Lilac Posted May 5, 2010 Report Share Posted May 5, 2010 I saw it mentioned in the thread "what to expect" but I'd like to just clarify a bit... It is OK if investigators take communion. Why? Wouldn't communion indicate a oneness with the Church and its doctrine? If you are not baptized, then how does that work? I have passed it by because I don't feel that I'm sure I'm ready to convert so I didn't feel I should partake. I certainly am a Christian so I'm a believer in Jesus but I'm not LDS so I skipped it and made sure my kids skipped it also. Do children partake? Why water and bread? No wine or grape juice and unleavened bread? I think someone mentioned "renewing their covenants" for communion. No forgiveness of sins or do this in remembrance of me? Thanks so much... BTW, the talks with the missionaries are still going well. We are still working on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie Posted May 5, 2010 Report Share Posted May 5, 2010 LDS.org - Support Materials Chapter - Sacrament Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilac Posted May 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2010 Thank you. I'll check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilac Posted May 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2010 Is it water because it relates to baptism also? Other than that, the article made sense. Sounds like what I know from being Protestant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rameumptom Posted May 5, 2010 Report Share Posted May 5, 2010 I saw it mentioned in the thread "what to expect" but I'd like to just clarify a bit...It is OK if investigators take communion. Why? Wouldn't communion indicate a oneness with the Church and its doctrine? If you are not baptized, then how does that work? I have passed it by because I don't feel that I'm sure I'm ready to convert so I didn't feel I should partake. I certainly am a Christian so I'm a believer in Jesus but I'm not LDS so I skipped it and made sure my kids skipped it also. Ram: We believe the Sacrament/communion is a covenant between the individual and God. For members, it also becomes a promise to be one with the Church and its doctrine. However, any believer in Christ can renew their faith in Christ through the Sacrament.Do children partake? Ram: They may partake, not because they are making a covenant, but so that they can practice and learn about the Sacrament and prepare for the day when they will be baptized and truly partake of the covenant.Why water and bread? No wine or grape juice and unleavened bread? Ram: Wine was replaced early in the Church. D&C 27 teaches us that the Lord changed it to water, because of concerns with the enemies of the Church supplying wine. In Jesus' day, they used wine, because water was too dangerous to drink. However, in Joseph Smith's day, with the danger of the saints being poisoned, the wine was now the danger. The Lord explained that the liquid used is not as important as the covenant and the symbolism. Same with the bread used, it is the covenant which is important.I think someone mentioned "renewing their covenants" for communion. No forgiveness of sins or do this in remembrance of me? Ram: Yes, it is all of of these. We renew the covenants of baptism, which include receiving forgiveness of sins and we do it all "in remembrance of" Christ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackmarch Posted May 6, 2010 Report Share Posted May 6, 2010 Is it water because it relates to baptism also? Other than that, the article made sense. Sounds like what I know from being Protestant.water, blood, spirit, and life always seem to be related symbolicly IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deseretgov Posted May 23, 2010 Report Share Posted May 23, 2010 I saw it mentioned in the thread "what to expect" but I'd like to just clarify a bit...It is OK if investigators take communion. Why? Wouldn't communion indicate a oneness with the Church and its doctrine? If you are not baptized, then how does that work?I'm not an expert but to me partaking of the sacrament(communion) is done as a renewal of baptismal covenants. So if the person has not been baptized they have no covenant to renew and partaking of the sacrament would be pointless.I have passed it by because I don't feel that I'm sure I'm ready to convert so I didn't feel I should partake. I certainly am a Christian so I'm a believer in Jesus but I'm not LDS so I skipped it and made sure my kids skipped it also.If we read the sacrament prayer we can understand it more. I've highlighted what the prayer says the purpose of the sacrament is.O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen Personally I accept the baptism of anyone who was baptized be immersion after the age of eight, regardless of what church they belong to.Do children partake?Most children in an LDS concregation do partake. My wife an I however do not allow our daughter to partake.To me allowing children(before the age of eight) to partake is effectivly the same as baptizing them before they are eight. We are told in the criptures that young children(under eight years) have no need of baptism and to baptise them is not right in God's sight. If they don't need baptism then they don't need the sacrament.But I don't think most LDS families give their children(under eight) the sacrament because they feel their child needs it. Usually the reasons are this:- They want their child to practice partaking so when they are baptized they will already be in the habit.- They want to avoid a scene in church when their children scream and cry because they didn't get to eat.To me neither of these are valid reasons. They all trivialize the sacrament and turn it into a snack rather than a sacred ordinance. We don't have to practice baptizing children so that when their real baptism comes they will be used to it. At a baptism we don't let children jump into the baptismal font so they can swim too.Even though our daughter is only 9 months. Ever since she was born(except for one week when I don't know what my wife was thinking) when the sacrament comes by my wife and I partake and one or the other of us whispers into her ear and explains the sacrament. I don't think she understands but I want it to be one of those things that when she gets older it's something she just knows. She's already had one incident of crying because she couldn't eat but we still didn't let her. I'm sure it wont be easy(especially in the "terrible-twos") but I feel this is the way I need to raise my children so that they understand and respect the sacrament as a sacred ordinance rather than just a mid-meeting snack.Why water and bread?Bread probably because it is easier. Water because somewhere in Doctrine and Covenants it says that it doesn really matter what is used. What is imprtant is the covenant associated with the ordinance.No wine or grape juice and unleavened bread?Beleive me I wish we did use a fresh grape juice and unleavened bread. It funny we say that it doesn't matter what you use, but then are so adimant that we must only use bread and water.I think someone mentioned "renewing their covenants" for communion. No forgiveness of sins or do this in remembrance of me?Yes, the covenant of baptism is to follow Christ. As a result all past sins are forgiven. By renewing that covenant we are basically recommiting ourselves to follow Christ. I believe that our sins are forgiven as well. And aspointed out earlier the Sacrament prayer dedicates the sacrament to be done in remembrance of Christ.Thanks so much...BTW, the talks with the missionaries are still going well. We are still working on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruck Posted May 24, 2010 Report Share Posted May 24, 2010 You have to remember that in the times of New Testament, that wine wasn't the same as today. It was actually non-alcoholic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted May 24, 2010 Report Share Posted May 24, 2010 You have to remember that in the times of New Testament, that wine wasn't the same as today. It was actually non-alcoholic.And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit...(Ephesians 5:18)If wine was non-alchoholic, then why the condemnation against drunkeness?M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hordak Posted May 24, 2010 Report Share Posted May 24, 2010 You have to remember that in the times of New Testament, that wine wasn't the same as today. It was actually non-alcoholic.The last supper took place (as i understand it) during Nisan (march-April).In Cypress (a wine producing region close to Israel) grapes are harvested early, because of the warmer climate at about july. This means the wine drank at the last super was 9 months old and without modern refrigeration tech would have to be alcoholic to keep.The idea that the wine was not alcoholic is in defense of the WoW in the same way people speak of "tanins". IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shade Posted May 25, 2010 Report Share Posted May 25, 2010 i'm unsure of why the WoW is sometimes defended. it does not require members to defend it because there's nothing to defend. it's a commandment unto any who have covenanted to keep it. it is in no way a commandment that was delivered to the whole world on the front page of the new york times. conversely, people who DO, for example, consume alcoholic beverages have no reason to defend their position. it's their choice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.