Truth Magazine

By Greg Litmer

One of the acts of worship that we are commanded to perform is partaking of the Lord’s Supper. The words of Jesus, “Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me,” and, “This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me” (1 Cor. 11:24, 25) emphasize the importance of this supper. Acts 20:7 instructs us as to how often and on what day of the week we are to partake. This action constitutes part of the doctrine of Jesus Christ (2 John 9).

Since this is such an important function of our lifes as Christians it is important that we perform it properly and leave no room for misunderstanding on the part of unbelievers. Many times in our worship services we have people attending who are not members of the Body of Christ. It is so very important that these people not be given the wrong impression by our actions and words concerning the Lord’s Supper.

The area I would like to give closest attention to is that of giving our thanks for the bread and fruit of the vine. Often the prayer is worded in this manner, “Father, we thank you for this bread; which is to us, by faith, the broken body of our Lord and Saviour Jesus.” Those of us who are Christians understand what that prayer means. To those who are not Christians, I am afraid that that is a simple statement of the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation. The Catholics believe that the bread actually becomes the body of Jesus, by faith. The same is true of the fruit of the vine. They believe that it actually becomes the blood of Jesus. If we say, “Father, thank you for this fruit of the vine: which is to us, by faith, the blood of Jesus,” we are merely stating the Catholic position. As a former Catholic who was for a time an uninformed visitor to the services of the Lord’s church, I can say that this is the impression that is given by those statements.

To set forth the Catholic position, 1 would like to quote from the Modern Catechism (page 146). This book was printed in 1964 and bears the Imprimatur of Albert Cardinal Meyer, who was the Archbishop of Chicago. In answer to the question, “What food do we eat in Holy Communion?” the book says, “We eat the bread of life, Christ himself. At the Last Supper Jesus took bread and wine, blessed them, and gave them to his apostles. `This is my body,’ he said. `This is the chalice of my blood.’ Then he directed his apostles to observe this sacred ceremony in memory of him. When the priest repeats this ceremony today, bread and wine give way to the body and blood of the Lord. This change takes place at the consecration of the Mass.” All of this is truly a matter of faith.

The Bible does not teach this doctrine of transubstantiation and we should be careful not to imply that it does. The words of Jesus in Matt. 26:26-29, Mark 14: 22-25, Luke 22:19-20, and 1 Cor. 11:24-25 clearly show that the bread and fruit of the vine are remembrances of our crucified Savior, representative of His body and blood. The very fact that Jesus Himself was standing there saying those words shows that the bread and the fruit of the vine were not actually His body and blood. This was figurative language.

Another example of this type of language occurs in John 10:7-9. There we read, “Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” Jesus was not an actual, physical door here anymore than the bread and fruit of the vine were His actual, physical body and blood. The Bible simply does not teach that they are His actual body and blood by faith or by anything else.

Let us take care, therefore, to always be clear in our prayers concerning the Lord’s Supper. Our visitors need to know what the Bible says as we go about fulfilling one of the commands of Jesus.

Truth Magazine XXIII: 40, p. 650
October 11, 1979

By Don Hastings

Joseph did not submerge himself in pity. He did not become discouraged. If we had been in Joseph’s place, we might have said, “I have tried to serve the Lord faithfully and look where it has gotten me – a slave in prison. I am through living for the Lord and now I’m going to live only for myself.” Thankfully, Joseph did not reason that way.

Joseph was a slave in prison one day and a governor over the mighty kingdom of Egypt the next day. However, the swift and great transition of positions did not change his attitude toward the Lord. How I wish that all of God’s children would maintain a strong, active faith in God, whether they are suffering through adversity or enjoying success! It is easy to understand why “Jehovah was with Joseph.”

The Lord was with Joseph when he was reunited with his father, brothers and sisters. Jacob sent 10 of his sons to Egypt to buy grain for “the famine was over all the face of the earth” (Gen. 41:54-42:5). “And Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves to him” and thus fulfilled the childhood dreams of Joseph (Gen. 42:6; 37:5-11). Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him (Gen. 42:7, 8). He called them “spies” and, to prove that they were not spies, he said they must bring unto him their youngest brother (Gen. 42:8-20). His brothers believed they were being punished because of the way they had mistreated him (Gen. 42:21). Joseph wept when he learned how Reuben had defended him (Gen. 42:22-24). He bound Simeon, gave them grain, and secretly put their money in their sacks.

Jacob refused to let Benjamin go to Egypt for he said, “My son shall not go down with you” (Gen. 42:38). Finally, Jacob was persuaded to let Benjamin go when Judah said that he would be responsible for his brother’s safety (Gen. 43:1-15). In Egypt, Joseph prepared a feast at his house and invited his brothers to attend (Gen. 43:16-28). At the feast, Joseph was overcome with joy because Benjamin was there and he left their presence that he might weep secretly (Gen. 43:29-31). So typical of human nature even today Joseph, washed his face so that others might not detect he had been crying, and went back with the others after getting a grip on himself.

