Here’s a helpful section from an interesting book: Worshiping With The Church Fathers by Christopher Hall. “Athanasius’s understanding of the Eucharist is remarkably similar to that of John Calvin, the sixteenth-century reformer. Calvin believed Christ was spiritually present in the bread and wine of the Eucharist after the invocation (epiklesis) of the Holy Spirit, …
The Lord’s Supper and Assurance
The Lord’s Supper is a holy sacrament that Jesus gave to his church to help strengthen us in the Christian faith. If you’re a Christian who is weak, weary, full of doubts, and in need of God’s love and grace, don’t avoid the table – go to it with repentant faith. Thomas Brooks put it …
Holy Communion: Rome v Reformed
While studying the historical and theological background of the Lord's Supper (part of which I posted a few days back), I came across this helpful summary of the differences between Rome's understanding of the Mass and the Reformed understanding of the Lord's Supper. It is found in Francis Turretin's Institutes of Elenctic Theology (vol. 3, …
The Lord’s Table (Not Altar)
One of the many deep, theological, biblical, and practical differences between Roman Catholic churches and Reformed churches is the understanding of the sacrament of Holy Communion. Rome teaches that in the Eucharist, the bread and wine become Christ's actual body and blood which are then offered on the altar as a sacrifice. "The Eucharist is …
Christ’s Precious Blood
Peter calls the redeeming blood of Jesus "precious" (timios; 1 Pet. 1.19). Thomas Watson discusses that precious blood of Christ of which the communion cup is a sign. Why is it so precious? It is precious because... 1) It is a reconciling blood (Col 1.21). Sin rent us off from God; Christ's blood cements us …
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