Q1. Body and Blood

[Pastor Ralph]

Note: Believers differ on some of these topics. Be loving in your responses, even though you might disagree.

Q1. (1 Corinthians 11:23-25) Why is it so important that we continually remember Christ’s broken body and shed blood? In what sense do you believe that the bread is his body? That the wine is his blood?

[pickledilly]

God instituted covenants and many memorial celebrations/observances for His people.  The offering of blood sacrifices was instituted by Yahweh at the beginning of human existence when He expelled Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden and covered the consequences of their sin with animal skins (Genesis 3:21).  Throughout Jewish history altars were built, stone memorials were erected, and feasts/festivals were instituted as places/events of celebration and remembrance of who Yahweh is, what He has done to establish relationship with His people, and what He promised yet to do.  Christ completed/fulfilled the hope of every single promise and established a new covenant of relationship, and in Him is the ultimate memorial and celebration.

 

As humans we are so easily distracted and can become forgetful or careless with this foundational doctrine, so the Lord instituted a remembrance of the broken body and shed blood of Christ – not as a legalistic ritual but as a spiritual observance and commemoration.  The very foundation of Christian faith and hope is that Christ offered Himself as the Lamb of God to atone for the sins of mankind once and for all.  We’re first called to participate in that sacrifice by remembering the cost of our salvation as we eat bread that represents His physical body that was abused/tortured/beaten to shreds as He took on our sins/punishment, and as we drink wine/juice that represents His physical blood that was poured out down to the last drop as He offered the sacrifice required to establish eternal pardon/cleansing.  This precious body was given as our final atonement and stood in our deserved place of righteous judgment.  This priceless blood became our only covering for holiness before God and validated the promises of the new covenant between God and man.  They were the cost of our sin – and we must never forget that this is the sole foundation for our deliverance from that sin, for our permanent restoration to God, and for our everlasting status as the purified redeemed Bride of Christ.  This establishes Communion at the Lord’s Table as an enduring and continual remembrance.

[IvoryEagle]

Why is it so important that we continually remember Christ's broken body and shed blood? SEE BELOW

 

 

In what sense do you believe that the bread is his body? SEE BELOW

 

That the wine is his blood? SEE BELOW

 

 

"Because the Last Supper apparently took place on Passover eve, Jesus was seen as the Passover Lamb. In fact, at the very beginning of Jesus' ministry, his cousin John the Baptist had proclaimed, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). The Apostle Peter wrote: "For you know that it was not with perishable things ... that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." (1 Peter 1:18-19)"

[WinstonY]

Q1. (1 Corinthians 11:23-25) Why is it so important that we continually remember Christ's broken body and shed blood? In what sense do you believe that the bread is his body? That the wine is his blood?

 

The Last supper is part of a tradition that goes back to the very night Jesus was betrayed and he took the bread... We have in our 1 Corinthians scripture the earliest account of the Lord's Supper-20-30 years removed from the event. There is much to this event but the very least it is is the remembrance of Jesus act of atonement for the sins of humanity. In remembering this event we are reminded of Jesus' body broken for us and of his blood shed for the remission of our sins. To remember is to recall Jesus' death and to a degree relive the experience of Jesus atonement for our sins. If we do not remember than we unable to have the experience of Jesus' actions. But it ismore than memory!

 

In the lord's supper we experience a living contact with Jesus.(Barclay, 115) In the sacrament we are experiencing and reliving the implementation of the new covenant between God and humanity. This new contract switches salvation from a law based scheme to a plan centered upon the love and grace of God as seen through and implemented by the atoning action of Jesus Christ. The price of this new covenant was bought at the cost of Jesus' life. The scarlet wine of wine of the sacrament stands for the very life blood of Christ. (Barclay,116) Dr. Ralph puts it well “ It is clear that a prime purpose of the Lord's Supper is as a "remembrance." Anamnēsis, means "remembrance, reminder, recollection." This isn't just a passive memory, but an active "reliving of vanished impressions by a definite act of will “

[Gerbrand van Schalkwyk]

Why is it so important that we continually remember Christ’s broken body and shed blood?

