The first time where we see the shedding of blood for sin is in the book of Genesis. Adam and Eve sinned against God by eating of the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil”. It was a command of the Lord to Adam not to eat it’s fruit. (Genesis 2:16-17) When they chose to eat of its fruit, they were declaring their own dependency that separated themselves from “The Tree of Life”.
The following is a Comment from Wade Taylor Ministries:
“Because of their disobedience the Lord slew an animal and covered Adam and Eve with its skin, which through the shedding of blood, resulted in forgiveness. Adam and Eve were forgiven, but they still had within them that which they ate from the tree of knowledge, the right to choose for themselves – they lost their abiding state of dependence on the Lord and could no longer partake of the Tree of Life. Therefore, each one of us was born attached to the tree of knowledge. Through the total victory that Jesus gained in our behalf on the cross, we can detach ourselves from the tree of knowledge and re-attach ourselves to the Tree of Life. Then as we “partake of communion,” we receive the very life of Jesus flowing directly into us.If we partake of communion as being a symbol or emblem, we are partaking of a dead religious form. Jesus is no longer dead, but He was resurrected from death and has ascended to the throne to be seated on the right hand of His Father.Thus, the bread is living bread turned into His living body. The cup, the fruit of the vine, turned into His blood, is His living blood. As we partake, His life is being imparted into us, so He can live His life through us.” End of Quote.
Communion should not be thought of as a routine or ritual or taken lightly. It is a time of reflection what Christ died for, by laying His life down and being crucified on the cross for the remission of my sins. It is a blessing to be received.
By partaking in communion we receive the followingWe have (forgiveness) of our sins through the blood that Jesus shed.“Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22).
Our consciences have been washed (cleansed) by the blood of Christ Jesus because we have truly been purified from all sin. (See Hebrews 9:14.)
Being forgiven and cleansed, we find that we have been (redeemed) from the clutches of the powers of darkness. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)
We have been (justified)It is one thing to believe that you are forgiven, cleansed, and redeemed, but it is another to believe that it is just as if you had never sinned in the first place. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). I am made righteous.
Now we can take it one step further and declare that we have been set apart for a holy calling—(sanctified). Each believer is a special vessel set apart for God. Only Jesus’s blood can make this possible. Because of Him, we can walk on the straight and narrow way. (Matthew 7:14.)
Because of Jesus’s blood, we can have perfect (peace). There will still be plenty of battles to fight, but the outcome has been determined on Calvary: “and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” (Colossians 1:20).
We have access to throne. Jesus’s blood has made possible your complete (reconciliation) with the Holy Father in heaven. Covered with the blood we are like the high priest who was invited to enter the Most Holy Place—without being struck dead. You can enter the most holy throne room of heaven with perfect impunity: “Therefore, brethren, having boldness[a] to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19).
We have been healed. “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” (1 Peter 2:24)
There is so much more in partaking in communion than I realized. The thing that sticks out the most to me is the fact that Jesus life continues to live through us, being grafted back into the vine. (The Tree of Life) John 15:1-8
Alger Julson
Altar/Prayer Team Leader