What is Holy Communion and why is it required to get to Heaven?
In order to fully understand, we need to go into the Old Testament for a bit. In Exodus 12, God sent what was called “the destroyer” to kill the first born of Egypt, because of the Pharoh’s rebellion and refusal to let the Hebrews go. For the Hebrews who were in Egypt, the Lord commanded that they kill a lamb, and put the blood of the lamb on the lintel (the support above the door), and on the side posts of the door. When the “destroyer” passed through Egypt, those who were inside a house with the blood on the door were spared; and those who did not, the first born of that house died.
The lamb had to be without blemish, perfect. God commanded that they eat the lamb, and also that they eat unleavened bread. Unleavened bread has no yeast or rising agent in it. If anyone ate bread that was leavened(during the passover), “…even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.” Exodus 12:19
So it was through the blood and flesh of the lamb that the Israelites were saved. Now jump forward to the New Testament.
Jesus is the Lamb of God.(John 1:36). By partaking of the Lamb of God, we have eternal life, and are protected from eternal damnation.
There are several verses that tell us about communion. The first here is Matthew 26:26-28. In these verses, the disciples were having the Passover with Jesus. They were having the first Holy Communion.
“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”
Because we are all sinners, the only way to enter into Heaven, is to get the sin removed. The way to do that is through communion. By partaking in the body and blood of Christ in holy communion, our sins are washed away.
Again, in John 6:53-58, “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.”
It is through the flesh and blood of Christ that we receive eternal life.
1 Corinthians 10:16-17, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.”
When we have communion, we need to realize what it truly is. Once we partake, it is no longer just bread and wine, it becomes the body and blood of Jesus. When we partake, we need to examine ourselves, and ask for the Lord to forgive us for our sins.
1 Corinthians 11:27-29, “Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lords body.”
Communion washes away our sins. When we examine ourselves before we partake, we need to change from any sins that we have commited. God’s mercy and forgivenss is available to all, but we do not want to abuse that grace.
Make sure when you have the Lord’s body and blood, remember what it is and what it means. It is the washing away of our sins. It is His forgiveness.
In Christ, Andrew
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 