We must always remember, no matter what we do or go through, all we are is because of God, and the only reason and way for us to heaven is because of Jesus's broken body and shed blood. That is the only way we are saved.

In what sense do you believe that the bread is his body?

1st. He said so! 

2nd. There are many symbolisms between the bread and Jesus.. Bread fed the nation. Jesus feed our soul and spirit. Bread was made from seed, that was supposed to die in order to live and multiply, Jesus died for us so that we can live and multiply, the seed was supposed to know the secret of life, Jesus gave us the secret of life, we as Christians make up His Body. Just as the bread is broken so that it can be shared to feed many, so we must feed each other with the Words of life. There are much much more.

That the wine is his blood?

1st. He said so! (Please note the Bible is clear about the wine for a reason)

2nd. Just as with the bread there are many symbolisms between wine and Christ. For us the most important one is that whine was used to clean wounds because the alcohol in it kills bacteria, Just as the blood of Jesus cleans us of our sin and kills our bad character.

Further wine was the drink of kings, priest and élite. Jesus is the King of Kings and the Priest of priest and one cannot be more élite. Furthermore, because of Him we become kings and priest as well. Wine is often used at festivals, especially at the Jewish weddings wine played an important role. The wine also symbolize our wedding to Jesus because of His sacrifice. Further there is much more from the Jewish side of Passover as well.

[Sank T Monius]

1 Corinthians 11:23-25
Q). Why is it so important that we continually remember Christ's broken body and shed blood?
A). We continually remember Christ's broken body and shed blood as an activie demonstration of His sacrifice: "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come." 1 Corinthians 11:26
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Q). In what sense do you believe that the bread is his body?
A). The bread is a symbolic representation of His body which was broken for us.
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Q). That the wine is his blood?
A). The cup we drink is a symbolic representation of His blood which was shed for us.

[Jwalane Mofokeng]

Q1. Why is it so important that we continually remember Christ broken body and shed blood.

The first aspect of the significance of the bread-breaking meeting is that the Lord wants us to receiveHim as the bread of life. When the Lord established His supper, He said, “This is My body which is beingiven for you; do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19). This shows that true remembrance of the Lordis to receive Him and enjoy Him.Every time we break bread, we receive the bread and take it into us. This may seem to be an outward form; however, we know that this is a symbol which speaks of a spiritual fact. Therefore, when we receive the bread with our hand, we should also use our spirit to contact the Lord Jesus as the bread of life. When we take the bread into us, we should also use our spirit to receive the Lord Jesus as the bread of life into us. As we contact the Lord, receive the Lord, and enjoy Him in this way, we receive Him into us. This is our true remembrance of the Lord. the Lord has entered into us to be our life and our food

In what sense

In John 12:24 the Lord said, “Unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Formerly, the Lord was the one grain of wheat. After His death and resurrection, He brought forth many grains. The many grains are all those who have been saved and have His life. The Lord desires that all of us, the many grains, be broken and ground together as wheat. We will be ground until I no longer look like myself, and you no longer look like yourself. As the many grains, we will be ground into powder so that we can be blended into one loaf.The Lord Jesus gave up His body on the cross so that He could impart Himself into us for our enjoyment and also shed His bloodfor us to be cleansed

[JanMary]

Note: Believers differ on some of these topics. Be loving in your responses, even though you might disagree.

Q1. (1 Corinthians 11:23-25) Why is it so important that we continually remember Christ’s broken body and shed blood?

 

I was an unbeliever steeped in guilt and shame for 30 years before He came and saved me....I need to be reminded daily that I'm forgiven, accepted in the Beloved, a new creature in Christ...and that His body was broken to heal my broken, sick body and soul. His blood was shed to continually cleanse me from all sin and unrighteousness.

 

It's wonderful to wield the Cross as a weapon when Satan comes knocking with guilt or accusation about some old sin or mistake..or some condemnation or diagnosis. When Jesus died I died with Him and when He rose, I rose with Him to newness of life, robed in His righteousness. "As He is so am I in this world (2 John 4:17b.) Loved by my Father!

 

It also reminds me if I start to drift back to the old "law"...of "doing" to be accepted or to be approved.....It's a wake up call that He fulfilled every jot and tittle of the law so that I don't have to....I'm now His friend, His daughter, His beloved, His bride! It's another opportunity to thank Him and to praise and worship Him.

