The Living Communion

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.   (Galatians 2:20)

This truth of Christ living in me is also seen in the Gospel of John:

Jesus said, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”   (John 6:53-58)

Through this teaching, we should understand how important the Holy Communion is to Christ living in us. Thus, it is not optional but vital to our Christian journey.

In the Book of Revelation, we read:

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.   (Revelation 3:20)

Jesus is not speaking to unbelievers here, but to the Church. He wants to sup with us. The Holy Communion of the Lord’s Supper has been given to us so that we may participate in the foretaste of the heavenly banquet.

Christ living in us should not be a mystery to the Christian. The Apostle Paul wrote:

I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.   (Colossians 1:24-27)

We have called the Holy Communion a “Living Communion.” because Jesus is alive within us as we partake of his body and blood. It is vital and should be partaken in as often as possible. (See Eucharist Theology and Home Communion.)