism mortal sins is supposedly obtainedby those who are trulysorry for their sin, makeconfession, and performthe duties imposed on them.

• In ordination, a specialgrace is said to be givenfor the work andtemptations involved in serving God.

• When the bread andwine are blessed, it is asserted that theyactually become the body and blood of Christ,and that the one whopartakes of them receivesa measure of grace.

• In marriage, the manand woman joined inwedlock are said toreceive grace todischarge faithfully theduties of the maritalstate until death.

• In extreme unction,those who appear to be

near death are anointedwith oil and prayed over.This is done, supposedly,to impart special grace,enabling the dying soulto confide in the mercy of God and to resist the final attacks andtemptations of the devil.

The idea of supernaturalbestowment of grace throughthe ritual is prominent in eachof these seven “sacraments.”We don’t see it this way.Rather than recognizing sevensacraments which are claimedto impart some spiritualgraces, we observe only twoordinances: baptism and theLord’s Supper. We see them assymbolizing certain spiritualrealities.

Some religious groupsrecognize a third churchordinance—foot-washing.Following the example ofChrist with His disciples,they engage in that practiceas an outward expression ofhumility, and of their willingsubmission to one another.

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Although we may not followthat custom, we do respectthose born-again believerswho do.

With all of this in mind,let’s take a closer look at theordinance of water baptism.

WATER BAPTISMNow, I realize that I am discussing a verycontroversial subject.Differing views about the mode of baptism, itsrecipients, and its formula are sincerely held and taughtby various churches. Some say immersion is the properway to baptize; others thinksprinkling or pouring isacceptable. Some insist that only believers should be baptized, while othersaffirm that babies should be included. Some ministers say, “I baptize you in thename of Jesus.” Others followthe formula, “I baptize you inthe name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the HolySpirit.” Still others combine

those phrases into a ratherlengthy statement.

You may wonder how wecan address all those differingviews in only two lessons.Well, it’s impossible. But I amnot interested in discussingthose details about baptismwhich do not affect our senseof oneness in Christ. Myprimary disagreement is with those who make water baptism essential tosalvation—who teach that itactually washes away sin orcontributes to the new birth.I am further troubled bysomeone who says, “Unlessyou are baptized by someonein our group for the remissionof sins, you cannot be sureyou are going to heaven.” Soin this chapter and the next,I’d like to concentrate on thefollowing two questions:

• What is the meaning of baptism?

• Does baptism save?There should be no doubt

about the answers. First let’saddress the question:

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WHAT IS THEMEANING OFBAPTISM?The answer is found inRomans 6:1-7. To appreciatewhat the apostle was sayinghere, we should keep in mindthat in the preceding chapters(Rom. 3–5) Paul convincinglyestablished the truth thatsalvation is by grace throughfaith. After indicating thedepth of human sinfulnessand emphasizing the failureof the law to bring salvation,he made it clear that the only way a holy God declaressinners righteous is throughtheir faith in Christ, theperfect sacrifice for sin (seeRom. 3:19-28). To demonstratethat human works havenothing to do with salvation,Paul pointed out thatAbraham was justified beforehe was circumcised (see 4:1-12). He said in Romans 5:1:

Therefore, having beenjustified by faith, we havepeace with God throughour Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul then drew an analogybetween the first Adam, whobrought condemnation anddeath by his one act ofdisobedience, and JesusChrist, the last Adam, whoprovided justification and life for all through His one act of obedience.

In the first five chapters of Romans, the apostle statedclearly that salvation isreceived by faith and faithalone. Knowing that somepeople would misunderstandor deliberately misrepresenthis teaching, Paul anticipatedan objection by saying:

What shall we say then?Shall we continue in sinthat grace may abound?(Rom. 6:1).

In answer to his ownquestion, he went on to say:

Certainly not! How shallwe who died to sin live anylonger in it? (v.2).When a person receives the

Lord Jesus as his Savior, hedies to the domination of sin.Yes, in Christ believers have

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died to sin, and this is thetruth signified in baptism. Bygoing down into the waters ofbaptism, we who have placedour trust in Christ testify thatthrough our union with Himwe have been buried withHim in His death. Havingdied to sin, we are no longerunder its condemnation orbondage. Then, our emergencefrom the waters of baptismsignifies that through ourunion with the living Lord wehave been raised from deathwith Him. We now have newlife—that which gives usspiritual victory. Here is whatthe apostle himself told us:

Therefore we were buriedwith Him through baptisminto death, that just asChrist was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we alsoshould walk in newness oflife (Rom. 6:4).Water baptism speaks

of our identification withChrist. By that identificationwe are delivered from the

condemnation and bondage ofsin and brought into a life ofpeace with God and triumphover sin. Baptism, therefore,has served symbolically as anintroductory rite from the Dayof Pentecost onward. It is thenew believer’s first step ofobedience. It is his publicidentification with Christ.The apostle said:

Do you not know that as many of us as werebaptized into Christ Jesuswere baptized into Hisdeath? (Rom. 6:3).When Paul made reference

to believers being “baptizedinto Christ Jesus,” he used anexpression that’s identical inconstruction to a statement in1 Corinthians 10:2, where hesaid that the Israelites were“baptized into Moses.” TheIsraelites, having alreadychosen to follow Moses out ofEgypt, were openly identifiedwith him when they passedthrough the Red Sea. In likemanner, we become followersof the Lord Jesus the moment

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we place our trust in Him.And in our baptism “intoChrist Jesus,” we openlyidentify ourselves with Himas our leader and guide.