 

In what sense do you believe that the bread is his body? That the wine is his blood?

 

I believe that as I take the bread and wine into my body they are reminders that He is in me and I am in Him...that I'm cleansed and forgiven, that healing is available, that I am precious to Him and He is to me, forever and ever.

[Delivered]

 

 

Q1. (1 Corinthians 11:23-25) Why is it so important that we continually remember Christ's broken body and shed blood?

 

It is important that we stay, are continually reminded, that life, atonement, is in the "Blood" - Just as Israel was commanded to observe "FOR EVER" the meaning of the "Passover", so they would "NOT FORGET", atonement came through the blood of an innocent lamb, and it was received through their "faith" and obedience, when they placed the blood of the lamb upon their houses, signifying their trust was and is in God, that God's judgment, the destroyer would not come upon them.

 

Just as John the Immerser called Jesus, “God’s Lamb"  - The one who will take away the sins of the world, that we must continually be reminded, it was through the Blood of the final "Passover Lamb" that was offered up as a sin offering for the world, it was through His sinless body and His blood that atoned for our, "MY" sins, it is important that we, "I"  be reminded, our lives are to be a witness to the fact, that we placed the blood of the Lamb over our "HOUSE", over our "BEING", it is important we not forget, it is because He died, that we in the present time are able to share in His life, that as often as we partake, we are to be reminded of Him, we are reminded that our lives are to show the Lord's death till he comes, our lives are to display to the world, we believe  that He in the future he will return as King, he will return as "the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David"----- "Come Lord Jesus, come"

 

In what sense do you believe that the bread is his body? That the wine is his blood?

 

I believe the bread represents His body and the wine represents His blood, and as I partake of the bread and the wine, I am reminded - My life is to proclaim, the death of the Lord brought "Life" to me, the blood of the Lamb has washed over me, this is why my life will proclaim his Glory, until he comes the second time.

[charisbarak]

We want to continually be drawn to remember what Christ did for us by dying on the cross. We joyfully remember and tell others.

 

We are following the method Jesus used with His disciples to help them easily remember God's sacrifice of his body and the blood shed for our sins.  They represent the body & blood and we participate together with him in His sacrifice.

[Lion of Grace]

It is imperative that we remember Christ's broken body and shed blood for us because this is the foundation of our faith! It is only through the body and blood of Christ that we have any redemption at all and without Jesus' sacrifice there is no salvation or righteousness in or for us. Jesus is all in all and that is the truth. I've gone to churches that reduced the practice of communion to next to none and even wanted to go so far as to take it out all together because it was merely "tradition." I eventually left those churches because they dishonored and missed understanding the very foundation of how we are saved or what "church" is about!

 

I was raised to believe that the bread and wine became the body and blood of Christ by miraculous transformation. I now believe that the bread and wine are symbolic of the body and blood of Christ. The main belief I have had in both ways is that communion is a very sacred remembrance of all Christ did for us and should be taken reverently and with deep gratitude.

[hanks]

Q1. (1 Corinthians 11:23-25) 

Why is it so important that we continually remember Christ's broken body and shed blood? 

In what sense do you believe that the bread is his body? 

That the wine is his blood?

“Do this in remembrance of me” is a command given by Jesus, who also said “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15). It is a reminder that helps us look back to His death but at the same time look forward to His return. We therefore, continually remember the Lord’s work on the Cross and His return, in obedience to His Word and out of love for our Lord and Saviour. At the same time we rededicate ourselves to His obedient service. For me, I feel that the bread and blood are symbolic of His atoning death. The bread representing Jesus’ body and the blood representing Jesus’ blood - the precious blood shed for the cleansing of our sins. 

 

[parkerslope]

Why is it so important that we continually remember Christ's broken body and shed blood?

We, humans, do not have a long memory span.  Therefore, we need to have reminders to keep us on track.  I belong to the Churches of Christ / Christian Church tradition and we partake of the Lord's Supper each week.  We know how we can forget the real meaning of the "Body" and "Blood".  And, NO, I do not think it becomes too common to have it each week.  It has become the "point" of family worship.

