Communion

We believe that a second ordinance to be observed by the Church is what is often called, “Communion”, or “the Lord’s Supper”.  Our understanding is that this ordinance is primarily a memorial.  It was instituted by Jesus when He celebrated the Passover meal with His disciples just prior to His arrest and subsequent crucifixion.  He told them to do this in remembrance of Him.  When this practice was abused in the Corinthian church, Paul wrote to correct these abuses and to remind the church of the meaning of the Lord’s Supper.  He repeated the words of Jesus who took bread and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”  Regarding the cup, Jesus said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.  For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup. You proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”

There has been debate over the centuries as to the efficacy of the spiritual impact of Communion.  We believe it is not salvific.  That is, we do not believe that God imparts a measure of grace to the participant in the Lord’s Supper.  Salvation cannot be earned by appropriate observances.  Salvation is a gift God imparts to those who come to Him in faith and recognize that the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ is the basis for redemption.  Salvation is never achieved through works or observances and practices on the part of people.  We prefer to refer to both baptism and the Lord’s Supper as ordinances, in large measure for this reason.  To refer to them as sacraments tends to suggest that they could be a means of grace.  We practice these two ordinances out of obedience and gratitude for God’s gift of salvation; not to earn it.