To me, the transubstantiation or not of the Eucharist is really a minor point; we are not saved by communion but by faith.
Baptism and communion are outward expressions of our internal faith, but are not required for a person to gain salvation.
PugetSoundSoldier:
Technically, we are saved by God’s Grace, through Faith in God. However, how is Faith defined is what differentiates Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox Theology, from the “Various” theologies of the Protestant confessions.
Faith in Catholic Doctrine is defined as both a gift of God and a human act by which the believer gives personal adherence to God ,who invites is response, and freely assents the whole truth that God has revealed. It is this revelation of God which the Church proposes for our belief, and which we profess in the Creed, celebrate in the sacraments and live by right conduct that fullfills the twofold commandment of charity (as specified in the ten commandments), and respond to in our prayer of Faith. Faith is both a theological virtue given by God as grace, and an obligation which flows from the first commandment.
Once a person has accepted Christ as Lord and Savior they have immediately been Baptized by Christ in His Blood {not the same as church Baptism but rather the one that purifies and saves us} and indeed have taken of His body and blood. If you eat bread or drink wine you will again be hungry or thirsty. But the bread and wine Christ speaks of are not of this world they are spiritual bread and wine. Many could not understand that concept then. They were looking for material and physical manifestations instead.
I saw some interesting scripture while looking up something else. The church leaders in Christ time on earth had created a very legalistic church. They placed conditions on their conditions and burdens man could not carry on the people.
Matt ch12 3But Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read in the Scriptures what King David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4He went into the house of God, and they ate the special bread reserved for the priests alone. That was breaking the law, too. 5And haven’t you ever read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath? 6I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple! 7But you would not have condemned those who aren’t guilty if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to be merciful; I don’t want your sacrifices.’£ 8For I, the Son of Man, am master even of the Sabbath.”
Christ addressed legalisms in the church quite a lot. The requirements kept becoming more and more rigid so much so many had lost hope. Yet Christ made it so simple for us. The Laws of Moses was the result of a stubborn peoples disobedience who in their ignorance made their own lives and many generations to follow very difficult. They wanted heavy burdens and rituals & they got them. Up till that time GOD did not ask much of man. When man rebelled much was asked.
Christ concentrated not on ritual or creating more thereof but what was in the persons heart and His main point was faith and love which conquers all things.
The Real Presence is not a “minor point”.
If you take the Bible at its word, it says that the Body and Blood is Christ is in Communion.
Now we can argue till the day is done about how, but it is very difficult to say one believes in what the Word says and then disregard it when it doesn’t fit our sense of logic. Bad things happen then.
That’s right. I believe baptism is needed AFTER we receive Christ but it doesn’t save us.