Ok...so I MUST take communion or I'm going to hell?

[termyt]

I guess the lesson is that communion can happen at anytime, where two or more are gathered.

Or even just one.

[Ashley]

communion isn't really mentioned the Bible.

I know what you're saying here, but you have to put it in perspective. Look at the books of the New Testament, and the purposes for which they were written: the gospels, to tell the story of Jesus, Acts, to tell of the early church, and the majority of the rest of it is Paul writing letters to various churches about their problems. To say that "the Bible doesn't mention this alot = not important" isn't a very good approach to interpreting the Bible because it fails to take this in mind: the majority of what is written was to address what a church was doing WRONG, not to tell a church how to be.

To take another example, Paul only writes about sexual immorality in the Corinthian letters--but does this mean that it isn't important for Christians to be sexually pure? To use his own words, "may it never be!"

You probably want to leave this one be. "Unsaved" is a whole different theological discussion, although I don't personally feel like arguing it at the moment.

A) I don't see how it could be more controversial than this topic, seeing as how the Scriptures clearly outline what it takes to receive salvation numerous times, where as we are talking about a church practice with much less Scriptural support

B) Maybe you didn't mean this, but I think it came off as a little rude

[Zarn Ishtare]

I believe the communion ritual is important in church; however, I take my communion with every meal, whither it's eating meat and drinking soda or ramen noodles and juice. I pray a simple communion prayer, and eat.

Oddly enough, I feel this is what communion should have been about since Christ; I see no reason why the sacred vessels have to be bread and wine; wither you are catholic or protestant, it should not matter: For the Protestant, it is the symbolism of the event, and for the Catholic, it should not matter what the Eucharist is made of; in the moment of communion it becomes the body and the blood (transubstantiation, I believe the word is), regardless of the earthly vessel.

[Doubleshadow]

What some people fail to mention, is that the Bible advises people to *NOT* take communion if your heart is not right with the Lord. Too many times I see churches want everyone to take part, even if they have unsaved people in the crowd.

The church I attend with my parents (Methodist) has a monthly communion and encourages all to participate. I don't think they make any stipulations about whether that person is a confessing Christian or not, which makes me anxious because then communion really does look like just a ritual, to me at least, under those specific circumstances.
I went to a Church of Christ in Christian Union camp (3CU for short) where the pastor emphasized he did NOT want people to participate in communion unless they had nothing between them and God, because to do otherwise would grieve the Spirit. I had never heard that before, and I found it made a great deal more sense than what to me has appeared to be a scrabbling for people to take communion. What exactly does it say when a person, annoyed, angry, or bitter towards God goes forward for communion? Imagine going to someones house with that attitude; that results would almost ceratinly be negative. On the other hand, he emphasized that if everything was as it should be, then take communion with enthusiasm because its a special time with God.
I found the whole thing to be a very freeing service. The church I attend with my folks looks askance at anyone who doesn't take communion for any reason, making it feel like a burden and rather spiritually suffocating. That 3CU service taught me more about the attitude of communion and its meaning than ever learned in the other church.

[Momo-P]

I know what you're saying here, but you have to put it in perspective. Look at the books of the New Testament, and the purposes for which they were written: the gospels, to tell the story of Jesus, Acts, to tell of the early church, and the majority of the rest of it is Paul writing letters to various churches about their problems. To say that "the Bible doesn't mention this alot = not important" isn't a very good approach to interpreting the Bible because it fails to take this in mind: the majority of what is written was to address what a church was doing WRONG, not to tell a church how to be.

Except I never said that.

I said the Bible doesn't mention it much, therefore, IT'S EASY TO FORGET. ^^;;;; Big difference from saying it's not important.

