Why Holy Communion Is Important
A lot of Christians don’t know why holy communion is important. They accept false teaching and accept falsehoods while seated in church or attending a bible study. They listen to someone misteach scripture and don’t listen for God to confirm whether what they say is true.
Consequently, some are afraid to take communion because they don’t think they’re worthy or misunderstand its meaning. Jesus validates its importance because He authorized believers to take the bread and cup. Essentially, Jesus says, “Look at what I did for you at the crucifixion and don’t forget it.”
Luke 22:19-20
Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he gave thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.
My job is to tell you why holy communion is important and reverse wrong teaching. Communion isn’t a ritualized ordinance that simply involves drinking and eating juice and crackers. It’s a significant occurrence in a believer’s life every time they partake of The Lord’s Supper.
Each time they remember what Jesus did for them they receive spiritual freedom in their bodies, minds, and spirits. Furthermore, they remember they have dominion over Satan. That’s because what Jesus did at the cross reverses what Adam/Eve did in the garden.
Have you ever wondered why Jesus specifically pointed out, “This is my body and this cup is poured out”? He wanted you to know that drinking and eating symbolizes two things. His broken body enabled a believer’s body to be whole by receiving His resurrection life which provides health and strength.
Likewise, Jesus’ precious blood is what cleanses believers from sin. They are righteous, forgiven, and redeemed from every curse brought on by the fall (Adam and Eve bowing to Satan instead of God).
Why Holy Communion Is Important
Do you know Christians who hang back or exit the church because they’re afraid to take communion? Maybe you followed others out the door as quickly as you could or avoided The Lord’s Supper altogether. You can be sure that Satan is behind any fear you have of taking communion unworthily.
Christians who feel unworthy interpret scripture incorrectly. I took the liberty of bolding specific words in the following scripture which I’ll explain later. Keep in mind, Paul pointed out to the Corinthians how they abused the Lord’s Supper.
I Corinthians 11:27-30
Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep (NKJV).
Some Christians believe taking communion unworthily means sin trumps redemption. But that doesn’t make sense. Jesus’ shed blood covers our sins so we become worthy not because we’re perfect but because He is.
In other words, none of us are perfect when we take communion. Believers have redemption through the blood of Jesus as soon as they make Him their Lord and Savior. So what is Paul talking about?
He admonished the Corinthians for how they took communion. They were irreverent and didn’t examine themselves. These early Christians were cavalier and careless. They fulfilled their hunger rather than set aside a holy time to honor Jesus. Communion was an ordinary meal to them. As a result, their bodies were sick and some died.
Paul further describes the way they approached taking communion.
I Corinthians 11:20-22
Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.
As you can see, if you take a few verses out of context (verses 27-30) without viewing the entire passage, you don’t understand the scripture as a whole message. In this scripture, the unworthiness mentioned is how the Corinthians viewed communion. Their actions are similar to how many see communion today: insignificant, a worthless exercise, and a pleasantly old-fashioned tradition.
But anyone who values communion believes differently. When the Israelites ate the Passover meal, it foreshadowed the communion Christians observe today. The night before they left Egypt, each household took a lamb without blemish and roasted it. They used the lamb’s blood to mark the lintel and doorposts to protect them from the angel of death.
They also ate roasted lamb along with unleavened bread. Do you know what happened the next day? God freed the Israelites from the Egyptians. They came out of bondage with silver and gold and NONE were feeble among His tribes” (Psalm 105:37).
The blood protected them and the lamb’s body healed their bodies and brought prosperity to their lives.
FAQs About Why Holy Communion Is Important
Believers commonly ask the following questions when seeking answers about taking communion.
- How relevant is communion? Extremely. We live in a dangerous world that grows increasingly darker. Taking communion reminds believers of how much God loves them. Christians are thankful they made an affirmative decision to accept Jesus as their Lord to live for eternity with Him. Additionally, you remember God forgave you and doesn’t hold anything against you. Neither will He withhold every good and perfect gift that lines up with His will.
- Do I need to only take communion in a church? (A religious person’s head will tilt when they read this). The answer is no. Taking communion at home is okay or at a friend’s house. However, keep in mind that when like-minded Christians surround you, your faith gets stronger. That said, some ministers erroneously teach that taking communion on your own displeases God. Scripture at no time tells you to go get a minister, priest, or an ordained church officer and go as fast as you can to find a church. Jesus’ instructions are simple. Come to the table.
- How often can I take communion? As often as you like. Personally, there are times I take communion daily. When facing spiritual or bodily difficulties, taking communion reminds me of the benefits of being a Christian. This act of obedience shows Satan who I follow and it’s not him. For instance, I claim healing in the name of Jesus for me and my loved ones. Jesus’ body was broken so that believers could be free of disease. How do I know that? God healed EVERY Israelite and this scripture says Jesus did too (Isaiah 53:5) – By His stripes we are healed.
- Who should take communion? Unbelievers can take communion but they shouldn’t if Jesus isn’t their Lord and Savior. They don’t confirm spiritual truth in their lives; namely, that Jesus bled, died and rose again to free them from sin. The cup represents Jesus’ blood that cleanses us from sin and the bread represents His body that was broken so ours can be whole. The same Holy Spirit who resurrected Jesus lives in believers. Unbelievers don’t have a relationship with Jesus so communion wouldn’t have any meaning.
- What does it mean to examine yourself? In addition to what I wrote above, I’ll add that believers should repent of sin (thoughts, motives, conduct, etc. ) before they take communion.
Last Thoughts About Why Holy Communion Is Important
Communion is an exciting time spent with God remembering how precious you are to Him. It strengthens your resolve to stay resolute in a topsy-turvy world. Because Jesus overcame the world, your future is bright by aligning your life to His and thinking about Him often.
Taking communion is a precious gift from your Savior.