BusyTarpDuster2017 said:
Waco1947 said:
Realitybites said:
BusyTarpDuster2017 said:
Jesus unequivocally states that whoever eats his flesh and drinks his blood you HAS eternal life, and he WILL raise you (John 6:54). If you are saying that the Eucharist is Jesus' literal flesh and blood, and you can eat his flesh and drink his blood.... but NOT have eternal life and NOT be raised, then you are directly contradicting what Jesus declares to be true.
You are assuming that whoever also means those who do not follow him, an incorrect assumption. The early church guarded communion so closely that non members were dismissed before communion was served. You are also inserting the word "once" into his statement. You have eternal life so long as you continue in the partaking. You partake unworthily and may be damned. You stop partaking, you starve to death (spiritually) just as if you would physically if you stopped eating and drinking. You are also assuming "where" - with Him in heaven. If you make a practice of partaking unworthily, you may just be raised up on the last day only to be given a boarding pass to the lake of fire where the worm dieth not.
Those are a whole lot of bad assumptions. This isn't rocket science, but is illustrative of what happens when you try and reverse engineer Christianity from Bible verses without knowing your family's history.
Communion is a means to grace for disciples and non-disciples. The table belongs to God not the church and God welcomes all to Jesus' meal.
Faith is the means to grace. Communion is for the body of believers with that faith. You are correct that God welcomes all to Jesus' meal... but many refuse to come. And some come, but on their own terms, without wearing the required covering (Matthew 22:11-14). Those who put their trust on their own merits or who believe in a false Jesus and/or false gospel (such as believing in a non-supernatural, non-Creator God and an allegorical Jesus who didn't really physically rise from the dead - what you believe) are the ones who are trying to get in the feast wearing what they want instead of what has been provided. Jesus tells us that these people will be cast out.
Luke14: The Parable of the Great Banquet
15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God."
16 Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.'
18 "But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.'
19 "Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.'
20 "Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.'
21 "The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.'
22 "'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.'
23 "Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.'"
God's table open to all
Waco1947 ,la
