There is a world religion in which the people believe they can please God by performing certain rites. An outside observer who knew nothing of the teaching and tradition about these rites might think that they were magical ceremonies. Two rites in particular are important to this religion, and in both cases, the rites do appear to be magical in nature.
Both rites are presided over by a person who usually wears some sort of special clothing or robes. To begin the rites, he speaks arcane words over various elements which will be used for the rites. These words are thought to instill special spiritual qualities into the physical elements which make them particularly effective for this rite. After the words of power have been spoken by this cleric, the practitioners of this religion who wish to participate in the rite are invited forward.
The practitioners have a part to play in these rites as well. They have usually been instructed beforehand on the special clothing they must wear, and the words they must speak. They are told that if they perform their part correctly, God will be pleased, and they will receive special power, abilities, and blessings from God. If, however, they perform their part in the rite incorrectly, God will make them sick, and may even strike them dead.
The Rite of Water
In one of the rites—which is usually a rite of initiation—water is the primary element that is used. While any type of water can be used, it is preferable to use fresh water from a stream or river. The cleric, who has been trained in these matters, will usually say some sort of words over the water, to transform it into a special type of water with special qualities which makes it useful for this rite. After this, the initiates are invited to enter the water, where they also say the words they have been instructed to speak. Then the initiates are washed in the water, using various methods which differ from group to group. If the rite has been performed properly, the initiate is considered to now be blessed eternally by God, to have received special insight and power from Him, and to be part of God’s chosen few.
The Rite of Food
In the second rite, which is observed much more often than the rite of initiation by water, the cleric says words over some small items of food which are then considered to be instilled with special power from God to make a person more like Him. The practitioners are invited to eat the food that has been blessed by the cleric, but are cautioned once again that if they are unworthy to eat this food, God may strike them dead.
These rites have been around for thousands of years, but in recent centuries, some clerics of this religion have grown uncomfortable with the way these rites appear “magical” and so have continued to practice them, but only in a symbolic way. They teach that these rites are not magical in any way, but simply remind the people of this religion about some of the central teachings within the religion. Nevertheless, even these clerics demand that the rites be practiced on a regular basis. If a person wanted to follow this religion, but did not want to participate in these rites, it would be considered one of the gravest of sins. The cleric would tell such a person that a refusal to participate in these rites was an act of rebellion against God, and the cleric would question and challenge such a person to decide whether or not they really wanted to be part of this religion.
What is this religion?
You have probably figured it out by now, but it is Christianity. And what are the rites? They are baptism and communion.
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All too true! I chuckled as read read some of this. Did you know that if you weren’t recently baptized, were baptized by the wrong church denomination, have sinned since you were baptized, got remarried, were baptized using the “wrong” method (sprinkling instead of immersion, baptized by someone other than an “ordained” pastor, etc. etc.), you must do it again? The first time probably didn’t work, because something about the way it was done was incorrect.
Of course, these rites must be done properly, by the proper people, in the proper place, under the proper conditions, using the proper words. Otherwise they don’t work. If you will just come to us, submit to us, become part of our group, support us with your attendance and time and money, we will properly administer these rites so you can receive the special benefits these rites will confer upon you.
Did I mention that we will tabulate how many of you have gone through these rites to prove that we are spreading our religion in the community and that you really should give us money? Don’t even think about asking how many new believers we’ve had in the past year. (What kind of a question is that anyway?) Don’t go there. You don’t want to see me when I’m really &*$#ed.
I’m glad you chuckled! Ha! When you step back and look at it, it truly is amazing how close to magic we have made these two rites.
Truly these magical rites of religion show that Christianity has become a religion to many, many people. Yet Christ is greater than any religion. Therefore, He is greater than Christianity. Jesus Christ is life itself…er, Himself! In Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).
When we think every thought for Him, speak every word for Him, and do every deed for Him, we will see just how petty are the rituals we call baptism and communion. In their time, they were sacred because they foretold of something greater that was coming (just as Passover and circumcision had). But the something (er, Someone) greater is here now. And as Paul said, when the perfect comes, the partial is done way.
Blessed be the name of the Perfect One who is in our midst always and forever. Once we recognize Him, we realize that we never have to change locations in order to worship – much less engage in rituals whose time has passed.
Mike,
Yes! It’s all about Jesus, from beginning to end!
“but are cautioned once again that if they are unworthy to eat this food, God may strike them dead.”
Would you agree that there’s an incredibly important difference between “if they are unworthy to eat this food” and “eating this food in an unworthy manner”?
Yes, probably so. Which translation is which?
Well, it unambiguously says “in an unworthy manner” in the verse, 1 Cor. 11:27–not the person being unworthy. (It’s a single word, an adverb, which means “unworthily”.) People do often talk about it as though it said “if they are unworthy to eat this food”, though.
I asked because I see that distinction as one that’s fundamental to the Gospel. If it talked about the people being unworthy–so that you have to become worthy before you can come to the Lord’s Supper–then that would be a different religion. It calls to mind pop-culture conceptions of Christianity, like “Your good deeds go on one side of the scales and your bad deeds go on the other.”
In the Gospel, we’re given grace & mercy & transformation in spite of our unworthiness.
Instead, it talks about people coming in an unworthy manner. The examples of “unworthy manner” that Paul addressed involved people being unloving (the rich eating their own food and leaving the poor with nothing), and people getting drunk (treating it flippantly?).
He also ties “a worthy manner” with “discerning the body” and “judging ourselves rightly”. To me that suggests coming in humility & awareness of our need for a savior, conscious of Christ’s bodily sacrifice and its significance.
And because the very next chapter uses “the body” as a metaphor for “the Church / the Body of Christ”, “discerning the body” probably has a double-meaning about being aware that we are all members of one body together, in Christ. (In other words, “a worthy manner” includes coming with a loving spirit toward one another. The opposite of what Paul was criticizing.)
What do you think?