In his book Epistle To TheEphesians, F. F. Bruce madethis statement in reference tothe words in Ephesians 4:5,“One Lord, one faith, onebaptism”:

Baptism in watercontinued to be theoutward visible sign bywhich individuals whobelieved the gospel . . .were publicly incorporatedinto this spirit-baptizedfellowship—“baptized intoChrist” (Gal. 3:27). It mustbe remembered that inNew Testament timesrepentance and faith,regeneration andconversion, baptism inwater, reception of theHoly Spirit, . . . admissionto church fellowship . . .were all part of a complexof events which took placewithin a short time. . . .

Logically they weredistinguishable, but inpractice they were allbound up with thetransition from the old life to the new (Revell,1961, p.70).Baptism, then, is a

testimony of our death to sin, of our severance from itsdomination, and of our pledgeto live a new life through ourfaith-union with Jesus Christ.During the first century,baptism quickly followedsalvation and was closelyassociated with membershipin the local church.

No one should ever makethe mistake of depending onbaptism as a basis of his hopefor heaven. Whether baptizedby sprinkling, pouring,immersion, or all three, aperson may still be unsaved.The only way you receive the forgiveness of sin and the gift of everlasting life is through a personalacceptance of the Lord JesusChrist as your Savior.

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Baptism AndSalvation

AAminister who was called to the bedside

of a dying manpromised he would return toserve him communion. Thenhe offered a formal prayerand left. But the patientfailed to find much comfort in the preacher’s promise. Heknew very well he had sinnedagainst God and neededforgiveness. How a ritualisticobservance of the Lord’sSupper could possibly do him any good made no senseto him, and he couldn’t sleepthat night. When a nursecame in and found himawake, she engaged him inconversation, read him someverses from the Bible, andthen had the joy of leadinghim to Christ. And what atransformation! That dyingman experienced at once thejoy of forgiveness and theassurance of being acceptedinto the family of God. The

next day, weak as he was, hetestified of his faith in Christto everyone who entered hisroom. Then he lapsed into a coma and died withoutregaining consciousness.

The question arises: Didthat man go to heaven? Somepeople would have seriousdoubts about it. This isbecause they believe it’sessential to be baptized inorder to be saved and to have our sins washed away.

Therefore, I would like us to consider the questions:Does baptism save? Does it wash away sin? Does itcontribute in any way to thenew birth? The answers will

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m Does baptismsave? Does it

wash away sin?Does it contributein any way to the

new birth?n



become evident as we reviewthe passages of Scripture thatare usually referred to asproof that a person must bebaptized by water to be saved.

We have already seen inour first lesson that Romans6:3 does not indicate thatthere is any saving power in baptism.

Some people believe,however, that several otherpassages of Scripture do teachor suggest that baptism isessential to being born again.So let’s look at those verses tosee if they really do portraybaptism as having power towash away sins.

ACTS 2:38This is the verse most oftenquoted by those who believethat baptism is necessary for salvation. It says:

Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in thename of Jesus Christ forthe remission of sins; andyou shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

In this verse Peter wasaddressing the same peoplewho not only cried out for theexecution of Christ but alsodeclared, “His blood be on us and on our children” (Mt.27:25). Here he commandedthem to repent—that is, tochange their minds––and to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ “for theremission of sins.” Does that mean that baptism is the agent of forgiveness? In other words, is a personbaptized so that he canreceive forgiveness of sin? No! Baptism is a testimonythat the one baptized hasalready changed his mindabout Christ. Accepting Him instead of rejecting Him, he has experienced the forgiveness of sin.

What does Acts 2:38 mean when it says, “Repent,. . . and be baptized . . . for the remission of sins”? Here is a possible explanation.A. T. Robertson, a well-knownGreek scholar, has pointed out

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that the Greek preposition eis, translated “for” in thephrase “for the remission of sins,” may also meanbecause of. An example of this can be found in Luke11:32, where the text saysthat the people of Nineveh“repented at the preaching of Jonah.” The word at is a translation of the same Greek term eis found in Acts 2:38. The people ofJonah’s day, you see, did notrepent for his preaching butbecause of it.