 

In what sense do you believe that the bread is his body?

Jesus said that, "He is the bread that came down from Heaven", meaning that He sustains all life, both physical and spiritual.  The bread, which represents His body, took upon it all the sins of people.  He did not sin, therefore, He did not have to die, but He became our sacrifice for our sin.

 

That the wine is His blood?

Wine was used in the first, "Last Supper".  But Jesus said, "Matthew 26:27-29   Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.  This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.  I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom."  NIV  This passage mentions that, a person can use a "fruit of the vine" in place of wine.  All Old Testament sacrifices were involved with the shedding of blood.  The atonement for sin in the Old Testament was by blood.  So Jesus had to shed His blood for the atonement of our sins.  The "wine or fruit" represents the "washing away of our sins".

 

[Craig]

1 Corinthians 11:23-25:  It is important to remember Jesus' historical death on the cross or we will forget it.  Human-beings have short memories.  If we forget we disconnect from Jesus' death on the cross and lose sight of why Jesus was sacrificed on the cross.  Every time we participate in communion we reconnect with Jesus' death on the cross in a fresh way.  It helps keep us focused on Christ and the importance of his death on the cross - the universal atonement for human sin.

 

Jesus said at the last supper when he initiated the new covenant that the bread represents his body broken for our sin.  The wine represents his blood shed to wash away human sin.  When we participate in communion we remember and participate in Jesus' death on the cross.

[lighthouse2014]

Note: Believers differ on some of these topics. Be loving in your responses, even though you might disagree.

Q1. (1 Corinthians 11:23-25) Why is it so important that we continually remember Christ’s broken body and shed blood? In what sense do you believe that the bread is his body? That the wine is his blood?

It is very important that we remember the Lord by taking part in the institution He set up. Christians are to gather together and celebrate the new covenant He instituted. By doing this we bring into remembrance His death, resurrection and await His return.

In breaking of the bread we remember His broken body, which was offered up for our sins.

In drinking of the cup of wine we are brought into remembrance of His blood shed for sins. By celebrating the breaking of bread and drinking of the cup we celebrate His new covenant and wait for His return.   

[Old Jerry]

The reason that we continually remember Christ’s broken body and shed blood is to remind us that we are part of the reason that He had to be sacrificed. It is our sins that he shed his blood for and we are to remember that. Otherwise we would probably forget that it even happened.

I believe that the bread is the body in that Jesus said that it was his body and we are partaking in it. I believe the same is true for his blood.

[Rod Beenleigh]

Why is it so important that we continually remember Christ's broken body and shed blood? In what sense do you believe that the bread is His body? That the wine is His blood?

 

Jesus is using broken bread as a symbol of His broken body on Calvary. Just as bread gives nourishment and life to those that eat it, so Jesus's actions give spiritual life to those who partake of it.

The loaf of bread also signifies unity. In O.T. Hebrew blood refers to the life given by God."Shed blood" makes us recall the sacrificial aspect of Christ's death, the cost to God and Jesus so that we who are sinners would become reconciled.  It is also an opportunity for us to look back to Jesus's sacrifice, to the new covenant and looking forward to Christ's return and all its ramifications.  This time of communion should be an active participation.

[Guitar Jim]

Q1. (1 Corinthians 11:23-25) Why is it so important that we continually remember Christ’s broken body and shed blood?

 

The sacrificial death if Jesus Christ is the cornersrtone of our religion. We wouldn't be Christians if not for the atoning sacrifice of God the Son. Paul himself said at one time that he made up his mind to forget every other thing concerning Christianity in his preaching apart from Christ and Him crucified. That's how important it is!

 

 

 

In what sense do you believe that the bread is his body? That the wine is his blood?

 

I don't. I believe that we partake of simply bread and wine, nothing more. But we partake in remembrance of Jesus's death. The broken bread represents His broken body and the wine represents His blood which was shed for us. I don't believe the communion elememts actually become Christ's body and blood. In my view that's too big a stretch. We break bread and drink wine to remind us of Christ's sacrifice. The words of institution are spoken and we partake. I also don't believe that we receive the Holy Spirit when partaking of communion. We already have the Holy Spirit.

