10/10/2022 – Day 225 – John 5 – 6 // Compare and contrast denomination differences in John 6 interpretation of the “Eucharist”; and, Can we hold onto “one body in Christ”, yet recognize that we can’t worship together physically in Sunday worship? . And more to: How then shall we live?…
https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/what-catholics-believe-about-john-6
I will give a little background to myself for the context of this discussion a to the proper interpretation of John 6. In the Sacrament of the Eucharist (Communion), is the bread and wine actually transformed into the body and blood of Christ? This literal interpretation is called transubstantiation (catholics) and consubstantiation (lutherans). Here is a link comparing and contrasting these interpretations (continue reading beyond that) :
Puritans , present day Orthodox Presbyterians generally believe: “the actions of the person who receives the Supper also symbolize spiritual events: (1) taking the bread and wine into his hands is a seal of apprehending Christ by faith, (2) while eating the bread and drinking the wine is a seal of applying Christ to himself by faith to increase his union and communion with Christ. ” (*A)
(*A) – William Perkins, “A Golden Chaine in Works” 1:75 from “A Puritan Theology” – pg 750.
Puritans centuries ago, did accuse catholics of “cannibalism”. But, I would argue there isn’t as much difference from catholicism, practically. Why? premise: The interpretations so far, all emphasize that the sacrament of the Eucharist / Communion is a divine mystery, beyond our comprehension. On the other hand, non-denominational and most non-lutheran protestants explain away John 6 as a mere metaphor, not even recognizing the eucharist as a sacrament.
Ok, my background:
I was raised in a devout catholic and lutheran home. My father was catholic and my mother was lutheran. Two siblings of mine and I went with my mother to church on Sunday. Our baby brother went with my Dad to Sunday mass. When I met my wife, I had converted to catholic from lutheran as a young adult, roughly a decade prior. After we were married, I switched again to Presbyterian, my wife’s denomination, as she was like my Mom over three decades earlier, she could not accept the catholic faith after dutifully going through many weeks of the catholic “RCIA” program – “Rights of Christian Initiation to Adults”. It was a relatively quick and easy decision on my part from that point, as I concluded that: 1) it didn’t impact salvation, one body in Christ; and 2) I did not want to repeat a split family worship physically on Sunday morning.
Until we started this blog a couple of years ago, this was a private joke between my wife and I:
Background: About a decade into our marriage, we switched to a non denominational church, that was really baptist with the label missing from a street drive by. The catalyst was that the PCUSA Presbyterian church was veering way to far off from scripture in our minds. What bothered me at the new church, was that having Sunday communion was a “rare” event. So, in jest, I shared with my wife: “We must remember that baptists are christian brothers and sisters, one body in Christ.” Jesus commanded his disciples on Maundy Thursday:”Do this in remembrance of me.” It is just that our baptist brothers and sisters remember him less often than we do.” That was a joke between us only of course ; plus, I believe our salvation is not dependent at all on our position and practice on this issue. But, also, I do not believe it to be insignificant either.
In a nutshell: As “disturbing” and “challenging” a literal interpretation of John 6 is, we lose some joy here on earth, the step out in faith like a child, the acceptance that God’s essence, love, omniscience, and omnipotence is unfathomable to us. Just believe and trust Him! Adding a paradoxically truth: I believe strongly that we are called to worship God with our minds. (see Romans 12:2). To bring God down to our level is very sad to me, even if it is isolated to “not accepting anything that is not fully understandable or justifiable at our level”. Do we really believe what we say we believe is really true? “Sola Scriptura?”, or do we start cutting out verses, then entire chapters of the Bible?
In order to open more possible lines of discussion and fellowship on this post, be it whenever:
I have other areas where I think our doctrinal differences between denominations explain why we worship physically in different church buildings, but remain “one body in Christ”. As examples: 1). Infant or believer baptism? ; 2) Purgatory?; 3) the Rapture? and …. But, given the evil of our time, there are more serious heresies, even ambominable evil in some instances. Examples: 1) Abortion; 2) Gay ordination and marriages; Mutilation of children, euphemistically tagging it “gender choice affirmation” (sick) …
And now, we have witnessed what we believe are heretical “woke indoctrinations” within self proclaimed christian churches. How can we profess belief in scripture that proclaims clearly “one body in Christ” and “redemption through God’s unfathomable love”, yet uses those very same sermon scriptural verses in a message of Marxist hate between “tribes” bereft of hope? It was July 4th weekend no less. We had to leave, never to return again to that church absent a leadership transformation. God promises that the remnant church will never be defeated but it gets harder and harder to find a local church. Saved or not, we all have to face a judgement. And I also embrace: Luke 12:48: “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required”. Therefore, the fear of the Lord comes over me, when I contemplate the implication if I had continued to sit in that church pew on Sunday morning with nary a peep. Only God can measure hearts but we couldn’t stay, despite missing newly established and developing christian relationships.
Thoughts? Reflections? There is a lot here that might call for constructive conflict. “Conflict is ‘sine qua non” (necessary pre-condition) to growth, a one hour edifying presentation by Dr. Kirby Jon Caldwell decades ago that still impacts my day-to-day in a positive way.
Always connected through prayer and by His grace, unfathomably so…
Blessings! Soli Deo Gloria!
Love,
Your brother in Christ,
Jimmy