That’s about as convoluted as the Catholic belief!
That’s about as convoluted as the Catholic belief!
***
It gets simpler if you reduce it to the basics.
1: The Lord’s Supper is Jesus’ body and blood and also bread and wine, because Scripture describes it as all four.
2: The Lord’s Supper gives us even more of God’s undeserved kindness, IE grace. Not because we need more grace for salvation, but because God is loving and wants to give us grace upon grace until our cups runneth over.
It’s what we confessional Lutherans believe is taught by Scripture and everything is drawn from and can be defended by Scripture. We don’t go into that mess called ‘tradition’ by a certain OTHER denomination.
You and I have had this discussion before and must agree to disagree. It is certainly not a salvation issue. Do I think those that do it recognize the real presence of Christ Body and Blood in the supper are not saved? Certainly not! I do believe you are missing out on the fullness of the sacrament He has given us but YMMV and does
Let me ask you this though. When Christ first introduced the idea of eating His body and drinking His blood we were told many turned away and stopped following Him. Would they have done that if He meant just in a symbolic way? Also Paul speaks of early Christians who had died from not reverently handling the Lords Supper and stated that those who ate and drank unworthily ate and drank judgement on themselves. Again if this was merely a symbolic act why would this be true?