Then too, according tosome Greek scholars the wordeis (translated “for” in Acts2:38) may also mean, “with a view toward.” According tothat possible meaning, thepeople to whom Peter waspreaching were to repent and be baptized with a viewtoward the forgiveness oftheir sins. Acts 2:38 does not teach that baptism bringsthe remission of sins.

When Peter preached the gospel to the Roman

centurion Cornelius, the HolySpirit came upon the entirehousehold when they believed(see Acts 10:44-48). Evenduring that transition periodin the early days of thechurch, therefore, people were saved and received the Holy Spirit before theywere baptized in water.

A second verse quoted bythose who teach that waterbaptism has some specialspiritual efficacy is:

ACTS 22:16In this passage, Ananias saidto the recently converted Saulof Tarsus:

Arise and be baptized,and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.In trying to understand

the meaning of the words“Arise and be baptized, andwash away your sins,” wemust follow this basic rule ofBible study: Interpret everyverse in the light of the clearteaching set forth in the rest

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of Scripture. Since the truthof justification by faith isdeclared plainly in the Bible,we know that Saul wasforgiven the very moment hemet Christ on the DamascusRoad and believed on Him.We are therefore safe inconcluding that his baptismwas the outward and physicalsign of his inward andspiritual cleansing from sin by the grace of God.

Another passage oftenmisinterpreted as teachingthat baptism plays a part in saving us is:

1 PETER 3:18-21The passage reads as follows:

For Christ also sufferedonce for sins, the just forthe unjust, that He mightbring us to God, being putto death in the flesh butmade alive by the Spirit,by whom also He went andpreached to the spirits inprison, who formerly weredisobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering

waited in the days ofNoah, while the ark wasbeing prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls,were saved through water.There is also an antitypewhich now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh,but the answer of a goodconscience toward God),through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.What did Peter mean in

verse 21 when he said, “Thereis also an antitype which nowsaves us—baptism”? Was heindicating that water baptismin itself has any savingpower? No, not at all! Rather,he saw the waters of baptismin much the same way he didthe deluge in Noah’s day.Although those floodwatersdestroyed a wicked world ofsinners, they in turn savedNoah and his family bybuoying them up as they rodeout the storm in the ark. Inthat sense, Peter could say inverse 20 that “a few, that is,

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eight souls, were savedthrough water.” We know,of course, that the waterssaved them indirectly. Theyescaped by floating in the arkwhile everything else wasbeing submerged. And thedeliverance of Noah’s familyunder those circumstancesreminded Peter of baptism.Referring to the “eight souls . . . saved through water,”he said, “There is also anantitype which now savesus—baptism” (1 Pet. 3:21).Even as Noah and his familyin the ark were “saved” by thevery same waters that judgedthe rest of the world, so alsothe waters of God’s judgmentpoured out on Christ atCalvary for the sins of theworld became the meanswhereby all who are in theark of safety, the Lord JesusChrist, are saved.

Please notice that Peterwent on to say baptism “savesus,” figuratively. It is “not theremoval of the filth of theflesh, but the answer of a

good conscience toward God”(1 Pet. 3:21). Peter was nottalking about the outwardwashing of the body; he wasspeaking of what is reallynecessary––an inwardspiritual cleansing that isexperienced only by those who have received Christ’sforgiveness. No, baptism itselfdoes not remove sin. It is asymbolic testimony of aninner cleansing that hasalready occurred.

Now a few commentsabout one other passage thatis sometimes mistakenlyrelated to water baptism.

TITUS 3:5The verse reads:

Not by works ofrighteousness which we have done, butaccording to His mercy He saved us, through thewashing of regenerationand renewing of the Holy Spirit.Paul indicated in this

verse that God has saved us

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“through the washing ofregeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” This hasbeen taken by some as areference to baptism, and they therefore conclude that baptism is essential to regeneration.

In speaking of the“washing of regeneration,”however, the apostle wasreferring to a cleansed life,not baptism. In verse 3, hehad spoken of the unsaved as“foolish, disobedient, deceived,serving various lusts andpleasures, living in maliceand envy, hateful and hatingone another.” In verse 5, hewent on to declare that “notby works of righteousnesswhich we have done, butaccording to His mercy He saved us, through thewashing of regeneration.”That speaks of the cleansingthat accompanies the newbirth.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a newcreation; old things have

passed away; behold, allthings have become new (2 Cor. 5:17).The implied reference

to water in the word washingin Titus 3:5 should beunderstood in the light of the Old Testament. In theritual of the Mosaic economy,as recorded in Leviticus,water was used as a symbol of cleansing. And when theprophet Ezekiel portrayedIsrael’s future conversion,he quoted God’s promise as follows:

Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, andyou shall be clean; I willcleanse you from all yourfilthiness and from all your idols (36:25).The washing of

regeneration, therefore,is a fitting symbol of thecleansing that the believerreceives from God throughthe new birth. With this inmind, read what Paul wroteto the Ephesians:

Husbands, love your

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wives, just as Christ alsoloved the church and gaveHimself for her, that Hemight sanctify and cleanse her with thewashing of water by theword (Eph. 5:25-26).The “washing of water

by the word” is related tospiritual cleansing. Waterbaptism is not a means ofregeneration or spiritualcleansing; rather, it issymbolic of salvation and the spiritual cleansing weenjoy through our union with Christ by faith.

