About the Holy Communion
Part 2 (Cont'd)
- It is necessary to believe that the Holy Communion is given to heal the stain of sin and to heal the wound of sin. He said, "Drink of it, all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.'" (Matthew 26:27)
- It must be acknowledged that it leads to eternal life. "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:53).
- All those who partake of the Holy Communion must believe that Christ is with them, that they live together with Christ, that His flesh is united with their flesh, and their blood is united with His blood, and that their God is united with them by grace. (He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives with me, and I live in him" (John 6:56).
- It is necessary to repent from past sins, confess, return and guard against future sins. "After that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God." (Mark 1:14) The Kingdom of God refers to His Holy Body and His Precious Blood.
- There is no age limit for receiving Holy Communion. From the day we were baptized on the 40th and 80th day after birth, where by we become being children of God and received the Holy Communion, we should not stay away from the Holy Communion since then until the end of our lives. It is a great mistake to think of youth as sinfulness in itself or a life unfit for the sacrament, and to think that we should receive only in infancy and youth. There is no set age for approaching the Holy Communion and not approaching. The only thing that keeps us away from the Holy Communion is if we are highly involved in a particular sin and that we still do now and then being unable stop it. We should take a gap and and make sure to be committed to stop that particular sin first. Unbelief should not be admitted to sin without repentance. "And now, says the Lord, return to me with all your hearts, fasting, weeping and wailing" (Acts 2:12).
- Husband and wife should receive Holy Communion together at the first time. If a husband and wife have not received the sacrament together before, it is not allowed for them to receive it separately or one side alone. But after they once received it together, they have already confirmed their unity in flesh and spirit, they can be receive separately.
- In general, because our salvation Jesus Christ died for all, it is a wrong attitude to take the difference between married and single, race, color, sex and age. A person should live by receiving Holy Communion from his childhood until he gets married, when he gets married (together with his husband/wife), and after marriage until his death.
Points We Need to know upon Preparation to receive Holy Communion
1. Prepare with absolute faith. We should believe that what we receive is the holy body and precious blood of our Lord, who died on the cross of Calvary on Friday for the world's salvation. In addition, we should strengthned our belive saying to our self :- " I will find forgiveness through repentance for the sins I committed; I will find the strength to be protected from future sins, Christ is in me and I will live in Christ, I will find eternal salvation, I will be protected from a sick body and a sick soul." Saying this, we need to prepare with complete faith and always repent from sin before being anointed and prepare to receive it with faith.
(Part 2 to be continued)👇