Did you have to ask for forgiveness, or were you already forgiven?
"When I drink my little wine -- which is about the only wine I drink -- and have my little cracker, I guess that is a form of asking for forgiveness, and I do that as often as possible because I feel cleansed," he said.
But if you aren't already renewed by Christ that's all communion is.....a little wine (or grape juice) and a little cracker....basically just snack time at church.
Scripture is quite clear that salvation comes from a very simple combination of things:
A) Accepting Christ's atoning work on the cross for our sins
B) Accepting Christ as Lord of our life, in other words living for Him according to His will instead of living for ourselves according to our will.
Scripture is also clear that we should only come to the Lord's table with a pure heart. I know churches that I've attended have always allowed a time of reflection between serving the elements and partaking to allow people to "clear up" anything that is between them and God at the time prior to partaking because of the warning in 1st Corinthians 11:23-30 (NASB)
[SUP]23 [/SUP]For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; [SUP]24 [/SUP]and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” [SUP]25 [/SUP]In the same way
He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink
it, in remembrance of Me.” [SUP]26 [/SUP]For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
[SUP]27 [/SUP]Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. [SUP]28 [/SUP]But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. [SUP]29 [/SUP]For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. [SUP]30 [/SUP]For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number [SUP][
s][/SUP]sleep.
