FAQs Mondays: How Does God Reveal the Benefits of Redemption? Part 4

Last week, we explored the meaning of baptism in part 3 of our look at the ways in which God reveals the benefits to redemption.  You can view that post here.  This week, we take a closer look at the Lord's Supper.

What is the Lord's Supper?

The Lord's Supper is a holy ordinance of the church.  By eating bread and drinking the cup according to Christ's appointment we who forth his death.  Those who eat and drink in a worthy manner partake of the Christ's body and blood, not physically, but spiritually in that by faith they are nourished with the benefits he purchased, and grow in grace.  Paul asks, "The cup of blessing that we bless, is is not a participation in the blood of Christ?  The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? (1 Cor. 10:6).   He also says,

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night hew was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you.  Do this in remembrance of me."  In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood.  Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes (1 Cor. 11:23-26).

Who are the proper subjects of the ordinance?

Those who have been baptized upon a personal profession of their faith in Jesus Christ and repentance from dead works.  Acts 2:42 states, "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers."

What is required to the worthy receiving of the Lord's Supper?

It is required of those who would worthily (that is, suitably) partake of the Lord's Supper, that they examine themselves--of their knowledge, that they may discern the Lord's body; their faith, that they feed upon him; and their repentance, love and new obedience; lest coming unworthily, they eat and drink judgment to themselves.  Paul states,

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord.  Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.  For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the the body eats and drinks judgment on himself (1 Cor. 11:27-29). 

Paul also states, "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith.  Test yourselves.  Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" (2 Cor. 13:5).

Summary

This week, we have learned about the Lord's Supper.  Only the saved and baptized should partake of the Lord's supper.  It is a memorial that looks back at Christ's atoning sacrifice, and a look to the future when Christ returns to claim his own.  Next week, we look at the last way God communicates the benefits of redemption to his people.  We will try to answer the question, "What is prayer?"