[haar]

Q1. (1 Corinthians 11:23-25) Why is it so important that we continually remember Christ's broken body and shed blood? In what sense do you believe that the bread is his body? That the wine is his blood?
 

 

So that we keep afresh all the time in our minds that He did it for the remission of our sins.

 

I believe that bread and the wine represent the body and blood of Christ respectively broken and shed for our sin to be taken away.

 

While they are symbols, partaking in the communion makes us really partakers with Christ in his death.

 

 

[dixonle]

Q1. (1 Corinthians 11:23-25) Why is it so important that we continually remember Christ’s broken body and shed blood? In what sense do you believe that the bread is his body? That the wine is his blood?

 

One of the main purposes of the celebration of the LORD’s Supper is to remember all the time, to be reminded what Jesus did for us in His sacrifice, crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascension; that He took our place on the cross, atoning for our sin and freeing/clearing the way to Him and to eternal life. So when we partake of the Lord's Supper we are remembering Jesus' death for our sins on the cross.

 

As pointed out by Dr. Wilson, the body/bread is indeed representative of His body broken for us, and the cup of juice representing Jesus’ blood shed for us are symbols of the body and blood of Jesus.  This is what the matchless Word of God states and is the essence of the Christian faith. This is why this is a  Holy “Sacrament” in the Christian church.

 

 

 

[blezed]

Why is it so important that we continually remember Christ’s broken body and shed blood?

1.  To remember the Lord's death for our sins. 

In what sense do you believe that the bread is his body? That the wine is his blood?

2.  Bread represent his physical body and wine represent his physical blood shed.  I believe it because Jesus said it.

[JoanG]

Christ's broken body and shed blood is our salvation. This was the only way that we are reunited with God. We can once again be called the children of God because our sins were taken from us by the death of Christ.

 

To me, the bread is a representation of the body of Christ. It is a life saving bread that ignites the flame in my soul again. It fills me with love and a unique sense of grace. I feel that it is food for my soul.

 

To me, the wine is a representation of Christ's blood. It is a cleansing agent that washes my soul clean. It helps remove my sins from me and it fills me with a new life again.

[Irmela]

Q1. (1 Corinthians 11:23-25) Why is it so important that we continually remember Christ's broken body and shed blood?

In what sense do you believe that the bread is his body?

That the wine is his blood?

The remembrance is not just a glance back into the past but an existential statement, which makes present the reality of Christ's love. (This was shown in Him having given His body to be broken and His blood to be shed for us. He was the sacrifice.)  The proclamation takes place in the eating and the drinking not in the telling of it. In the sharing of the bread and wine.  This then is a common union with Christ and the participants. The eating and the drinking say/proclaim that the group is one. It is important to remember how it is that we are one in Christ. 

The bread is seen as a whole and then for everyone to share in it it is broken. For us to have a share in Christ He gave His body so it could be broken for us.

His blood, that is his very life was shed for us (till the last drop). In the sharing of the wine, we share in His very life.

To share in the bread and the wine we are reminded all the time that we are one community in Christ and that our life represents His life being lived in us.

[Krissi]

Some churches rarely celebrate the eucharist and don't seem to be worse off for it -- my church, Anglican, celebrates weekly. Our entire service is centred on the eucharist, not the sermon. The liturgy moves us toward this pivotal weekly event.

Having said this, I'm not sure how important is the frequency with which we celebrate. If we celebrated daily, hourly, weekly, monthly, annually ... would it impact our faith in Him? Yes, it's a commanded ritual, but its frequency isn't commanded. It's a ritual that to remind us -- drive into us -- the importance of Christ's sacrifice on the cross for our sins. In my denomination, the liturgy emphasizes the recollection and repentance for sin, both individual and corporate, but I dare say that as individual Christians we should be consciously aware of our need to repent all the time.

After all, there are other ways of remembering His body and blood, and again, His atoning sacrifice should be at the centre of our thoughts all the time. For example, when I read Oswald Chambers, I sense his focus on the atonement through the cross. It can be done.

Silently and secretly I disagree with my denomination's stance on the eucharist because I believe the body and blood are purely symbolic reminders of His death with no substantiated aspect of Christ's body present.