Communion: Some thoughts (1)

Malaysia is one of those places where Communion is becoming increasingly inclusive. Years ago, you had to be a card carrying certified baptised member of your denomination to take communion. And like some credit cards, these were not transferable. If I was baptised at a Methodist church for example, I was allowed to take the bread and wine (or grape juice) at any other Protestant church but not a Roman Catholic, or Eastern Orthodox church

In some cases, this stringency has been relaxed. If you profess to put your faith in Christ as your Lord and Saviour, then you are more than welcome to participate. Communion is both vertical and horizontal. By the act of taking communion, the former entails partaking in the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. It is an act of communion between you and God.

On the horizontal level, when we take communion as a church, we are effectively saying that although you and I are different in appearance, race, background, gender, etc...we are bonded together in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, and thus, we celebrate this communal communion. This on the horizontal level

Now, here begs the question:

Is everyone who takes communion your brother or sister?

The answer is dangerously simple, and scary all at once. Not all who profess a faith in Christ are saved. Even if they have done the catechism, membership or prepatory classes. Not even if they've been dunked in the Jordan river itself, three times over for good measure. Now this means (at the risk of sounding like a line from a dramatic war movie) ,that the next time you all line up at the rail to take the sacraments, you should take a good look at the person to your right or left; they may not be spending eternity with God. Heck, take a good look at yourself first! You may not be spending eternity with God in the first place.

This is an important issue because I believe that we have all taken salvation for granted, including myself. And an easy trip up the aisle to take the wafer and wine only serves to reinforce a possible delusion that we are saved, while all this while, our names are not in the book of Life.

Check yourself. Look at your brother and sister. Ask them to check themselves. Seek repentence for yourself, and them. Bring them and yourself to the foot of the Cross first, to Christ all else before doing so. The bread and wine are not magical items that confer you entry into the Kingdom of God. Christ's life, death and resurrection has already done that. He has paid the penalty for you. You need not do anything else but believe onto him.

Then, the walk up the aisle will thus have true meaning. Where you now understand and believe that Christ alone died for your sins while you were dead in your transgressions, to satisfy the wrath of the father, and through his grace and mercy, you now have new life.

SDG

The Remnant: Holding the primacy of Scripture

This morning, I started a course called "Bible Overview". It's a 10-week course that is part the Moore College external studies Certificate in Theology. Over the course of the next few weeks, I will blog more about it, but for now, I want to say that my initial impression of it is one of great joy and hope.

Why? Not because God has granted me the opportunity to do it, but because there is something I saw today that has raised my spirit regarding the modern church and the lamentable state it has fallen in.

I say young people - university youth, some from high school, eager to learn, study and appreciate God's Word. For a while, others have told me that Bible study is boring, the youth will never take to it,that they need experential, fun filled activities, relevance etc etc. Well, so much for that load of compost.

These were young people who were realising that it wasn't about them or their felt needs. It was about God. And it was about reverence for his revelation that is found in Holy Scripture. It also warms my heart (there ya go, a Calvinist using an Arminian phrase! :-) )to see that these Caleb and Joshua's are still around. They are the remnant

In every dark period where the church has been assailed, ripped apart and generally discredited; a remnant always remains. They are true to God, his sovereignity and sense of his true character. They remain faithful to his Word, relying on his grace and knowing that they are justified by faith alone in Christ alone.

This is a beautiful thing.

My prayer is that through the beauty of Sola Scriptura (solely by scripture), more young people will see the Bible as the primary means of understanding who God is, his past, present and to be revealed will, and his plan of redemption in Jesus Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross.

SDG