[Zarn Ishtare]

The church I attend with my parents (Methodist) has a monthly communion and encourages all to participate. I don't think they make any stipulations about whether that person is a confessing Christian or not, which makes me anxious because then communion really does look like just a ritual, to me at least, under those specific circumstances.
I went to a Church of Christ in Christian Union camp (3CU for short) where the pastor emphasized he did NOT want people to participate in communion unless they had nothing between them and God, because to do otherwise would grieve the Spirit. I had never heard that before, and I found it made a great deal more sense than what to me has appeared to be a scrabbling for people to take communion. What exactly does it say when a person, annoyed, angry, or bitter towards God goes forward for communion? Imagine going to someones house with that attitude; that results would almost ceratinly be negative. On the other hand, he emphasized that if everything was as it should be, then take communion with enthusiasm because its a special time with God.
I found the whole thing to be a very freeing service. The church I attend with my folks looks askance at anyone who doesn't take communion for any reason, making it feel like a burden and rather spiritually suffocating. That 3CU service taught me more about the attitude of communion and its meaning than ever learned in the other church.

I agree with this alot; while I was regularly attending a catholic church, the Priest would regularly say the same thing about communion; those who did not take it crossed their arms on their chest, the priest prayed for them, and they went back to their seats. I feel for "official" communion (in the church) this is the best practice, but I still stand by what I said about the elements of the Eucharist.

[K. Ayato]

The church I attend has communion on the first Sunday of the month, and before the congregation engages in it, the pastor has us take a few minutes to pray, to prepare our hearts and ask forgiveness if such is the case with anyone. It's a good setup, because as others have already said, if you're not worthy to participate, then don't and you should leave.

[Gabriel 9.0]

I myself was raised as up as SDA, still part of it,( haven't attened church in a year though for personal reasons.) But communion was a regular thing on certain Sabbaths.

[EricTheFred]

A) I don't see how it could be more controversial than this topic, seeing as how the Scriptures clearly outline what it takes to receive salvation numerous times, where as we are talking about a church practice with much less Scriptural support

B) Maybe you didn't mean this, but I think it came off as a little rude

To A, I would say, you might think it wouldn't be controversial, but it can be extremely divisive. When someone starts discussing how some of the people in the congregation are 'Unsaved', I know that they are speaking from a theology very alien to my own, one which gets involved with who is 'Elect' or not, and how one can tell, and whether this, that or the other should be available to the general public or reserved to the Saved.

Sorry if I can't talk about it in terms they could, because I neither understand it, nor know how to describe it. I just know that in my congregation (or I hope, any Lutheran congregation) we would not make such a statement, because for us, John 3:16 pretty much covers all the bases for who is or is not saved.

To B, I would say, I apologize. It was not my intention to be rude, but in retrospect, I did a poor job of phrasing it. I should have said, "I'm posting on my morning coffee break, and I (literally) don't have time to discuss what I know can be a very long, involved issue." Which is what I meant.

[Stephen]

Eric, don't twist what I said into some weird debate over if some Christians are "more saved" Re-read what I wrote. I was talking about people coming in off the street that were not already Christians. I swear these days, people will rip everything apart longing for debate.

[GeneD]

What some people fail to mention, is that the Bible advises people to *NOT* take communion if your heart is not right with the Lord. Too many times I see churches want everyone to take part, even if they have unsaved people in the crowd.

Before we do communion at my church, the pastor usually just says that you need to be a believer and follower of Jesus Christ/Christian to partake. I think that is what ShatterheartArk meant (please correct me if I’m wrong, but this is how I understood your statement) by saved people taking part. It would not have meaning (as far as I can see) to a non-Christian (in my vocab, ie unsaved) to take communion to remember what Jesus did for us if they don’t believe it anyway.

[Okami]

What some people fail to mention, is that the Bible advises people to *NOT* take communion if your heart is not right with the Lord. Too many times I see churches want everyone to take part, even if they have unsaved people in the crowd.

Oh, absolutely. At my churches we have in our bulletins and on the screens that say that. (I was trying to think of how to word it, but right with the Lord and 'saved' Believer see, to be the correct wording...I'm sort of out of it right now =/ )

I always make sure to test my motives behind partaking before I recieve the bread and cup...because I know all too well I'm struggling with trusting the Lord in fullness, and because of it, I am not always in the right place to take, y'know?

I hope I'm not meaninglessly ranting...again...meep D:

[Gabriel 9.0]

I forgot to add that in the SDA church I attended where I used to live. Whenever they did communion, they always use Grape juice and this one type of wheat-like cracker.

[ADXC]

Yeah, I do believe you need to be a believer to partake of the communion otherwise it would mean nothing to you. To believers its the remembrance of the Lord's body and blood that was sacrificed for our sins so that we may have eternal life. To unbelievers they would think of it just as "Hey free food and drink during the church service, cool!".

