Chapter 34 - OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
1 The Lord Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper on the same night he was betrayed. It's meant to be a permanent observance in his churches until he returns. The purpose of this ordinance is: (1) To perpetually remember and show the world the sacrifice of Jesus's death; (2) To confirm the faith of believers in the benefits of his sacrifice, leading to spiritual nourishment and growth in him; (3) To further commit believers to all the duties they owe to him; (4) To serve as a bond and pledge of their communion with him and with one another.
2 This ordinance does not involve Christ being offered up to God the Father, nor is any literal sacrifice made for the forgiveness of sins, whether for the living or the dead. Instead, it serves only as a memorial of the single, once-for-all offering of himself on the cross. Through this ordinance, we also offer a spiritual sacrifice of all possible praise to God for that work. Therefore, the Roman Catholic sacrifice of the Mass, as they call it, is utterly detestable. It is an insult to Christ's own sacrifice, which alone is the atonement for the sins of the elect.
3 In this ordinance, the Lord Jesus has appointed his ministers to pray and bless the bread and wine. This act sets them apart from common use and dedicates them to a holy purpose. The ministers are to take and break the bread, and take the cup. They are also to partake of these elements themselves, and then give both the bread and the wine to those who are participating in the communion.
4 Refusing to let people drink from the cup, worshiping the bread and wine, elevating them, carrying them around for others to adore, or saving them for some other religious purpose are all practices that go against what the Lord's Supper is meant to be and what Christ originally established.
5 In the Lord's Supper, the elements of bread and wine, when set apart for the purpose Christ intended, are so closely connected with him and his crucifixion that they are sometimes called "the body and blood of Christ." This is a figurative way of speaking. However, in their actual substance and nature, they remain truly and exclusively bread and wine, just as they were before.
6 The belief that the substance of the bread and wine in the Lord's Supper changes into the actual body and blood of Christ (a doctrine commonly known as transubstantiation), whether by a priest's consecration or by any other means, is not only contrary to the Bible but also to common sense and reason. This teaching undermines the true nature of the ordinance and has been, and continues to be, a source of numerous superstitions and blatant idolatry.
7 Worthy receivers of the Lord's Supper, when they outwardly eat the bread and drink the wine, also inwardly, by faith, truly receive and feed on the crucified Christ and all the benefits of his death. The body and blood of Christ are not physically or literally present, but are spiritually present to the believer's faith, just as the elements themselves are present to the physical senses.
8 Those who are ignorant of the Gospel and live ungodly lives are not only unfit to have fellowship with Christ, but they are also unworthy of the Lord's Supper. As long as they remain in that state, they cannot participate in these sacred mysteries without committing a grave sin against Him. Indeed, anyone who
receives the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner is guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord, bringing judgment upon themselves as they eat and drink.