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Lord's Supper

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

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Called also "the breaking of bread," Acts 2:42 20:7 , and the communion of the body and blood of Christ, 1 Corinthians 10:16 , is one of the two simple ordinances of the Christian church; instituted by our Savior in the most affecting circumstances on the Passover night in which he was betrayed, to be observed by his followers until his second coming. Bread and wine, the symbols of his body broken and his blood shed for our redemption, are to be tasted by each communicant, to keep in mind that great sacrifice, the foundation of all out hopes and the strongest motive to a holy and devoted life. In the Lord's supper the covenant is renewed between Christ and his people. It is also the visible token of Christian fellowship; and all true believers, and none but they, should claim to partake of it, 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 . In it Christians may expect and should seek to receive of the fullness of Christ, grace for grace, 2 Corinthians 1:21,22 Ephesians 4:15,15; while those who partake heedlessly incur great guilt, and may look for chastisement, 1 Corinthians 11:20-34 . The dogma of the Romish church, that the bread is changed into the very body and soul of Christ, which the priest offers anew in sacrifice, is contrary to the Scripture and to all the senses, as it is also to commonsense.