Joseph tested his brothers love for Benjamin by making it appear that Benjamin had stolen his silver cup (Gen. 44:1-13). Judah made a beautiful, passionate plea on Benjamin’s behalf (Gen. 44:14-34). Joseph was so touched by Judah’s unselfish request that he could not withhold his identity any longer (Gen. 45:1-15).

Like Jesus, Joseph was often moved with compassion (Gen. 45:14, 15; 46:29). He did not permit the hardships he had suffered to harden his heart. Is your heart hard and insensitive or is it warm and tender (1 Pet. 3:8; Rom. 12:15)? Only those with a compassionate heart will help their fellowman (Luke 10:33; Matt. 14:14). Pharoah told Joseph to invite all his family to live in Egypt. They came to Egypt and lived in Goshen (Gen. 45:16-50:26).

Joseph fully forgave his brothers. They were afraid that after Jacob’s death, Joseph would treat them cruelly because of the evil which they had done unto him (Gen. 50:15-17). We can read of Joseph’s kind reply to their request that he forgive them in Genesis 50:17-21. Do we completely forgive those who sin against us and ask our forgiveness or do we continue to hold a little resentment in our heart against them (Matt. 6:14, 15; Eph. 4:32)?

Joseph died when 110 years old. (Gen. 50:26) He made the children of Israel promise that they would carry his bones back to Canaan when they left Egypt (Gen. 50:24, 25; Heb. 11:22). This promise was kept (Ex. 13:19; Josh. 24:32).

The Lord was with Joseph guiding him through all his life. It is easy to see God’s providence at work in the life of Joseph. Providence is “the care exercised by the Supreme Being over the universe . . . . The exercise of foresight and care for the future . . .” (Funk and Wagnalls Standard Dictionary, Vol. 11). “Divine providence has come to refer to that foresight and forethought, preservation, care and government of God which enable Him to bring about a desired end “(Florida College Lectures, 1975, “Prayer and Providence,” Homer Hailey, p. 53)

About 200 years before the birth of Joseph, God had told Abraham that his seed would “. . . be sojourners in a land . . .” (Gen. 15:12-14). It was through Joseph that God made provision for His people to go and dwell in Egypt in fulfillment of this prophecy to Abraham (Gen. 45:5-8; 50:19, 20).

It was not just coincidence that the Ishmaelites just happened to be passing by and headed toward Egypt when Joseph was in the pit and that Judah just happened to think of selling him. It was not just by luck that Joseph had interpreted the butler’s dream so that the butler could call Pharoah’s attention to Joseph when Pharoah had dreams, etc.

God is working in your life to make you into the type of person He wants you to be, but you must yield yourself to Him so “His pow’r can make you what you ought to be. . .” (Romans 6:12, 13). Not long ago in a bulletin, under some short sentence sermons I read something similar to this, “If you aren’t happy with the way I am, be patient 6od’s not through with me yet.”

God wants you to become one of His children and be faithful and useful to Him like His servant Joseph. What person would not want to possess the leadership qualities Joseph possessed? Or to have the same confidence Joseph did without becoming over-confident as Joseph controlled that, too? Like Joseph, we should not be afraid to assume responsibility and fulfill it admirably. To be faithful and useful to God, we must mold these characteristics into our lives. Will you let God work with you and through you to accomplish His holy Will?

Truth Magazine XXIII: 40, pp. 648-649
October 11, 1979

By Earl E. Robertson

It is quite obvious that .some do not believe what the New Testament says about this matter. The difficulty arises over the work of the individual and the work of the church. Some allege that the church is at work when one Christian is doing his own daily work; at the same time, some think the individual is at work when the local church is engaged in some activity. Often the mistake is made in failing to recognize that two or more Christians may concurrently work some spiritual service without their action being that of the church. Just because a certain duty is imposed upon all children of God (see 1 Tim. 5:8, 16 as an example), one should not conclude that such is church action. The very opposite in this example is true.

Though the church of the Lord is composed of people blood washed people – it is not made up of just one. Paul wrote, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ” (1 Cor. 12:12). Again, he wrote, “For the body is not one member, but many” (1 Cor. 12:14). The local church has its work to perform, which work is done in its aggregate capacity; however, the diligent Christian knows all his responsibilities are not discharged in that capacity alone. There are some things peculiar to the church -a collective body – which are not duties of individual Christians. The Lord’s supper is in the church ( 1 Cor. 11:20; Lk. 22:18). Elders are peculiar to the local church (Acts 14:23; 1 Pet. 5:2). The Lord’s supper and elders are recognized by the Scriptures in no place but in the church. Now individual Christians, banded together in forming a local church, eat the Lord’s supper together and they all submit to the elders who have the oversight.

