As the body and blood of Christ are not corporally or carnally present in, with, or under the bread and wine in the Lord’s supper,[1] and yet are spiritually present to the faith of the receiver, no less truly and really than the elements themselves are to their outward senses;[2] so they that worthily communicate in the sacrament of the Lord’s supper, do therein feed upon the body and blood of Christ, not after a corporal and carnal, but in a spiritual manner; yet truly and really,[3] while by faith they receive and apply unto themselves Christ crucified, and all the benefits of his death.[4]
- Acts 3:21
…whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.
- Matt. 26:26, 28
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said,“Take, eat; this is my body.”…for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
- I Cor. 11:24-29
…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.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying,“This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
- I Cor. 10:16
The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?
Question 170, Westminster Larger Catechism