Christian Living

PART 5 COMMUNION

by james rondinone 
02/13/16
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●What Does A Person Need Before They Can Grow Spiritually?

●How Does A Believer Grow Spiritually?

…You Decide  

                                                                                  CHAPTER 8

                                             What Does A Person Need Before They Can Grow Spiritually?

      It seems appropriate to say that in order for a believer to grow spiritually Christ must come into their life. Based on the doctrine of Transubstantiation the elements of communion appear to be the means by which this happens.

      However, there is another view that talks about how God can come into a believer’s life. This view says that it’s not about Jesus coming into a believer’s life, but another member of the trinity, this being the Holy Spirit.

      In John 6:37-39 Jesus attended the Feast of Tabernacles. On the last day take a look at what he said.

      In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

      Jesus didn’t say that whoever believed in him, he will come into their life and indwell. He also didn’t say whoever believes in the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit will cause him to come into their life. He said that whosoever believed in him and him only would receive the Holy Spirit. This doesn’t mean that by believing in Jesus the other two members of the Trinity are to be discarded, but it is only by believing in him as to who he is and what he has done will procure the receiving of the Holy Spirit.

      And by the way there is one more condition to mention that precedes believing in Jesus in order for the Holy Spirit to be received and that is to repent (acknowledge one’s sins) to God the Father.

     Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; (Acts 3:19)

     But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. (Acts 26:20)

       Well, this is quite contrary to the doctrine of Transubstantiation isn’t it?

       Bases on this view, how does a believer grow spiritually? The next chapter will tell us how.

                                                                               CHAPTER 9

                                                       How Does A Believer Grow Spiritually?

      What should be our desire? Depending on whom you ask, the answers will vary. It might be for God to heal a sick friend, to help with our finances, to protect someone in the military, to deliver someone from addiction, or to find the right boyfriend or girlfriend. All of these are desires that most of us have probably asked God for at one time or another.

      In 1977, at age 26, I came to know the Lord in a personal way. I found a church to attend, which was located in my home city. This was a church of about 100 members, whose male pastor was young and energetic. Had I been asked at the time about my desire, I would probably have said I wanted God to help me find a Christian girlfriend. Each of us has our own desire. What’s yours?

      As I continued to attend church, something began to happen to me. I began to experience God’s presence (e.g. love, joy, peace,etc.) I can honestly say that at first I didn’t understand the messages at all, but I found a release from anxiety, worry, fear, insecurity, self-centered thoughts, etc. I would walk out of the church services with a smile on my face stretching from ear to ear. However, it didn’t always last for a long period of time because after I left church it seemed that the cares of this world would come back into my mind, along with the insecurity, anxiety, worry, and fear.

      The more I attended to the gathering of the saints the less preoccupation I had with find a girlfriend. I couldn’t wait to attend the next worship service in order to experience this new release from outward pressures and from my own internal mental and emotional battles. Something was going on in my life, but I didn’t know how to explain it in words other than to say that I knew God was doing a work inside of me.   

      Church services were held on Sunday morning along with a Bible study during the week. On Friday night I would attend a an affiliated church service in another part of the state whose speaker was the president of an affiliated bible college. Each time I attended one of these assemblies I was not only impacted by God’s presence but I slowly began to understand who I now was in Christ through the teaching of the Word of God. My desire for attending church was now two fold. I wanted not only to continue to experience God’s presence, but I wanted to understand from the teachings how this spiritual reality could be experienced on a daily basis.

      In Ephesians 5:18, the apostle Paul is writing to the believers at Ephesus, instructing them to stop choosing to be controlled habitually by the use of alcohol, but to be continually filled (controlled) by the Holy Spirit. Paul didn’t say to them, “Well if you drink less or not at all, you will be ok”, because he knew the answer for addiction, as well as for all of our problems is our reliance on someone else. This reliance is not on Jesus, but the Holy Spirit.

