The answer to that is actually quite simple:
It would mean that the Apostles John and Paul and quite possibly our Lord, Jesus Christ were LIARS. A single lie in the New Testament means that ALL of Christianity is based on lies.
The faith that Christianity requires is that the New Testament IS TRUE, but it is not surprising that Protestantism has systematically explained away the more difficult aspects of faith in order to enlarge membership. True faith sometimes REQUIRES the suspension of reason and goes far beyond the remedial intellectual exercises that defines many Protestants.
Sorry, I meant to ping you to this.
To the question, “what if the RC church is wrong and the bread is NOT the actual body of Christ, but it is actually a memorial”, wagglebee replies, “ The answer to that is actually quite simple: It would mean that the Apostles John and Paul and quite possibly our Lord, Jesus Christ were LIARS.”
OR it means that Jesus was speaking of spiritual matters - spiritual bread giving spiritual life rather than literal bread giving spiritual life.
annalex has hammered me with John 6 so often I feel like I ought to have it memorized...suffice to say we disagree on what the most accurate interpretation is.
I am no more likely to convince annalex than he is to convince me, but hopefully our debating helps others (and each of us) understand BOTH sides of the argument.
Once both sides are understood, then Paul’s admonition in Romans 14 seems to apply:
“Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall confess to God.”
So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.”
I’m sure you & annalex & others will continue to debate this with me and others on future threads, and I think those debates worthwhile - if done with mutual respect, and the knowledge that God will not test us on doctrine before we are saved.
As a proud and vain supporter of free will, I need to understand that I MAY be wrong! But of course, I may be right, so the debates will continue...
INSISTING SO EMPHATICALLY
AND AT SUCH POTENTIAL RISK
THAT
one option amongst several arguably possible options [interpretations of the critical PHRASE (no less)] considered more than plausible by reasonable folks of different persuasions . . .
sounds more than a little foolhardy, to me.
As well as paragon ARROGANCE.