God Bless

Lindsay

I just came across these researching something else so I’m sure there is much more to discover from the early fathers on the subject.

Grace,

Shane.

Jesus’ hearers, first century Jews, would not have understood Jesus to be speaking about a wafer to be given in the future, which is not the body of Christ but is transubstantiated into the body of Christ upon eating, and wine, which also is not the blood of Jesus but is transubstantiated into the blood of Jesus upon drinking. Jesus was right there with them at the time.

This is the same with the actual giving of the Lord’s Supper. Jesus body and blood was actually present with them and holding the bread and wine when He declared it to be his body and blood (meaning representative of his body and blood). Jesus instruction was to “do this in remember of me” not “sacrifice this” – his language demonstrates the nature of the ceremony to be a memorial.

And the context of John 6 demonstrates that Jesus is speaking of believing in Him by faith.

Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”€ John 6:29

Jesus said to them, “€œI am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” John 6:35

For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:40

Read John chapter 6 over a few times and you’ll see that it is speaking of believing and trusting Jesus.

In verse 40 believing on the son produces eternal life. In verse 54 eating and drinking the son produces the same thing; eternal life. This demonstrates, from the context, that the eating and drinking that Jesus is talking about is the same as believing. Jesus doesn’t change subjects from verse 40 to 56 in explaining how to receive eternal life though believing in him. The eating and drinking which produces eternal life is believing in Jesus. This is consistent with the rest of Scripture:

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2: 8-9

The Eucharist is nowhere to be found in the context of John 6unless it is inserted there by a preconceived theology. The same is true of the context of John 15 where the Eucharist is also nowhere to be found. In John 15 abiding comes from having his word spoken to us (John 15:3), having “his words abide in” us (John 15: 7), and keeping his commandments (John 15: 10) – in particular loving one another (John 15: 12).

Additionally, Jesus’ guarantee in John 15 is that those abiding in him will bear much fruit. Is it true in reality that all who partake of the Eucharist bear much fruit? If not then abiding in him can not merely be speaking of the partaking of the Eucharist. To suggest otherwise is to say that all those who merely participate in the Eucharist are fruit-bearing Christians exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit which is is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5:22-23). This is plainly not the case.

For further explanation regarding the eating and drinking of John 6 see:

http://www.reachingcatholics.org/eatdrink.html
and
http://www.helium.com/items/743543-bible-study-eat-my-flesh-drink-my-blood—john-653-explained

To help get a handle of the basic message of the Gospel see: http://liftedveil.org/the-gospel/

Saved by grace alone,

Shane.

ABIDE IN ME

Jesus was very clear in what we must do in order to have Him ABIDE in us and we in Him.

He left this command for us in John 6:53-57, and it is the only place in Holy Scripture in which you will find it:

53 ” Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you (the taken away branch);

57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me.”

What does “Truly, truly” mean to you in verse 53? What does “unless” mean?

The body lives because it receives real food sustenance. Starve the body and it will die.

Just as the body needs real sustenance, so does the soul, else it will not bear fruit.

The soul lives by real Divine sustenance, the true presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.

I essentially agree. I tend to speak of revival in the sense of awakening without intending to draw lines that distinguish between awakening, revival, refreshment, etc.

Living in grace,
Shane.

I guess it has become a popular thing to seek after and talk of revival but I found revival to be a pipe dream for 40 years. There are movements coming from the Holy Spirit and there are intial good movements that get high-jacked by the flesh and devil. But personal awakenings on grace can never be stopped except by the law. Awakenings are as exciting as salvations! Yes Father more transformations!!!!!!!!!!! These last for eternity! Awakenings are not pipe dreams ever!!!!!!!! Mixture KILLS!