Episode 13: Benefits of the Sacrament of the Altar

Christ for Us

Episode 13 of the Christ for Us Bible Study Podcast is part two of three episodes on the Sacrament of the Altar. What benefits does Baptism give? You can follow along to the Bible Study at Christforus.org.

#Theology #Lord's Supper #Lutheran

The Sacrament of the Altar Part 2

What is the benefit of this eating and drinking?

These words, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins,” show us that in the Sacrament forgiveness of sins, life and Salvation are given us through these words. For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.

How can bodily eating and drinking do such great things?

Certainly not just eating and drinking do these things, but the words written here: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” These words, along with the bodily eating and drinking, are the main thing in the Sacrament. Whoever believes these words has exactly what they say: “forgiveness of sins.”

1. What is the chief benefit or blessing of the Sacrament of the Altar?
   The forgiveness of sins.
   “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Matthew 26:28
   “Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” 1 Peter 1:18-19
   “The blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7
   
2. What further blessings accompany the forgiveness of sins?
   Life and salvation.
   “But in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back.” Isaiah 38:17
   “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins,” Luke 1:76-77
   “Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake!” Psalm 79:9
   “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
   “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us.” Ephesians 1:7
   “For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.” (Martin Luther)
   
3. The forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are eternal benefits (meaning they last forever in heaven). But what effect does receiving the Sacrament in faith have on your daily life?
   Because Jesus lives in me, I have the Spirit of life, who gives me power to fight sin and live a righteous life.
   “If Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” Romans 8:10
   “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24
   
4. What does the Roman Catholic Church teach about the benefits of the Sacrament of the Altar? Why is this wrong?
   “At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet ‘in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given.” 1323 Catechism of the Catholic Church.
   “Thjs sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice: ‘The victim is one and the same now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different.’ ‘And since in this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and offered in an unbloody manner … this sacrifice is truly propitiatory.” 1366 Catechism of the Catholic Church
   “The Eucharist is also the sacrifice of the Church. The Church which is the Body of Christ participates in the offering of Her head. With him, she herself is offered whole and entire. She unites herself to his intercession with the Father for all men. In the Eucharist the sacrifice of Christ becomes also the sacrifice of the members of his Body. The lives of the faithful, their praise, sufferings, prayer, and work, are united with those of Christ with his total offering, and so acquire a new value. Christ’s sacrifice present on the altar makes it possible for all generations of Christians to be united with his offering.” 1367 Catechism of the Catholic Church
   “The Eucharistic sacrifice is also offered for the faithful departed who ‘have died in Christ but are not yet wholly purified,’ so that they may be able to enter into the light and peace of Christ.” 1371 Catechism of the Catholic Church
   “For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” Hebrews 9:24-26
   And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Hebrews 10:10
   This is why Luther writes of the Papist Mass, “The Mass in the papacy has to be the greatest and most horrible abomination, since it directly and powerfully conflicts with this chief article. Above and before all other popish idolatries the Mass has been the chief and most false. For this sacrifice or work of the Mass is thought to free people from sins, both in this life and also in purgatory.” Smalcald Articles Part 2, Article 2.
   
5. What do you confess when you commune at a congregation? Should you commune at a congregation that teaches differently than what you have been taught from the Bible and the Small Catechism?
   I confess that I believe everything that is confessed and taught from that congregation. No, I should only commune at congregations that publicly confess the truth as taught in the Bible and the Small Catechism.
   “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?.” 1 Corinthians 10:17-22
   “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” 1 Corinthians 11:26
   
6. How can bodily eating and drinking do such great things?
   Certainly not just eating and drinking do these things, but the words written here: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” These words, along with the bodily eating and drinking, are the main thing in the Sacrament. Whoever believes these words has exactly what they say: “forgiveness of sins.”
   “But here our wise spirits twist themselves about with their great art and wisdom. They cry out and bawl, How can bread and wine forgive sins or strengthen faith? They hear and know that we do not say this about bread and wine. Because, in itself, bread is bread. But we speak about the bread and wine that is Christ’s body and blood and has the words attached to it. That, we say, is truly the treasure- and nothing else- through which such forgiveness is gained.” Large Catechism V:28)
   
7. How can these words, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins” do such great things? Whose words are they?
   They are the words of Jesus Christ Himself, my Lord and God.
   
8. Is it just ordinary bread and wine that give me the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation?
   No, it is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which were given and shed on the cross for us.
   
