That’s why I didn’t.
~ ~ ~
I know, I asked, explain the below, the 4th time now. Instead, Protestants always bring up another verse, like
you did, the one about the rich young man and the blind
man healed. Where do you get the authority to say, sometimes Jesus is speaking literally in John 6 when He
says “flesh” and other times the word “flesh” is only
a symbol, a metaphor.
John 6:51-52
I am the living bread which came down from heaven. [52] If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give, is my FLESH, for the life of the world.
Jesus says that the bread which He will give for the life of the world is His flesh. When did He give His flesh for the life of the world? On the cross. Was that symbolic? If you think Jesus is speaking symbolically here when He says that we must eat His flesh and drink His blood, then you must also conclude that Jesus’ death on the cross was symbolic...it wasn’t really Jesus hanging up there...it was symbolic flesh and symbolic blood.
You have posted the same thing numerous times now and have received answers multiple times. Just because you don't get the answer you want to get, does not mean it has not been addressed. Jesus LITERALLY died upon the cross. His flesh was LITERALLY torn and his blood was LITERALLY shed and he did it all to make a propitiatory payment for all sins. By his shed blood, we have been redeemed. Therefore, by his ONE sacrifice he has FOREVER perfected those who have received the gift God offers and are sanctified in HIM.
Now, to try to make the observance of the Lord's Supper a re-offering, a re-enactment, a re-applying of His death for our sins and to insist that the "elements" used in this observance MUST be confected so that they become efficacious all over again for those who participate in the observance, TOTALLY misses the whole point of what Jesus did for us on that horrible cross. It can NEVER be repeated again and does not NEED to be repeated. Rather than accuse others of misunderstanding the literalness of the cross with the symbolism of the remembrance, why not actually look at what is behind it all?
What I hope all who have read these exchanges over the weeks comes to realize is that "we" are not trying to convert everyone over to "our" denomination. That is because it does not matter to which congregation one chooses to go as long as there is a genuine conversion of the heart to the truth that is the Gospel of the grace of God - that we are saved by HIS grace and it is through our faith that we receive HIS gift. If that critical decision is taken care of, then the new creation in Christ can follow the leading of the Lord to where God wants him to fellowship together with others. They will work together to honor the Lord in word and deed and to grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We could, and have, spend years going back and forth with all number of discordant doctrines and they are worthwhile for a time, but when these arguments take the focus off of the Gospel, then they become the "foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain" that Titus 3:9 talks about. As we see here, nothing is resolved and the disputes turn ugly and useless, bringing out the worst in some people.
What matters above ALL else - and some things we may not be sure about until we meet in heaven - is that if we want to go to heaven when we die we MUST do what God says we should. Time and time again when the Lord Jesus was asked he said it was believing on Him that gives eternal life. The continuing revelation in the New Testament books only confirm that same message. We are saved NOT by the righteous things we do but by God's unmerited mercy and grace and the ONLY thing He requires is a broken and contrite heart - one that sees our utter sinfulness and our total inability to save ourselves and which reaches out to God to take hold of the lifeline He has given - our one and ONLY Savior, Jesus Christ that we accept by faith.
All else is wrapping. It's like giving a child a gift all wrapped up in pretty paper and ribbon and the child plays with the wrappings and never opens the gift. That is what these discussions become sometimes. All about the wrappings and nothing about what is the real, true gift. Well, I will not continue to argue about the color of the ribbon. It is the gift that is the primary thing - the ONLY thing that is worth striving for. I pray every night that hearts are touched for the gospel and that eyes are opened to the amazing grace of Almighty God, who spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all so that we can be saved.
It's called ‘handling the word aright (rightly dividing)’ to the end that we have what Paul called “epignosis”.