The Lord’s Table: What do we believe?

A Baptist friend recently asked me, amid a discussion surrounding doctrinal disagreements (of which there are very few), what Advent Christians believe regarding the Lord’s Table or Communion. I’d shared that our church, Oak Hill Bible Church, celebrates the Lord’s Table weekly, which is uncommon among Advent Christians and Baptists. His inquiry was sparked because he thought our theology of the Table might be different, similar to that of the Roman Catholics or the Lutherans, to which I assured him it isn’t. 

Many years ago, a conference board I was part of discussed granting temporary “communion privileges” to a non-ordained pastor. Before voting, I urged our board to consider the pastor’s theological convictions on the Lord’s Table. Does he believe he is offering his congregation Christ? If so, in what form or fashion? If not, is it simply a snack for hungry congregants? Although Advent Christians hold to varying beliefs regarding the ordinances, particularly the Lord’s Table, churches and pastors must understand what the Scripture teaches with clarity and conviction because it impacts the church's spiritual life.

What are the most common views on the Lord’s Table?

Transubstantiation (Roman Catholic): Once consecrated by a Priest, the bread (body) and the wine (blood) undergo a metaphysical transformation. The elements become truly the body and blood of Christ, where “a real sacrifice is again offered by Christ on behalf of the worshipers in the same sense as was the crucifixion.” Although the bread and wine maintain their flavor and shape, they are truly the body and blood of Christ.

Consubstantiation (Lutheran): Herman Bavinck describes this view as “the body of Christ, in keeping with the will and omnipotence of God and its own ubiquity, is realistically and substantially present in, with, and under the [elements of the] Lord’s Supper. He saw this as being analogous to the presence of Christ’s divine nature in his human nature and as heat is or can be present in iron.”

Memorialism/Commemoration (Zwinglian): Ulrich Zwingli, leader of the Swiss Reformation, is often associated with memorialism or commemoration in the Lord’s Supper. However, some debate exists as to whether he can be entirely attributed. Nevertheless, this view sees communion as “an act of profession, and a means for moral improvement.”

Real presence (Reformed): Speaking on the Reformed view developed by John Calvin, Berkhof summarizes that “the body and blood of Christ, though absent and locally present only in heaven, communicate a life-giving influence to the believer when he is in the act of receiving the elements. That influence, though real, is not physical but spiritual and mystical, is mediated by the Holy Spirit, and is conditioned on the act of faith by which the communicant symbolically receives the body and blood of Christ.”

What is my view of the Lord’s Table?

Herman Berkhof states, “The Lord’s Supper is above all a gift of God, a benefit of Christ, a means of communicating his grace.” The Roman Catholic and Lutheran views aren’t often found in the Advent Christian Church. Most often, churches and pastors hold to either the memorial or the reformed view of communion. For that reason, I will focus my attention here. I find the reformed view more satisfactory than the memorial view.

Although Jesus states that communion is done “in remembrance of him,” he states that each element, the bread and the wine, is his body. This should stoke a particular type of joy beyond a mere memorial. A memorial often draws us to a somber reality when communion should bring us joy, knowing Christ redeems us. As Calvin states, “For if the food which descends into the belly ought to persuade and arouse us to praise the fatherly kindness of God, how much more powerfully does it excite, and even inflame, us to this act of piety, when he feeds our souls spiritually?”

Further, the Lord’s Table does call us to remembrance. If Christ is spiritually present in the elements, which I believe to be the likeliest position, it also brings to mind two key reasons we celebrate his death through the Table. As Craig Blomberg writes, “One looks backward; the other, forward. First, we commemorate Jesus’ redemptive death. Second, we anticipate his return in company with all the redeemed.”

His spiritual presence at the Table excites us with joy, as we know that our Savior secures our life by his death. The body of Jesus takes upon the world's sin. In exchange, we receive his righteousness by faith (1 Corinthians 5:21). The blood seals the new covenant–that of grace–incorporating all into the family of God that God gives faith to believe in Jesus (Romans 11).

What practical matters exist surrounding the Lord’s Table?

A popular question faced by pastors and local churches is the frequency and method of communion. This goes beyond the theological and biblical questions and requires conviction and prudence. I’ve served two churches and attended a couple more. Frequency of practice in these churches included quarterly, monthly, annually, and weekly. The method of practice in these churches included handing the elements out one at a time, all at once, and people coming to the front to receive the elements from Deacons/Deaconesses. 

Currently, Oak Hill Bible Church celebrates the Table weekly. After I hand them the body and blood, our deacons stand at the front, and the congregation is invited to walk up to the front to take the elements back to their seats as we all participate in eating them together.

Why do we celebrate weekly? I believe that the Lord’s Table is a celebration of what Christ has done, is, and will do. It is a visible representation of the Gospel, and God mediates a special grace meant to imbue Christians with the overwhelming joy found in their Savior. Why wouldn’t you want to have communion weekly?

Why do we use this method? It is convenient for our church. People are brought together as they walk towards the Deacons at the front of the church. I can look them in the eyes, which often communicates profound truths about their spiritual condition, and for those who are mobility impaired, we bring the elements to them.

What do you and your church believe?

This article isn’t meant to convince you of my view of the Lord’s Table. Although I find some views lacking in evidence and spiritual helpfulness, it is more important that you and your church know what and why you believe a certain way. A church that lacks conviction on baptism and communion–the two ordinances that Christ gave the church as a visible representation of the Gospel–is a church that is spiritually deficient and impoverished. Your church might not be clear on these issues and seem spiritually vibrant (I hope so!), but how much more vibrant might you be if you practiced the Lord’s Table knowing that each time you participate in this ordinance, you are centering Christ in the hearts of the whole congregation?