Even though baptism hasno power to save us from oursins, we must be careful notto minimize its place in thelife of a Christian. Becausebaptism has no savingefficacy and is not mandatoryfor salvation, some believershave concluded that it’s reallyquite unimportant. Butthey’re wrong! Although it’strue that baptism is notessential to salvation, thisdoes not make it merely an

option for Christians. Doingthe will of God is never anoptional matter. The LordJesus gave His disciples thisclear command:

Go therefore and makedisciples of all the nations,baptizing them in thename of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Mt. 28:19).And on the Day of

Pentecost, the record says:Then those who gladlyreceived his word werebaptized; and that dayabout three thousand soulswere added to them. Andthey continued steadfastlyin the apostles’ doctrineand fellowship, in thebreaking of bread, and inprayers (Acts 2:41-42).These 3,000 people

converted on the Day ofPentecost are models for us. They believed, they werebaptized, they gathered forinstruction, they broke breadwith one another, and theyprayed together.

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Baptism is important.It’s a testimony to thebeliever’s identification withChrist. And if you know Himas Savior, the Lord wants youto be baptized and to identifywith a local assembly ofbelievers who meet for the preaching of the Word, the administration of the ordinances, and the practice of mutual nurture,admonition, and discipline.If you are born again but have not been baptized, orhave not united with a localchurch that is true to theWord, I urge you to do so.

Perhaps you have neveraccepted the Lord JesusChrist as your personalSavior. I would remind youthat salvation through apersonal belief in Christ isfirst and foremost. Admit your spiritual need.Acknowledge that the LordJesus died on the cross to paythe price for your sins. Agreethat He arose from the deadas proof that the death

penalty was paid in full.Then receive Him. In otherwords, by an act of faith, placeyour trust in Him. The Biblesays that “whoever calls onthe name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom. 10:13). Afteryou have done that, your nextsteps should be baptism andchurch membership—not inorder to be saved but becauseyou have already experiencedthe saving grace of God byplacing your faith in Christ.The Bible gives this promise:

If you confess with yourmouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heartthat God has raised Himfrom the dead, you will be saved. For with theheart one believes untorighteousness, and with the mouth confession ismade unto salvation (Rom. 10:9-10).

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TheSignificance Of The Lord’sSupper

AAs we continue our

discussion of theordinances of the

church, I’d like to considerwith you the significance of the Lord’s Supper. Thiswonderful event in the life of a Christian should be:

• A Memorial Observance• A Symbolic Observance• A Continuing Observance• A Church ObservanceMy prayer is that the Lord

will use this study to give usa better understanding of thecommunion service and leadus into a more meaningfulparticipation.

First of all, the Lord’sSupper should be:

A MEMORIALOBSERVANCEBeginning with verse 23 of 1 Corinthians 11, the apostle

Paul wrote the following:I received from the Lordthat which I also deliveredto you: that the Lord Jesuson the same night in whichHe was betrayed tookbread; and when He hadgiven thanks, He broke itand said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this inremembrance of Me.” In the same manner He alsotook the cup after supper,saying, “This cup is thenew covenant in My blood.This do, as often as youdrink it, in remembrance of Me” (1 Cor. 11:23-25).When Jesus instituted the

Lord’s Supper, He said, “Thisdo . . . in remembrance of Me.”Such a reminder hardlyseems necessary—for us norfor the disciples. After all,they would be firsthandwitnesses of those awfulscenes leading up to andculminating in the crucifixion.How would they ever forgetthe agony of Christ in

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Gethsemane? The cruelmaltreatment during Hisnight of trial? His brutalscourging by the Romansoldiers? His journey toGolgotha under the weight of the cross? His wrackingpain when the nails weredriven through His hands and feet? Or His God-likeconduct while hanging anddying on the cross?

Sorry to say, it would be all too possible even for His followers to forget. Sopreoccupied could theybecome with proclaiming the message of forgiveness,declaring the truth of theresurrection, and solving theproblems in the churches they had founded that theymight seldom reflect deeplyupon that which they hadwitnessed in Gethsemane and at Golgotha.

And friend, we also need the Lord’s Supper as a reminder of what the LordJesus endured for us when Hedied to pay for our sins. It’s

possible to become so busy in the work of the gospel, andso completely engrossed incontemplating the glory thatawaits us, that we fail toreflect upon the awful pricethat was paid to make it allpossible.

