Musings07/28/10,EatHisFlesh...by John

Eat His Flesh and Drink His Blood?

Eat His flesh and drink His blood? In John 6:54-56, Jesus said, "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him." These words caused many of those following Jesus to leave. I think Jesus' humanity made him ask the twelve, "You do not want to leave, too, do you?" (v. 67) Through the ages scholars have debated the issues involved in those seemingly enigmatic words. If you are a literalist where Scripture is concerned you have to deal with what on the surface appears to be a cannibalistic statement. Some churches ring a bell indicating that the bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus at that moment when they are partaking of the Lord's Supper, Communion, or Mass. At least one group says that the bread and wine don't change, but that the body and blood of Jesus are present in them. I don't believe that, and I see no reason why there should be a change.

Some other church groups simply say the bread and wine represent the body and blood of Jesus. I've prayed about it a lot, and I've felt led to spiritualize it. I believe Jesus means we must become completely one with Him spiritually. Romans 8:16, 17 say, "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." We are still in the world, still in the flesh, but spiritually we are God's children, so much so that Paul, in Romans, calls us "co-heirs with Christ!" What could be more wonderful than being God's Own child? I think nothing can equal that, but I also think many followers of Jesus, like those who went away (John 6: 66) have never become one with Jesus.

There are so many who admire the teaching of Jesus and think the world should change to fit those teachings, but they miss that connection that takes them into oneness with Him. I remember asking someone years ago if he was a Christian, and he said, "Of course I'm a Christian! I was born in America!" It was hard for me to tell him that did not make him a Christian.

John 6:63 quotes Jesus as saying, "The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life." In verse 65 Jesus said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him. That word, "enabled," is the Greek word "doma" translated in the King James as "draw," but it is past tense and the more accurate translation is "gifted." It isn't a matter of foreordination as is frequently taught. God's gift is to everyone who is willing to become one with Jesus. When we truly accept God's gift, God has foreordained that we become His children and spend eternity with Him.

Becoming one with Him is not a matter of work, striving, service, or worship. It is accomplished by God's gift, and receiving that gift requires surrender of self to God. As Romans 8:16,17 told us, Christians suffer with Jesus. Few Christians die of a cross, but we all suffer because of personal temptation, our own failures and also because the world hates Christ. When we become one with Him, the world hates us, too. They can't persecute Jesus, but they can reach us easily.

If you haven't heard this before, becoming one with Jesus may sound presumptive, but remember Philippians 2:5,6 says, Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus: Who, being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped...." Our motivation must be pure when we become God's child, a joint-heir with Jesus. Isaiah pictured extreme self-aggrandizement when he prophesied in Isaiah 14:12-14. Five "I will" statements are in that passage. The last one says, "I will make myself like the most high." Our egos make us want to rise to the heights of glory, but we cannot glorify ourselves, and if our spirits are right, we won't try. On the other hand, if we become one with Jesus, we will first of all change, and with that change, we will be happy with whatever glory our God gives us!

Submit yourself wholly to Jesus, and He will not only save you from the penalty, power and eventually even the presence of sin, but He will give you life without end, a new family whose Head is God Himself, and the joy of being in His presence