Forgiveness and Assurance

And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.”  And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it.  And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.  Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”  (Mark 14:22-25)

On the night He was betrayed, Jesus gave of Himself to the disciples.  From the washing of feet (John 13:1-20) to prayer on their behalf to the Father (John 17:1-26), the entire evening was a time to build up and prepare these men for what would shortly take place.  In the middle of their meal, the disciples received a most unexpected and precious gift—“This is my body…this is my blood.”  Based on conversation and conduct yet that evening, they missed the import of these words.

Our Lord desired that all men be united with Him as He was with the Father.  This could only be accomplished by feeding on Christ, a subject to which Jesus alluded months before (John 6:51-55).  One must partake of Him.  Some disciples understood this was a hard teaching, even offensive (John 6:60-61).  How do we understand this?  Hilary of Poitiers helps when he writes:

As to the truth of the flesh and blood [of Jesus’ body] there is no room left for doubt.  For now both from the declaration of the Lord Himself and our own faith, it is truly flesh and truly blood.  And these when eaten and drunk, bring it to pass that both we are in Christ and Christ in us.  (On the Trinity, 8.14)

Feeding on the body and blood, then, effectively unites us with Him and assures us of forgiveness.  It is to this we return as we take the bread and cup, and continually “taste and see that the Lᴏʀᴅ is good” certain that “Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” (Ps 34:8).

God's Promise Is Our Anchor

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.  (Heb 6:19-20)

The Lord promised to give the kingdom of heaven to those believing in him.  We hope in those good things, he is saying, we cling to this hope like a sacred anchor.  An anchor hidden in the depths does not allow our souls to be disturbed.  He shows the hope of good things to be proof against failure on other grounds as well.  Becoming incarnate for our sakes,… He gave up His body to death for our sakes, and after destroying death he went up to heaven, being the firstfruits of those who has fallen asleep.  He strengthened their confidence with the name forerunner: if he is our forerunner and has gone up for us, we too must follow and be granted ascent.  The Lord also says as much to the apostles:

In my Father’s house are many rooms.  If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

Here likewise, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf.

Theodoret of Cyrus, “The Epistle to the Hebrews”

Lord's Supper: Continual Assurance that Redemption Is Mine

The price of our redemption is the body of Christ which is given for us and his blood which is shed for us.  Among Christians no one doubts that by this giving of Christ's body and shedding of his blood the wrath of the Father has been satisfied and eternal redemption gained.  But the question is, to whom does this promise pertain and who are the receivers of this benefit of Christ?  To be sure, the teaching of the Gospel in general pronounces that everyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  But anxious and fearful minds, when they consider their sins, their unworthiness, their weaknesses, and their temptations, become so terrified and disturbed that dangerous doubts arise concerning the individual application, that is, whether I myself have with sufficient certainty grasped the benefits of Christ and so faithfully cling to them that my conscience can stand before the judgment of God.  For this reason Christ in his Supper willed to confirm and seal to his disciples the demonstration and application of the promise of the Gospel with a certain and firm guarantee, so that in the face of all temptations faith can stand strongly and firmly in the assurance that it is a participant in Christ and all his benefits unto salvation.

Martin Chemnitz, The Lord's Supper