Remembering the Lord as we gather with otherbelievers fills our hearts with gratitude. It brings toour minds those scenes of ourLord’s suffering portrayed inthe Gospels––the Savior’sarrest in Gethsemane, themocking, the scourging, theabuse at the trial, and thepain and the shame of His crucifixion. Indeed, the Lord’s Supper is a touchingmemorial.

How fitting, therefore, isthis hymn written especiallyfor the communion service by James Montgomery:

According to Thy gracious word,In meek humility,

This will I do,my dying Lord:

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I will remember Thee.Remember Thee and all Thy pains

And all Thy love to me;Yes, while a breath,

a pulse remains,Will I remember Thee.

Then, too, the Lord’s Suppershould be:

A SYMBOLICOBSERVANCEThe elements of the Table ofthe Lord are symbols of whatwas involved in His sacrificeas the Lamb of God inproviding our salvation.

The bread represents thebody of Christ. In chapter 2 of his first epistle, the apostlePeter said this about the LordJesus:

Who committed no sin, norwas deceit found in Hismouth; who, when He wasreviled, did not revile inreturn; when He suffered,He did not threaten, butcommitted Himself to Himwho judges righteously;who Himself bore our sins

in His own body on thetree, that we, having diedto sins, might live forrighteousness—by whosestripes you were healed (1 Pet. 2:22-24).Jesus, the sinless

One, took our sins uponHimself. Yes, He became oursubstitute, bearing our sins in His own body on the cross.He died to provide forgivenessand life for a world of sinners.This is what we shouldremember when we partakeof the bread in our observanceof the Lord’s Supper.

The cup symbolizes theblood of the Lord Jesus, whichwas shed to pay for the sins ofthe world. In verse 24 of Mark14, we are told that as Jesusand His disciples were eatingthe Passover meal He said,“This is My blood of the newcovenant, which is shed formany.” Therefore, in thecommunion service, as wehold the cup in our hands,we should thank God for theblood of Christ, which was

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shed to secure our redemptionand to cleanse us from sin.

The bread and the cup are symbolic of the body andblood of the Lord Jesus.They remind us of what Heendured to provide salvation,pointing to that event onwhich we base our hope for all eternity.

Some people claim thatwhen the bread and wine areconsecrated, they change intothe actual body and blood ofChrist. They object to ourspeaking of the bread andwine as symbols. To supporttheir claim, they remind usthat Jesus said in reference tothe bread and the cup, “Thisis My body” and “This is Myblood.” He did not say, theyargue, “This bread symbolizesMy body” or “This winesymbolizes My blood.” Weshould remember, however,that the Lord Jesus onoccasion used symbolic orfigurative language. In John15, for example, He referredto Himself as “the vine.” I’m

sure His disciples knew thatHe was speaking figuratively.They certainly did not expectto see Him as an actual vine!Rather, they recognized whatHe was saying to be symbolic.With Christ portrayed as avine, and His followers as the branches, the truth of ourunion with and dependenceon Him is taught in a forcefuland unique manner.

Our Lord also usedfigurative language when Hesaid, “I am the door” (Jn. 10:9)and “I am the bread of life”(6:35). Now, no one in Jesus’day believed that Jesus wasclaiming to be an actual doormade of wood or an actualpiece of bread. He wasspeaking figuratively. Andwhen He referred to the bread and the wine, Hedeclared, “This is My body”and “This is My blood.” Weshould understand that Hewas simply using figurativelanguage.

I should also point out a serious error in doctrine

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related to the claim that thebread and the wine actuallybecome the flesh and blood of Christ. Some who take thisview go on to conclude thatthe Lord Jesus is crucifiedagain every time the breadand the wine are partaken of.

The Bible, however, makes itvery clear that the sacrifice of Christ on the cross was aonce-and-for-all payment forsin. In the book of Romans,Paul said this about Christ:

For the death that He died,He died to sin once for all;

but the life that He lives,He lives to God (6:10).And we find these words

in the book of Hebrews:As it is appointed for mento die once, but after thisthe judgment, so Christwas offered once to bear thesins of many. To those whoeagerly wait for Him Hewill appear a second time,apart from sin, forsalvation (9:27-28).And Hebrews 10:12,14

says:But this Man, after He had offered one sacrificefor sins forever, sat down atthe right hand of God . . . .For by one offering He hasperfected forever those whoare being sanctified.Christ died only once.

He arose from the grave only once. He ascended intoheaven only once. He is nowseated at the right hand ofGod, where He will remainuntil He raptures His saints,judges them, and returns toearth as its rightful king. He

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m The Biblemakes it veryclear that the

sacrifice of Christ on

the cross was aonce-and-for-all

payment for sin.n



is in glory, exalted at theFather’s right hand—and He’sthere in His glorified physicalbody. He is spiritually presenteverywhere, but in Hisglorified body He lives inheaven. The idea, therefore,that the bread and wineactually become the body and blood of Christ, that He issomehow crucified repeatedly,is completely foreign to theteaching of the Bible.