How about an analogy, note this analogy is not related to christianity and may be taken out of proportion but it should go along the same lines.
Say you are a builder, and you need tools to build a cabinet. But alas you don't have any, so one day someone asks if you want the tools they are giving away. Most likely you'll be overjoyed to be able to have them and use them for building the cabinet. But if you were in a profesion in which you didn't need tools whatsoever, why would you partake of the tools if you didn't need them? And if you did partake of them when you had no use for them what would they mean to you?

Again thats a very rough analogy, but I think its pretty good. *Puts up faith shield for the ensuing discussion*( Mainly because not everyone will go along with this analogy.)

[Mr. SmartyPants]

I forgot to add that in communion, they always use Grape juice and this one type of wheat-like cracker.

Not necessarily. Sometimes they use real wine.

[Gabriel 9.0]

Not necessarily. Sometimes they use real wine.

I meant the SDA church I attended where I used to live. I made a mistake in not adding that part. Haha....

[termyt]

While Communion is generally done as a community, it is a very personal thing.

Deciding on whether to take Communion or abstain from it should be wholly up to the individual.

I only say that because it is important for us as individuals to decide for ourselves whether or not to partake and not judge other people’s motivations. I know no one’s suggested it, but I’m posting for emphasis.

If you know that Sally is a contemptible shrew who has been harboring a grudge against you ever since you sat in her pew three weeks ago and always gives you the stink eye every time your glances meet, then Sally probably needs to re-evaluate what Christ means to her and probably ought not take communion. However, to consider Sally’s frame of mind is a poison that prevents you from examining your own. Chances are, if you are spending time pondering Sally’s fitness to partake, you yourself are not in the right frame of mind to partake, either.

If I am harboring a grudge or even if I can not focus myself on worship, these are good reasons to abstain, but if I am not a member of the fellowship, then I also abstain. I feel comfortable taking Communion in most protestant churches, but I do not take Communion in Catholic or Orthodox churches because I am not part of their fellowship. So to partake in Communion there would be a slight against their beliefs and mine. Whenever I am in an unfamiliar church, I always seek out guidance on whether I am welcome to partake or not. Most churches I’ve been to include some statement on whether I should feel welcome to partake in the week’s bulletin or worship materials. If I have serious issues with doctrine or if there is anything saying I should not, then I can not partake with a clear conscience, so I do not partake at all.

I highly doubt I’d be refused, but that’s hardly the point. Any clergy member would do well to outline when you should or should not partake, but the end decision is a decision between me and the Spirit. Anyone who partakes when they should not or for reasons that are not right, then they have grieved the Spirit, not the church. For example, the recent flap about the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence taking communion in a Catholic Mass. The priest and congregation, I thought, did a wonderful job. Let the sisters worry about their own motivations – even if they do not believe it, the decision was between them and the Spirit, who can not be mocked. I hope each one of them learns that before it is too late.

[AsianBlossom]

Hoping to avoid debate, I say it depends on the laws of your church, whatever that may be.

In the Catholic Church, the 3rd Commandment states that we should honor the Lord's Day and keep it holy, meaning we should receive Communion once a week unless we have a good excuse (like illness, no means of transportation, absence of a priest, etc.). Knowingly missing Communion on a Sunday without a good reason (for example, partying the night before and sleeping in the next day) is a mortal sin.

We also believe in the Transubstantiation and the Real Presence. In addition, we believe that those who have lost sanctifying grace through mortal sin should not go to Communion (lest they commit the sin of sacrilege, if I spelled that right...) until they have received the sacrament of Penance first, thus restoring sanctifying grace to their soul and bringing them back to "communion" with the Church. Venial, or small, sins do not remove sanctifying grace from the soul, and going to Communion wipes these sins away.

I can't say much for the other denominations, but this is what Catholics believe. Just thought I'd put it up here, and please don't start any debates.

(Note: the partying example I think I read in the Baltimore Catechism. Have to credit it.)

[Gabriel 9.0]

I bet if I were to attend church on a upcoming Sabbath/Saturday, communion would be held there. Its been quite a while.