[NYer]

Ping!

[sigzero]

“There is nothing in Christian antiquity that suggests the early Christians believed Holy Communion (the Eucharistic “body” and “blood”) was merely symbolic. Indeed, the burden of proof falls on the Protestants when they say otherwise. “

The wording in the Bible is clear. It is a remembrance until He comes again. It doesn’t turn into anything. It doesn’t bestow any “extra” grace.

[JT Hatter]

Nutcake.

[svcw]

symbolic

[Salvation]

Great chart, except am I missing the Orthodox split?

[miss marmelstein]

Real.

[The Grammarian]

Following their Anglican forefathers, Methodists also believe in the Real Presence, though they reject transubstantiation and prefer to leave the manner or to state that it is spiritual.

[BunnySlippers]

REAL

[ifinnegan]

John 6:63, it’s quoted in the long passage.

Jesus says he is speaking spiritually.

They ask, how can we eat you etc...

Jesus says in answer, “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

Jesus Himself says he is speaking spiritually.

[Keli Kilohana]

He said this is my body and my blood—the night BEFORE He died. Was it the real body and blood BEFORE He even died? Or, wasn’t he speaking symbolically?

[NKP_Vet]

http://www.therealpresence.org/

[SeaHawkFan]

I have yet to meet a Roman Catholic who has said the wine tasted like blood. The next one will be the first.

[SeaHawkFan]

There is nothing in Christian antiquity that suggests the early Christians believed Holy Communion (the Eucharistic "body" and "blood") was merely symbolic.

That was because early Christians knew it was symbolic. It's one of those things that is so obvious, there is no need to mention it.

[CommerceComet]

‘This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’1 Corinthians 11:24

Why would we have to remember Jesus if He is really present in the elements?

[cloudmountain]

My Presbyterian friend REALLY believes that she is receiving the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus with her Presbyterian communion.
When she said this I said nothing.

No reason to tell her that it's just CATHOLICS, Roman or Orthodox, who receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus. Why rain on her parade?

[stars & stripes forever]

When our church takes Communion, time is spent reflecting upon our lives. Those who take Communion unworthily sin against the Lord and can actually die a premature death.

Communion is a solemn ceremony to remember what Christ did for us on Calvary. He gave His all for us. We should never take Him lightly.

[SuziQ]

Well, Jesus said it was real. Far be it from me to suggest otherwise.

[ShadowAce]

Just two questions:

1. If Jesus is truly in the bread and wine, wouldn't that be sacrificing Himself over and over and over again? Wasn't His sacrifice on thh cross enough?
2. Why would Jesus be in the bread and wine if He lives in each and every believer first?

[Faith Presses On]

For Christians who believe in the Gospel and all of God's Word, Communion is holy, but it is also something of a mystery. Jesus gave His disciples at the Last Supper bread and wine, not His actual physical body. The actual sacrifice came later, and it wasn't a sacrifice of anyone eating His flesh, as He died, but was resurrected. The point of the Gospel is that we can't be justified by good works, but need the sacrifice of a Savior, and the sacrifice has to be that the person sinned against (God) is forgiving the sins of those who have sinned against Him. Other things to consider: Jesus also called Himself "the door of the sheep." Is he really a literal door, in earthly terms, then? No, He wasn't and isn't. But truly He is some type of door, in the Heavenly realm, in which when God made this world, doors here in the earthly realm would be a shadow of the Heavenly. Islam, in its rebellion, makes ridiculous claims that Christians believe absurdities because, they say, "can God have a son? can he be married and have relations with a woman?" They see God as needing to be a shadow of man, rather than man being patterned, albeit on a lower level, after God. This sort of thinking reminds a lot of the Islamic thinking. When questioned in John 6 about His saying on his flesh and blood, Jesus also spoke on His words. God is a different being than we are, in that His Word is life, and from it He can create, like He did this physical world, just by speaking. The Bible also talks about spiritual life, death and rebirth, and how can we completely understand such things, except that we can see it in people? In short, Christians who believe that Jesus is God's Son, that He came to earth, miraculously born of a Virgin, and His death was necessary to atone for our sins (we can't do it ourselves) and that He was bodily resurrected and lives today, have new life, and Communion is their remembrance of the price paid for their sin and rebellion so that they can escape eternal punishment for them, and for them to be restored to a relationship with God.

[GreyFriar]

This particular article, in my view, is not so much for Catholics but to inform Protestants that they are wrong in how they view “the real presence” or lack of presence in the bread and wine of the Eucharist. The author is challenging Protestants in their belief in the Eucharist. Thus to have Protestants posting here is not ‘hateful’ but in making reply to their belief.

Cheers