How Is Christ Present in the Lord's Supper? Pt 3

In this past Sunday’s message focused on the how we worship during the Lord’s Supper (I Corinthians 11: 17-32) I briefly discussed the different views on the presence of Christ during the Lord’s Supper.  The three views I mentioned were the Roman Catholic position (Transubstantiation); the Lutheran position (Consubstantiation), and the generally accepted Protestant view (the Symbolic and Spiritual Presence of Christ). 

Since there was not time to fully discuss these positions, I have followed up by posting excerpts from Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology, An Introduction to Bible Doctrine that deal with the subject.  Yesterday’s was post was Grudem’s summary of the Lutheran View (Consubstantiation).

Today we conclude our review with of the Protestant View (the symbolic and spiritual presence of Christ)

The Rest of Protestantism: A Symbolic and Spiritual Presence of Christ.

In distinction from Martin Luther, John Calvin and other Reformers argued that the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper did not change into the body and blood of Christ, nor did they somehow contain the body and blood of Christ. Rather, the bread and wine symbolized the body and blood of Christ, and they gave a visible sign of the fact that Christ himself was truly present. Calvin said:

By the showing of the symbol the thing itself is also shown. For unless a man means to call God a deceiver, he would never dare assert that an empty symbol is set forth by him … And the godly ought by all means to keep this rule: whenever they see symbols appointed by the Lord, to think and be persuaded that the truth of the thing signified is surely present there. For why would the Lord put in your hand the symbol of his body, except to assure you of a true participation in it? (Institutes 4.17.10; p. 1371)

Yet Calvin was careful to differ both with Roman Catholic teaching (which said that the bread became Christ’s body) and with Lutheran teaching (which said that the bread contained Christ’s body).

But we must establish such a presence of Christ in the Supper as may neither fasten him to the element of bread, nor enclose him in bread, nor circumscribe him in any way (all which things, it is clear, detract from his heavenly glory). (Institutes 4.17.19; p. 1381)

Today most Protestants would say, in addition to the fact that the bread and wine symbolize the body and blood of Christ, that Christ is also spiritually present in a special way as we partake of the bread and wine. We meet him at his table, to which he comes to give himself to us. As we receive the elements of bread and wine in the presence of Christ, so we partake of him and all his benefits. We “feed upon him in our hearts” with thanksgiving. Indeed, even a child who knows Christ will understand this without being told and will expect to receive a special blessing from the Lord during this ceremony, because the meaning of it is so inherent in the very actions of eating and drinking. Yet we must not say that Christ is present apart from our personal faith, but only meets and blesses us there in accordance with our faith in him.

In what way is Christ present then? Certainly there is a symbolic presence of Christ, but it is also a genuine spiritual presence and there is genuine spiritual blessing in this ceremony.