In addition to being amemorial and a symbolicobservance, the Lord’s Supper should be:

A CONTINUINGOBSERVANCEThe Lord Jesus Himselfestablished this ordinance.Referring to Christ, theGospel writer Luke told us:

When the hour had come,He sat down, and thetwelve apostles with Him.Then He said to them,“With fervent desire I havedesired to eat this Passoverwith you before I suffer;

for I say to you, I will nolonger eat of it until it isfulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then He took thecup, and gave thanks, andsaid, “Take this and divideit among yourselves; for Isay to you, I will not drinkof the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of Godcomes.” And He took bread,gave thanks and broke it,and gave it to them, saying,“This is My body which isgiven for you; do this inremembrance of Me.”Likewise He also took thecup after supper, saying,“This cup is the newcovenant in My blood,which is shed for you”(Lk. 22:14-20).Following the example of

Christ, assemblies of believersfrom the earliest days of thechurch to the present timehave observed the Lord’sSupper. We are told that thefirst company of believers,those 3,000 men and womenconverted on the Day of

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Pentecost, “continuedsteadfastly in the apostles’doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and inprayers” (Acts 2:42). And thatpractice continued. In Acts20:7 we are told that “on thefirst day of the week, whenthe disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoketo them and continued hismessage until midnight.”

In Paul’s first epistle to the believers in Corinth, hemade it evident that theLord’s Supper was still being commemorated. In fact, the apostle said:

For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till Hecomes (1 Cor. 11:26).

And that is why believerseverywhere continue toremember Jesus’ deaththrough this ordinance.

Finally, the Lord’s Supper should also berecognized as:

A CHURCHOBSERVANCECommunion should beobserved in or under thesupervision of the local church whenever possible.Celebrating the Lord’s Supperis a solemn matter. It’s rich insignificance and awesome inwhat it portrays; so much so that carelessness in its practice among theCorinthian believers hadresulted in illness and evendeath for some of them.Paul wrote:

He who eats and drinks inan unworthy manner eatsand drinks judgment tohimself, not discerning theLord’s body. For this reasonmany are weak and sickamong you, and manysleep (1 Cor. 11:29-30).We must therefore

be careful to make theobservance of the Lord’s Tablea meaningful experience. Wemust issue warnings againstentering into it carelessly orirreverently. We must also

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realize that this can best bedone under the supervision of the local church.

I’m not saying that theLord’s Supper can only beobserved in a church. Thereare times when believersmight be isolated from anorganized body of believersbecause of distance orcircumstances. I’m thinking ofChristians who are confinedto homes or hospitals becauseof illness. These believersshould not be deprived of theprivilege of remembering ourLord’s death, though I believethey should be served theelements by a representativeof the local church.

Before concluding, let mesay just a few words aboutthe frequency of observing theLord’s Supper. Some believers“break bread” every Sunday,others do it monthly, and stillothers only once a quarter.The Scriptures give nocommand as to how often it should be observed. Wetherefore cannot dogmatically

say that one is right and the others are wrong. Rather,“let each be fully convinced in his own mind” (Rom. 14:5).Regardless of any differenceswe may have about thefrequency of the communionservice, we should all agree on this: It must be conductedwith reverence and with asolemn reflection upon thegreat price paid for oursalvation by the Lord Jesus Christ.

To summarize,the Lord’s Supper is a memorial observance,a symbolic observance, acontinuing observance, and achurch observance. It remindsus of the great sacrificeinvolved in providing for oursalvation. The bread and thecup are symbols of the bodyand blood of Christ. We are tocontinue our remembrance ofChrist “till He comes.” And, ifpossible, the observance of the Lord’s Supper should be under the supervision of the local church.

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TheObservance Of The Lord’sSupper

IIn many churches today,the celebration of theLord’s Supper is simply

tacked on to the end of aregular service. It’s almostlike an afterthought. A fewverses of Scripture arequickly read, a brief prayer is offered, and the elementsare distributed. In this kind ofatmosphere it is doubtful thatanyone can give much seriousthought to the significance of the occasion. As a result,many worshipers leave theirchurches holding the samegrudges and nursing thesame hatreds they had when they entered.

Not everyone, of course,takes such an attitude towardthe observance of the Lord’sTable. In fact, some go to the opposite extreme. Theyare so conscious of their

imperfections, and sofrightened by Paul’s warning in 1 Corinthians 11about eating and drinking“unworthily,” that they eithertake communion with greatfear or they stay away fromthe service altogether.

To help avoid these two extremes, I would like tosuggest three characteristicsof a proper observance of the Lord’s Supper. A correct understanding of itssignificance will not keep usaway from the communiontable; rather, it will draw us to it and encourage us toparticipate in a conscientiousand meaningful way.