Paul wrote, “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” “If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed” (1 Tim. 5:8, 16). Here inspiration says any believer (Christian) who might have a widow in need must relieve that widow and not the church. That is what the Bible says! Man says, “Anything that is commanded of me as my duty as a Christian is also commanded of my fellow Christian; and therefore, commanded of the church.” Further we are told, “To say that individual Christians are obligated to do certain things that Christians as a collective body cannot do is a misunderstanding of the nature of the church.” Well, Paul misunderstood the nature of the church! Who can believe it? Paul said if believers should have widows let them relieve the widows, and “let not the church be charged. “This is a specific case where “individual Christians are obligated to do certain things that Christians as a collective body cannot do.” Whom will you believe: (1) the human voice, or (2) the divine voice?

Truth Magazine XXIII: 40, p. 648
October 11, 1979

By Bruce James

The Bread of Life is one of the simplest titles of Jesus. He had finished His ministry in Galilee by feeding five thousand miraculously on the far side of the Sea of Galilee. He then returned to Capernaum, and there he met the Jewish leaders (John 6:1-14, 24). The feeding of the five thousand was sure to bring memories of the manna in the wilderness (John 6:31). It was Jesus that said it was not Moses, but God who had given the manna to the people (6:32). He went on to say that the true bread, that which sustains life and overcomes death, must come from God. Then He says: “I am the bread of life . . . . I am the living bread which came down from heaven (6:35, 48, 51). This was a saying that the Jews resented bitterly; they thought they knew who Jesus was, being familiar with His family and His own person; therefore, He should not say that He came down from heaven (6:42). Jesus went farther when He identified this Bread of Life with His own body and blood which men must eat in order to enter into life which in this world is life indeed, and which death cannot touch (6:52-58).

To the Jew (and to you and me) bread is the staff of life. The gift of manna in the wilderness was designed to lead the world to the greatest gift of God – Jesus Christ the Bread of Life – to a world lost and dying in sin. Let us learn the likeness between the “manna” and Jesus “the bread of life.” The Israelites were in the wilderness in need of food. God, in His great compassion for them, sent food from heaven. Christ as the bread of life is the free gift of God sent from heaven to fulfill our spiritual hunger and needs.

We can see a figure of Christ in the manna itself. It was sweet, like wafers of honey. In form it was round, and in color white. In the very nature and work of Jesus, He is precious and sweet to the faithful child of God. In the roundness and color of the manna, we see the completeness of Christ as well as the holiness and the righteousness of His person.

Notice also that the manna in the wilderness was given freely every morning. Today, Jesus is the daily bread of the soul. The manna was to be gathered every day (and early) except the seventh for that was the Sabbath. Manna fell in double quantities on the sixth day to supply their need on the seventh. Jesus is to be first in our lives and, as all the manna was to be eaten, Jesus must be received wholly and completely – as God and man, as prophet, priest and king. Also, do you remember what happened to the manna if it was laid up and not used? It ruined and was consumed by worms. So it is when Christ is preached and not received that death will be brought to that soul.

The true Bread of Life is Jesus. His death and resurrection is the food for our spiritual life. The Jews thought Jesus spoke of His literal flesh, as many do today, but Jesus interpreted the whole lesson by saying: “The words that I have spoken unto you, they are spirit and they are life” (John 6:63). The true Bread of Life gives-.life to the souls of men by our eating this bread inn trust and obedience. By the way, there are many “runt”Christians who are stunted because they have stopped eating. There are thousands of babes in Christ who are dying of spiritual malnutrition. And there are thousands more dying because they have been feeding on cake and poisoned bread. A man who poisons someone is a criminal and that is the crime, spiritually speaking, of false preachers and teachers. Like the Pharisees, they compass sea and land to make one proselyte but then they made him twofold more a son of hell by their false doctrines.

The whole matter of eternal life is in feeding on the Bread of Life. This is done by “abiding in Him” continually. We must not feed on the poisoned bread of the sectarian world. Their message must be tested, examined, and analyzed in light of the Divine Standard of God’s word. Let us also remember that food will do no good unless assimilated or digested. We may come to church for 25 to 30 years with perfect attendance, but unless the gospel gets into our spiritual bloodstream we will die of ritualism, hypocrisy and error. Jesus’ claim is that He is able to give life in this world and in the world to come. Therefore let us say together: “Break Thou the Bread of Life, Dear Lord, to me . . . . Give me to eat and live With Thee above; Teach me to love Thy truth, For Thou art love.”

Truth Magazine XXIII: 40, p. 647
October 11, 1979