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“Of course it does. Whether before or after digestion depends on your faith.” Faith, in that context, does not mean the more devout you are, the more likely - it simply means your denomination.

Thank you for the answer, it was what I sincerely was seeking. You have also made my point. It most certainly IS a matter of faith, as all things concerning the truths of Christianity are. It is obvious to me, and it was obvious to those early Christians that what Jesus meant was spiritual. He said specifically after his sermon on the need to "eat his flesh and drink his blood to have eternal life", "This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” (John 6:58) When his disciples starting murmuring about not understanding what he really meant, he said to them, "The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life." (John 6:63) After he said that, he added, "Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. (John 6:64-66).

At the Last Supper, when Jesus demonstrated the objects that make up the Sedar Passover observance, the bread he broke and gave to them saying, "This is my body which is broken for you, take and eat in remembrance of me." Did the bread change into his human flesh then? No, it did not. It was an object lesson for them and the bread symbolized his body broken for the sins of man. The same with the cup, it was the cup of a new testament, a new covenant of his blood. Did the wine in the cup change into his blood? No. It was symbolic of his blood which would be shed for sins of man.

This is my point concerning the Eucharist. It was instituted by Christ as a memorial of his sacrifice and partaking of those elements symbolized that they had received him, believed on him, had faith in him, and because of that, they had eternal life. The same for us today. Anyone who would participate in this observance who has not already believed in Christ, brought judgment upon himself because he did not believe. To him, they were merely bread and wine, something to slake his thirst and hunger, but they meant nothing more to him than that. But we, because we HAVE believed, receive these as a constant reminder of what he did for us. Partaking of this observance is NOT what gives us eternal life, but the faith in what they represent - Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Thank you again for your comments.