When the Lord’s Supper is observed properly, thereshould be:

• Sincere Appreciation• Self-Examination• Brotherly ConsiderationMy prayer is that this

study will help God’s childrencome to the Table of the Lordin a way that is pleasing toHim and with an attitude

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that brings the greatestblessing.

The first characteristic of a proper observance of theLord’s Table is:

SINCEREAPPRECIATIONThe very sight of the breadand the cup (symbolic of thebody and blood of Christ,reminding us of His greatsacrifice at Calvary) should fill our hearts withthanksgiving and praise tothe Lord. Referring to theLord Jesus, Luke told us:

He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said,“Take this and divide itamong yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drinkof the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of Godcomes.” And He took bread,gave thanks and broke it,and gave it to them, saying,“This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me”(Lk. 22:17-19).

Please notice that we aretold in verse 17, Jesus tookthe cup and gave thanks. Andin verse 19 we read that Hetook bread and gave thanks.When our Lord gave thanks,He was not “asking theblessing” at a dinner. He andHis disciples had alreadyfinished the Passover feast.What our Lord prayed overwas only some unleavenedbread and a cup of wine. Hemay have been offeringthanks for what the breadand the wine signified—thesacrifice that would provideredemption for mankind.Regardless of the subject ofour Savior’s thanksgiving,however, there should besincere appreciation andthanks in our hearts as wepartake of the elements.

The second characteristicof a proper observance of theLord’s Supper is:

SELF-EXAMINATIONBy looking into our ownhearts and lives, we should

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make sure that there isnothing unconfessed anduncorrected which mightresult in our partaking of the Lord’s Supper unworthily.Some of the Christians in theearly church at Corinth hadevidently taken a light andfrivolous attitude toward theLord’s Supper. The apostlePaul therefore wrote to them as follows:

Whoever eats this bread ordrinks this cup of the Lordin an unworthy mannerwill be guilty of the bodyand blood of the Lord. Butlet a man examine himself,and so let him eat of thebread and drink of the cup. For he who eats anddrinks in an unworthymanner eats and drinksjudgment to himself, notdiscerning the Lord’s body(1 Cor. 11:27-29).Please notice what the

apostle said in verse 27.The Greek word translated“guilty” is enochos. It maymean “to be liable to the

penal effect of a deed.” Somesay, therefore, that to be“guilty of the body and bloodof the Lord” means that Godlooks upon the offender (theone who eats and drinksunworthily) as guilty ofcrucifying Christ. Ellicott’sCommentary On The WholeBible offers this word ofexplanation: “Sin was thecause of that body [of Christ]being broken and that blood[of Christ] shed, and thereforethe one who unworthily usesthe symbols of them becomesa participator in the guilt ofthose who crucified that bodyand shed that blood.”

Whether or not you agreewith such an interpretation,there’s no escaping the factthat a careless and irreverentcelebration of the Lord’sSupper is a very seriousmatter. The person who eats and drinks unworthilyshows a disregard, almost a contempt, for the brokenbody and shed blood of theSavior. That’s why it is very

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important for us to engage incareful self-examination whenwe come to the Table of theLord.

The apostle Paul,having indicated the sadconsequences of eating anddrinking “unworthily,” wenton to say:

But let a man examinehimself, and so let him eatof the bread and drink ofthe cup (v.28).The word examine in that

verse can mean “to test.” Aswe gather at the Table of theLord, we have the obligationto test our lives. A good wayto do this is to ask ourselvessome probing questions aboutour actions, our motives, andour relationships.

First of all, in reference toour actions, we might raisesuch questions as these: Arewe conducting ourselves likeChristians at home, at work,and in every contact withothers? Is our languagebecoming to a Christian?What about our habits? Are

we wasting time? Are wewatching the wrong kind oftelevision programs? Are wereading books that feed oursouls? Are we faithful in ourspiritual obligations?

Then, in reference to ourmotives, we can test ourselvesby asking questions likethese: Why do we go tochurch? Why do we give ourfinancial support to it? Whydo we teach Sunday school?Are we doing what’s right forthe right reasons? Or are wedoing what is good to boostour own egos or to impressour peers? Our service for the Lord and what we do forothers ought to be performedbecause we love the Lordsupremely and our neighborsas ourselves.

Finally, in reference to our relationships with others, we should askquestions like these:Are we kind, tenderhearted,and forgiving? Do we oweanyone an apology? Do wehave wrongs to make right?

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Are we harboring ill will or an unforgiving spirittoward those who may have wronged us?

Yes, as we anticipateeating the bread whichrepresents the body of Christ,and as we drink from the cupwhich represents His blood,we must be sensitive to oursins, our faults, and ourfailures. We should see themin the light of the tremendousprice Christ paid to secure ourredemption. And with thatawareness, we must confessour sins and determine withGod’s help to forsake them.Doing that, we can claim that wonderful promise in 1 John 1:9.

