____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ April 2, 1995 ____________________________________________________ Transubstantiation by J. R. Bronger To most non-Catholics the Mass is viewed as the Catholic form of the Lord's Supper--but that is far from the case. Catholicism makes a distinction between ``The Mass'' and ``The Holy Communion,'' as revealed in the following quotation from the New York Catechism. ``Jesus Christ gave us the sacrifice of the mass to leave His Church, a visible sacrifice which continues His sacrifice on the cross until the end of time. The mass is the same sacrifice as the sacrifice of the cross. Holy Communion is the receiving of the body and blood of Jesus Christ under the appearance of bread and wine.'' In order for this sacrifice of Jesus to take place in the mass, He must literally appear. Catholicism teaches that the priest has the power to change the bread and the wine into the actual blood and body of Jesus Christ. This is their doctrine known as Transubstantiation. Philip St. Roman, author of Catholic Answers to Fundamentalists' Questions said, ``Christ's presence in the form of bread and wine, and how it comes to be that way, is part of the mystery of the faith we call the Holy Eucharist. The official Catholic teaching is that Christ is really present in the consecrated elements. The explanation known as `transubstantiation' says that the substance of bread and wine is changed into Christ's Body and Blood, leaving only the appearance, taste, and so on of bread and wine.'' This ``change'' is said to take place when the priest brings Christ down from heaven to the altar. Catholicism teaches that the bread has been changed into the body of Jesus in every detail, including the eyelashes and toenails. Therefore, when the Catholic participates in the ``Holy Communion,'' he is eating the actual body and drinking the actual blood of Jesus. Even though it still tastes like bread and wine. I wonder how the miracle in Cana would have gone if, when Jesus changed the water to wine, the water kept all the properties of water? It did not, however; it became wine to the taste buds. ``When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine...(he) called the bridegroom. And he said to him, Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then that which is inferior; but you have kept the good wine until now'' (John 2:9-10). As strange as it might seem, there are those Christians who seem to have a hint of transubstantation in their understanding of the Lord's Supper. Some decide that since Jesus said, ``Take, eat; this is My body...(and) this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins'' (Matt. 26:26-28), that this somehow suggests that bread and fruit of the vine are somehow the literal body and blood of Jesus. These brethren will often remind us that Jesus said: ``Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you'' (Jn. 6:53). They conclude that Jesus is discussing the Lord's Supper. Such an inference makes the Lord's Supper a sacrament instead of a memorial. A sacrament is a channel through which blessings are dispensed. A memorial is an observance of an event. The Lord's Supper is a memorial, not a sacrament. When Jesus said ``this is my body,'' and ``this is my blood,'' He was speaking metaphorically. A metaphor is a figure of speech by which a thing is spoken as being that which it resembles. The actual body of Jesus was present when He said the bread was His body. He was reminding the disciples that the bread would represent, or illustrate, His body. Furthermore John 6:53 does not refer to the Lord's Supper at all. Eating His flesh refers, within context, to receiving the words of Christ (6:27-48). Therefore, we ``eat the flesh of Jesus'' when we assimilate Him through His words. The Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation amounts to cannibalism. Christians should never become influenced by this Roman doctrine. Let us keep the Lord's Supper what it is, a memorial. -- Via The Old Path II, March 26, 1995 ___________________________________________ Is This The Work Of The Church? by J. F. Dancer, Jr. I read the following bulletin I received from a church (theoretically) of Christ in Kentucky. April 30, 1993, There will be a meal at the Brass Lantern, pictures by a professional Photographer, skating at Murray Circus Skate, a movie at Murray Cheri 3, pizza at Benton Pizza Hut, Go-carts and Mini-Golf at Henry's Golf. All activities are free to all juniors and seniors in Marshall County. Invite a date, a friend, or come single. See Dwayne or Christie Oakley for tickets. Activities are sponsored and paid for my Marshall County Churches of Christ.'' All this is being done to encourage young people who are juniors and seniors to NOT attend the prom. This is a good idea--that is, that those who are interested in pleasing God stay away from proms (dances)! This is one of those nights when high school students are allowed extra privileges by their parents to attend a celebration (usually a dress up kind of party with evening dress and tux) where they usually eat a meal and then dance. Alcoholic beverages usually flow freely, the evening dresses usually somewhat immodest, there is unchaste handling of females by males in the dance and some stay out all night, together, and fornication is not unusual. No, everyone who goes to a prom does NOT do all of these but they are characteristic of many who go--even some children of God. But it is not the work of the church to provide recreation, entertainment and food to stop young people from going somewhere else and doing things displeasing to God! Should a church do things NOT authorized by God to prevent young people doing things NOT authorized by God? NO! The basic work of the church is to uphold truth (1 Tim. 3:15) and in doing so to edify saints (Eph. 4:12-16). Some parents gladly turn over to the church the responsibility they have to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). Some churches have gladly taken this responsibility and have turned to activities described in the first paragraph to keep the young people from sin. They are much like the Jews about whom Paul wrote in Rom. 10:1-3 who had a zeal for God but not according to knowledge. Being ignorant of God's righteousness they set up their own standards of righteousness and stood condemned! Why? Because they went beyond (or stopped short of) what God wanted them to do. Let us encourage parents to provide recreation, entertainment and food for their children. Let the church provide SOME of the spiritual food by means of Bible classes, etc. But let not the church be charged or accept a charge not given it by God. We have to study to find what that is and then stay with it. Let us know the difference in parental provision and ``church'' provision. -- Via ``Centerview Tidings'' ___________________________________________ Sharing Burdens by Paul C. Keller ``Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ'' (Galatians 6:2). Paul is here teaching that our concern for the welfare of others should be such as to cause us to bear the burdens of others. Unless one exercises care he may become so engrossed in his own personal interests as to consume his time and energy ministering to his own welfare and neglect his obligations to others. We must seek the good of others as well as giving attention to our own. Galatians 6:2 should be considered in its context. In the verse before this one Paul tells those who are spiritual to restore one who is overtaken in a trespass. Paul writes that this is to be done in meekness, ``considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.'' We are to be sympathetically concerned when another is ``overtaken in a fault'' and earnestly seek to restore that one to faithfulness. It is a serious matter when one is overtaken in a sin. A soul is in jeopardy. Sometimes it almost seems that some are pleased to observe the mistake of another. If this be the case it is because they lack genuine love, for love ``rejoiceth not in iniquity'' (1 Corinthians 13:6). Instead of such admonition and encouragement as to cause him to turn from his sins back to a life of righteousness and usefulness. By our genuine interest and concern we are to help him return to the kind of life and service which is to characterize a Christian. Yes, we have a duty to our brethren who become guilty of sin. That duty is to ``restore such an one.'' This is not merely the duty of preachers and elders but the duty of other Christians also. Are we careful to do our duty in this matter? All about us there are those who have been overtaken in sins. Do we recognize that we have such duty to these brethren? Are we doing our duty? When was the last time you went to such a person in effort to restore him? Who was the last one you sought to bring back to duty and faithfulness? Think about it. Do we sometime complain that we ``Don't have anything to do''? Well, here is something all of us are ``called on'' to do--a clear duty. Let's get busy! -- via Pause--Ponder--Profit, March 1995 ___________________________________________ Jesus says, "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall My servant also be; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him" (John 12:26). ____________________________________________ Selected Quotes Did you hear of the person who taught it was wrong for a preacher to criticize false teaching, but considered it all right for him to criticize the one who criticized? Most trouble is produced by those who produce nothing else. Trials make some men bitter, and some better. If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 1314 Montgomery Avenue, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________