      And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18)

     Uh oh, did I say something wrong? Our reliance should not be on Jesus, but the Holy Spirit. Here is what I mean. According to this view we mentioned earlier that in order for God to come into our life we must repent and believe in Jesus in order to receive another member of the trinity into our life, this being the Holy Spirit. I do not deny that Jesus when he walked on the earth is an example for us as to how we should walk (i.e. by hearing from God the Father and obeying him in the power of the Holy Spirit). This protocol should be our protocol. We because of Jesus can approach God the Father on a moment to moment basis for answers to pray, for strength, for guidance, etc. which he will provide for us by means of the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

       But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. (Ephesians 2:13-18)

       Besides the Holy Spirit we also need something else which will help us grow. Take a look at this verse.

      And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2)

      This verse says that we need our mind renewed.

      What in the world does this mean?

      To be renewed in our mind means to apply God’s word in all areas of thought, so that human perspective is replaced with divine perspective. This, the word of God, along with the filling of the Holy Spirit will be what addresses our areas of weakness, propensities, passions, etc. So we can say that being filled with the Holy Spirit means to be constantly controlled by the Spirit in our mind, emotions, and will. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will express the nature of the Spirit filled life.

      Here is one brief example of being renewed in our mind. If we have a propensity for monetary greed we should memorize and meditate upon throughout our day the following verse.

       Let your conversation (monetary greed) be without covetousness; and be content ((depending on God’s providence; be happy; be satisfied) with such things as ye have (with what God has given us):… (Hebrews 13:5a)

      The word goes on to declare that the kingdom of God in our life is not what we eat or drink, i.e. obedience to doing this or that, but righteousness (correct thinking, feeling, and acting), peace (regulating, ruling and harmonizing the heart), and joy (inner happiness) in the Holy Spirit.

      For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Romans 14:17)

       The reason why meant and drink is mentioned was that in the early church there was an issue with consuming what had been offered as part of a sacrificial ritual in pagan temples. While this issue was eventually addressed, the idea here is that our Christian walk should not be based on outward observances, rituals, commandments, etc. The Christian life should be centered on appropriating God’s perspective as to how we should think in all areas of our life and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Our walk begins on the inside and over time will be revealed on the outside.

      So what is your Christian life based or focused on?

      Whatever it is will result in being that which you are engaged in.

      So why doesn’t God grant to us all of our desires?

      It is because he wants us to have His desires or, in other words, he wants us to seek His kingdom first. God knows we have need of food, drink, and clothing. His advice is to seek intensively and earnestly, again and again, his kingdom and his righteousness (holiness of heart and purity of life) with exclusive priority. When we do, he will provide for us all of these things.

      Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:31-33)

      What is this kingdom that he wants us to seek exclusively? Is it something outward or something inward?

      And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17:20-21)

       It’s the heavenly newness of life. It’s the renewing of the mind. It’s this filling of the Spirit. It’s the Holy Spirit, controlling our mind, emotions, and will.

       Do you want this filling of the Holy Spirit to be a reality in your life? In order for this to be a reality, your mind must be renewed on a daily basis. When that happens, you will be filled with the Spirit, and will manifest evidence of His fruit in your lives to others as you grow spiritually.   

       But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-25)

       As you can see there are two approaches concerning spiritual growth.

      One says the more you partake of the bread (Christ’s literal body) and wine (Christ’s literal blood) at communion you will be exhibiting Christ-likeness (i.e., a lessening of racial and national prejudices or neighborhood resentments, and an increase in neighborliness, compassion, patience, and forbearance towards others). Do the scriptures provide another explanation as to how a believer grows spiritually? If they do, this would be another reason to consider as to whether the elements of the bread and wine turn into Christ’s literal body and blood at communion.

      The other view says that it is by means of the renewing of the mind (applying God’s word in all areas of thought, so that human perspective is replaced with divine perspective) and the filling (control) of the Holy Spirit which causes Christ-likeness to be evidenced in a believer’s life.

      We are nearing the close of this topic. The final chapter is next where we will summarize what we have presented throughout this book. Hopefully, as to whether you will choose to believe or not that the elements of communion turn into the literal body and blood of Christ at least your decision will have been based on a variety of reasons and not just on a couple of verses.

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