If we confess our sins,He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.Having been cleansed

“from all unrighteousness,”therefore, we will not beeating and drinkingunworthily. Since it was

our sin that nailed Christ tothe accursed tree, we wouldbe guilty of sacrilege if wecommemorated His greatsacrifice at Calvary whileliving in deliberate sin withno intention of confessing orforsaking it. To partake of thebread, a symbol of the body ofChrist that was given for us,and to drink of the cup, asymbol of His blood shed forour sins, while harboring illwill toward a brother or sisterin Christ would be an affrontto Him. It would be likeadding insult to injury. At thecommunion table, therefore,as we engage in self-examination and our sins and failures come to mind,we should confess them,forsake them, and accept theforgiveness of God. Failing to do so—partaking of theelements of the Lord’s Tablewith no concern for the sin in our lives—can result inchastening. If we do judgeourselves, however, thepunishing hand of God

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can be avoided. Paul said:He who eats and drinks in an unworthy mannereats and drinks judgmentto himself, not discerningthe Lord’s body. For thisreason many are weak and sick among you, andmany sleep. For if wewould judge ourselves,we would not be judged (1 Cor. 11:29-31).Of course, not all

weakness, not all sickness,not all death is the result of such judgment. In fact,it could very well be that God is not judging abuses at the Lord’s Table in our day in exactly the same way as in the early church.Regardless of the manner in which the heavenly Father chooses to chastise His children, the apostle’swords about the consequencesof eating and drinkingunworthily should encourageus to engage in sincere self-examination and honestself-judgment in preparation

for the Lord’s Supper.What a difference it

would make in the Christiancommunity, and in society atlarge, if we who profess tobelieve in Christ would becareful to avoid eating anddrinking unworthily at theTable of the Lord! If we allobserved this, no believerswould ever remain at oddswith one another. We would all forgive each other freely, even as Christ has forgiven us. If we obeyed this command,the misunderstandings thatcause so much strife andtension would melt away.Relationships in our homes,in our churches, and in ourplaces of employment—yes,everywhere—would berevolutionized. The watchingworld would be impressed.And those around us wouldsee that Christ really doesmake a difference in the livesof those who have placed their trust in Him.

The third characteristic

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of a proper observance of theLord’s Supper is:

BROTHERLYCONSIDERATIONThe apostle Paul, writing in 1 Corinthians 10 said:

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of theblood of Christ? The breadwhich we break, is it notthe communion of the bodyof Christ? For we, thoughmany, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that onebread (vv.16-17).Some believe that Paul’s

words in verse 17, “we allpartake of that one bread,”may reflect a practice in the early church. A sheet of unleavened bread was passed through thecongregation. Each believerbroke off a piece for himself.The smaller portion denotedthe truth that Christ died for each individual. And thelarger portion spoke of the

truth that they all shared acommon salvation and madeup one body. Yes, as we gatherwith our brothers and sistersin Christ at the Table of theLord, we should be consciousof our oneness with those whopartake of the elements withus. Although we eat only anindividual piece of bread, weshould keep in mind that asbelievers we are all membersof one body—the body ofChrist. As born-againbelievers, we all share thewonderful benefits of ourSavior’s atoning work atCalvary.

One of the glories of theChristian faith is that we areall made spiritual equalsthrough salvation. Rich and poor alike become thechildren of God, members of His family. The millionaireand the pauper, when placingtheir trust in Christ, bothexperience the same newbirth, are indwelt by the same Holy Spirit, and sharethe same hope. How glorious,

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therefore, the truth of ourequality in Christ! Theapostle Paul said:

You are all sons of Godthrough faith in ChristJesus. For as many of youas were baptized intoChrist have put on Christ.There is neither Jew norGreek, there is neitherslave nor free, there isneither male nor female;for you are all one inChrist Jesus (Gal. 3:26-28).Remembering our Lord

as we gather for communion,we should be very conscious of our oneness in the Lordwith our fellow believers.We should see them as ourbrothers and sisters in Christ. When we do, there is brotherly consideration,another characteristic of aproper observance of theLord’s Supper.

To summarize, thecommunion serviceshould be an edifying andstrengthening experience,but this can happen only

if we are completely sincere in our observance of it. We must enter into itwith sincere appreciation,self-examination, andbrotherly consideration.If these elements are present when we assemblewith fellow believers toremember the Lord’s death, it truly becomes a life-transforming commemorationof our Savior’s love andsacrifice for us.

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This booklet is taken from messagestaught by Richard W. De Haan onthe Day Of Discovery televisionprogram. Richard was presidentand teacher of RBC Ministries from1964 to 1984. He went home to bewith the Lord on July 16, 2002.

Managing Editor: David Sper

Cover Photo: Michael Forrest

Scripture quotations are from the NewKing James Version. Copyright © 1982by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used bypermission. All rights reserved.

© 1982, 1994, 2002 RBC Ministries,Grand Rapids, MI. Printed in USA.



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