The Purpose of Communion

General Christian Theology
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Josh
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Re: The Purpose of Communion

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Heirbyadoption wrote:I wonder, after reading through all this, if two or three of you could just sum up in 1 sentence (2, tops) what you believe is the purpose of communion. I would appreciate it tremendously.
Remembering my Lord and what he did; remembering the original Passover and what God did for his people; and experiencing other Christian believers who want to remember the same things.
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gcdonner
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Re: The Purpose of Communion

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Josh wrote:
Sudsy wrote:
Josh wrote:I once faced a situation where I had a choice to partake in communion with someone living in adultery (no divorce here) where it was a well known fact.

I decided to leave instead. I am interested in hearing how my actions “brought division to the body of Christ”.

Should we partake of communion with unrepentant, known adulterers?
Does the sin of adultery hold more weight than the sin of gossip or slander, etc. if one is to selectively take communion with others ? At our church we are told to focus and examine ourselves, not the sin(s) of others.
I would not commune with people caught in those sins either who were unrepentant of them. I believe a Christian should go to a brother he is in close enough fellowship with to go to communion with, and should admonish him (gently) if he sees gossip and slander in his life.

The Bible does say to examine yourself, and every participant should do that. It does not say that communion is an isolated, solitary act between myself and God. It's supposed to be something that takes place between multiple believers.
So, did you go to the brother who was living in adultery? If not, then why not?
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gcdonner
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Re: The Purpose of Communion

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Heirbyadoption wrote:I wonder, after reading through all this, if two or three of you could just sum up in 1 sentence (2, tops) what you believe is the purpose of communion. I would appreciate it tremendously.
Christ told us to "do this in remembrance of me", and in as much as the symbols represent what he did, and their purpose, I find forgiveness for sin and healing in communion. (by his stripes we are healed...) I also find a moment of intimate interaction with him in this New Covenant meal, which is our marriage covenant, ie, the marriage supper of the Lamb.
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Josh
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Re: The Purpose of Communion

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gcdonner wrote:So, did you go to the brother who was living in adultery? If not, then why not?
Yes. I went with him privately, then with a brother, then with a brother and two sisters plus his wife, then with some ministers.

Eventually, I had to make a decision whether I would be baptised, join my church, and go to communion a few weeks later with this person. I made the decision to leave instead.

I attended a CMC church that had an open communion and communed there for 6 months. While I found that church was not where God wanted me to stay long term, being accepted at communion there was deeply meaningful for me and probably kept me from completely giving up on the whole Christianity thing. At my first service, my boss at the time washed my feet. That was a very special time.
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gcdonner
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Re: The Purpose of Communion

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Josh wrote:
gcdonner wrote:So, did you go to the brother who was living in adultery? If not, then why not?
Yes. I went with him privately, then with a brother, then with a brother and two sisters plus his wife, then with some ministers.

Eventually, I had to make a decision whether I would be baptised, join my church, and go to communion a few weeks later with this person. I made the decision to leave instead.

I attended a CMC church that had an open communion and communed there for 6 months. While I found that church was not where God wanted me to stay long term, being accepted at communion there was deeply meaningful for me and probably kept me from completely giving up on the whole Christianity thing. At my first service, my boss at the time washed my feet. That was a very special time.
Was the man finally dealt with by the church and separated from fellowship? These are sad situations and even worse when as you indicated it wasn't a hidden thing. I am assuming that because you left he wasn't excommunicated?
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Josh
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Re: The Purpose of Communion

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gcdonner wrote:Was the man finally dealt with by the church and separated from fellowship?
No, he wasn't, although eventually he quit attending. He is still technically a member.
These are sad situations and even worse when as you indicated it wasn't a hidden thing. I am assuming that because you left he wasn't excommunicated?
I left because I did not feel I could in good conscience attend church and participate in communion with someone living in that kind of open, unrepentant sin.

Since all this happened, things at that church have gotten much better. Seems the Lord was guiding me out of there. And things with that person have gotten a lot worse. It's up to other leaders and other congregations to address those issues now.
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Re: The Purpose of Communion

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Josh wrote:
gcdonner wrote:Was the man finally dealt with by the church and separated from fellowship?
No, he wasn't, although eventually he quit attending. He is still technically a member.
These are sad situations and even worse when as you indicated it wasn't a hidden thing. I am assuming that because you left he wasn't excommunicated?
I left because I did not feel I could in good conscience attend church and participate in communion with someone living in that kind of open, unrepentant sin.

Since all this happened, things at that church have gotten much better. Seems the Lord was guiding me out of there. And things with that person have gotten a lot worse. It's up to other leaders and other congregations to address those issues now.
Many years ago now, when my dad was still alive, he was filling the pulpit for a small Congregational church, and they asked him to become their regular pastor, but he said he wouldn't until the head deacon either repented or stepped down since he was living with a woman who was not his wife. The church chose the head deacon because he was a large contributor financially. Subsequently, my father said that I should become pastor there and I told him that if they wouldn't accept his terms they certainly wouldn't accept mine, which would have been a little bit stricter than my dad's.
It is a sad commentary on the "christianity" of some people...
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