The Ordinances of the Church

GOLDEN TEXT: “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.” —I Corinthians 11:26

ROMANS 6:3, 4

JESUS enjoined two ordinances upon his followers, and only two. One of these is baptism, and the other the memorial of his death. These ordinances are symbolic. Baptism means to bury, and the ordinance calls for burial in water. But this is not the real baptism mentioned by Paul in our lesson when he wrote, “Know ye not, that so may of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” To this Paul adds, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death.”

It will be noticed that in these references to “baptism” nothing is said about water. Nor, indeed, is Paul discussing water baptism. The “burial” he mentions is into Christ’s death, not into water. It is the burial of the individual’s will into the will of God as expressed through Christ, and the acceptance of the divine will as the only and true guide of life. This means burial in death, for the will of God is that every disciple of Jesus shall suffer and die with him.

This, Paul explains in verse 5, is a planting together in the “likeness of Christ’s death. Jesus did not die as a sinner, but sacrificially as a sin-offering. To die as he did means that we also die sacrificially. This is made possible by virtue of the fact that through the blood of Christ the believer is released from adamic condemnation. Thus he is able to present his body a “living sacrifice,” in the confidence that through the blood it will be holy and acceptable to God.—Rom. 12:1

Water baptism, as an ordinance, is enjoined upon the consecrated. But this we understand to be but a symbol, or picture, of the true baptism into Christ’s death. And it is a beautiful symbol. As the candidate puts himself into the hands of the immerser and is lowered into the water, he is helpless except as he depends upon the immerser to raise him up out of the water. Thus is shown our willingness to go into death with Jesus, in the hope of being raised to newness of life now, and to divine life in the “first resurrection.”

I CORINTHIANS 10:14-22

“HOLY communion,” or the Eucharist, is the name given to the other Christian ordinance by most denominational churches. Some refer to it as the “Lord’s Supper.” Perhaps the most appropriate name would be, “Memorial Supper.” Actually, the Bible gives no specific name to this ordinance. In our Golden Text Paul explains the significance of the Memorial Supper—“For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.”—I Cor. 11:26

The expression, “As often as ye at this bread, and drink this cup,” has been construed to mean that believers are at liberty to partake of the Memorial Supper as frequently or as infrequently as they may feel disposed. But we do not think this is the correct thought. As the sacrifice of the passover lamb, which pointed forward to Christ was a yearly occurrence, so we believe that the memorial of Jesus’ death as the antitypical passover lamb can be properly observed but once per year, and as nearly as possible on the exact anniversary of Jesus’ death. This year that date will be April 3.

The “bread” and the “cup” symbolize the broken body and shed blood of our dear Redeemer—broken and shed on our behalf. Both symbolisms are of death. The “cup” symbolizing the blood of Jesus, reminds us that his blood was poured our, or shed, for us. The bread, representing Jesus’ body, reminds us that it was his humanity, a perfect human life, that was sacrificed on our behalf. By partaking of these symbols we testify of our rejoicing in the glorious provision of life that has been made for us through Jesus.

Paul adds a further significance to the Memorial Supper. We quote, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body; for we are all partakers of that one bread.”—I Cor. 10:16,17

As we have seen in the discussion of Christian baptism, the followers of Jesus have the high privilege of suffering and of dying with him, of being co-sacrificers with him. This we have a “communion,” or common participation in that which as represents o the bread and the cup.

In partaking of the Memorial Supper there is also the satisfaction of hearth and mid in knowing that Jesus was not only the satisfaction for our sins, but also “for the sins of the whole world.” (I John 2:2) Because this is true we know that in God’s due time all mankind will, by believing, be restored to human perfection and life.

QUESTIONS

What two ordinances are enjoined upon the followers of Jesus?

Explain the difference between water baptism and baptism into Christ’s death?

In the Memorial Supper what is represented by the “bread and the cup”?

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