9. Does everyone who receives the Lord’s Supper eat Christ’s true body and blood, whether they believe or not?
   Yes
10. Does everyone who eats the true body and blood of Jesus in the Sacrament receive the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation? What must one have to receive these benefits?
    No. One must have faith, that is, one must believe the words, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”
    “Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” Luke 1:45
    “‘Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!’ But Jesus said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it.'” Luke 11:27-28
    “All ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink… Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.”(1 Corinthians 10:3,5)
    1. Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration VII: The Holy Supper, 61-66: “61. There is a twofold eating of Christ’s flesh. One is spiritual, which Christ describes especially in John 6:54 [Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.]. This ‘eating’ happens in no other way than with the Spirit and faith, in preaching and meditation on the Gospel, as well as in the Lord’s Supper. By itself this is useful and helpful, and necessary for all Christians, at all times, for salvation. Without this spiritual participation the sacramental or oral eating in the Supper is not only helpful, but is even harmful and damning. 62. This spiritual eating is nothing other than faith. It means to hear God’s Word (in which, true God and man, is presented to us, together with all benefits that He has purchased for us by His flesh given into death for us, and by His blood shed for us, namely, God’s grace, the forgiveness of sins, righteousness, and eternal life). It means to receive it with faith and keep it for ourselves. It means that in all troubles and temptations we firmly rely—with sure confidence and trust—and abide in this consolation: we have a gracious God and eternal salvation because of the Lord Jesus Christ. 63. The other eating of Christ’s body is oral and sacramental, when Christ’s true, essential body and blood are orally received and partaken of in the Holy Supper by all who eat and drink the consecrated bread and wine in the Supper. This is done by the believing as a certain pledge and assurance that their sins are surely forgiven them and that Christ dwells in them and is at work in them. This supper is received by the unbelieving for their judgment and condemnation. 64. The words of the institution by Christ clearly declare this. At the table and during the Supper He offers His disciples natural bread and natural wine, which He calls His true body and true blood. At the same time He says, ‘eat’ and ‘drink.’ In view of the circumstances, this command clearly cannot be understood as anything other than oral eating and drinking. However, this is not a crude carnal, Capernaitic way, but in a supernatural way, beyond understanding. Afterward, the other command adds still another spiritual eating, when the Lord Christ says further, ‘This do in remembrance of Me.’ He requires faith. 66. All the ancient Christian teachers teach clearly and in full agreement with the entire holy Christian Church. According to these words of Christ’s institution and the explanation of St. Paul, Christ’s body is not only received spiritually through faith (which occurs also outside the Sacrament) but also orally (not only by believers and godly people, but also by unworthy, unbelieving, false, and wicked Christians). Since it is too long to be listed here, we would, for the sake of brevity, have the Christian reader referred to the exhaustive writings of our theologians.”
11. What other benefits are there to receiving the Lord’s Supper in faith?
    1. Increased faith and confidence in one’s salvation.
       1. Forgiveness of sins makes one certain of salvation and increases faith in God’s mercy.
       1. Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16
       1. “It was to be an abiding memorial of His bitter suffering and death and all His benefits. It was a sealing and confirmation of the New Testament, a consolation of all distressed hearts, and a firm bond of unity for Christians with Christ, their Head, and with one another.” SD VII:44.
    1. Increase in love toward your fellow Christians.
       1. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47
    1. Increase in good works in general.
       1. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. Romans 8:10
12. What should admonish and encourage a Christian to receive the Sacrament frequently?
    1. First, both the command and promise of Christ the Lord. Second, his own pressing need, because of which the command, encouragement, and promise are given.
13. But what should you do if you are not aware of this need and have no hunger and thirst for the Sacrament?
    1. To such a person no better advice can be given than this:
       1. First, he should touch his body to see if he still has flesh and blood. Then he should believe what the Scriptures say of it in Galatians 5 and Romans 7:
          1. Galatians 5:16-24: But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy,] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
          1. Romans 7:18-25: For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
       1. Second, he should look around to see whether he is still in the world, and remember that there will be no lack of sin and trouble, as Scripture says in John 15-16 and in 1 John 2 and 5.
          1. John 15:18-21: Jesus said, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.”
          1. John 16:33: Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
          1. 1 John 2:15-17: Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life[c]—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
          1. 1 John 5:1-5: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
       1. Third, he will certainly have the devil also around him, who with his lying and murdering day and night will let him have no peace, within or without, as the Scriptures picture him in John 8 and 16, 1 Peter 5; Ephesians 6; 2 Timothy 2
          1. John 8:44: Jesus said, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
          1. 1 Peter 5:8-9: Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
          1. Ephesians 6:11-18: Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
          1. 2 Timothy 2:24-26: And the Lord’s servant[e] must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

Conclusion

The benefits of eating and drinking the Sacrament are found in the words of Jesus, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. With the forgiveness of sins also comes life and salvation, the strengthening of faith and an increase of love. The benefits of eating Christ’s body and blood can only be received through faith. There is both an oral and a spiritual eating of Christ’s body and blood in the Sacrament. Everyone who eats consumes Christ’s body and blood orally, but only those who eat spiritually receive it to their benefit. The Sacrament is not a continuation of the sacrifice of Christ as the RC teach, but the giving of what Christ gained for us. All Christians should hunger and thirst for the Sacrament, because we dearly need it.