Understanding the CUP of Communion

    Most Christians understand what the cup of the Communion stands for. The cup stands for the blood of Jesus. Christians understand that the blood of Jesus was shed for the forgiveness of our sins. Another way of saying this is that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins so that we don’t have to. We have relief and peace in understanding that our sins are forgiven. Apart from what Christ did for us at the cross, we stand guilty and deserve to pay the penalty for our own sins; we deserve to go to hell, a place of eternal punishment. Jesus took our place and Himself paid the penalty for our sins. We get off Scott free. We are declared righteous (imputed righteousness). If you have ever sinned, and you have, you know what a relief it is to know that you are off the hook. We drink the cup to proclaim this fact.

14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:14).

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:7).

    In the above two scriptures we see that redemption, the forgiveness of sins, was won for us through the blood of Jesus. The cup stands for this message of the cross.

    Yet, the cup also has a fundamental, resurrection message. Consider the following scriptures:

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).

10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10).

    The goal of having forgiveness for our sins is so that we can have life, eternal life. The cup of Communion which stands for forgiveness and redemption also has a flip side or resurrection side to it. The resurrection message of the blood is life, eternal life, or abundant life. This resurrection message can also be seen in the above two scriptures. In these scriptures the believer is not just delivered from death, but he is delivered into everlasting and abundant life. Similarly, the full and fundamental meaning of the cup, simply stated, is deliverance from death into life. (Consider how this resurrection message of the cup parallels the resurrection message of the bread. The bread not only speaks of deliverance from sin. The flip side or resurrection side to this message of the cross that the bread represents is that we are delivered into righteousness, or living for God, or doing what Jesus would do. Thus the full meaning of the bread, simply stated, is deliverance from sin into righteousness.)

    The following scriptures give us insight into how the Bible explains and understands the nature of blood. This will help us in our understanding of the cup of Communion. More specifically, these following scriptures give us insight into the resurrection message of the cup.

13 "Whatever man of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who hunts and catches any animal or bird that may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood and cover it with dust; 14for it is the life of all flesh. Its blood sustains its life. Therefore I said to the children of Israel, "You shall not eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.' (Leviticus 17:13-14).

23 Only be sure that you do not eat the blood, for the blood is the life; you may not eat the life with the meat. (Deuteronomy 12:23).

    Blood is life to the body. It is provision, support, and nourishment for every member of the body. If any body member gets cut off from the flow of blood, it withers and dies. If your toe, arm, or leg does not get blood to it, it will wither and die. The life sustaining flow of blood keeps the body going and so that it can do what it needs to do. Therefore, when we drink the cup of Communion, we are not only symbolically drinking to remember that our sins are forgiven, we are also symbolically drinking the nourishment, sustenance, provision and life (for the spirit, soul, and body) that God through Christ supplies to His body. We are saying that God is our source. We are saying that God abundantly supplies all of our needs, even for all eternity, i.e., eternal life, or life that never stops, in heaven.

    When we think about the above statements, the full message of the cup begins to make a lot of sense. The penalty of sin, i.e., death, is all manner of want and need. In hell the desires of the wicked are thrust aside. Hell is a place of eternal wanting but never getting satisfaction. This is eternal death. Curses and demonic attacks are a slice of death on earth. Jesus’ blood was shed to deliver us from this death (forgiveness for our sins). But, the blood also means life. It means getting all of our needs met, just like the body has all of its needs met by the blood. Thus, the full meaning of the cup is deliverance from death into life.

    The cup is referred to as the "cup of blessing" in 1Corinthians 10:16. It is a delicious and enjoyable drink, whether it be wine or juice. It stands for a pleasant, delicious message: deliverance from death and deliverance into life. (In short, the cup stands for deliverance from death into life, while the bread stands for deliverance from sin into righteousness.) The cup speaks not just about eternal life in heaven, but it also speaks of earthly blessings and provision. Regarding the cross, the cup speaks of deliverance from earthly curses. Part of the penalty of sin is curses.

28 But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully to all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: (Deuteronomy 28:15)

8"Will a man rob God?
Yet you have robbed Me!
But you say,
"In what way have we robbed You?'
In tithes and offerings.
9You are cursed with a curse,
For you have robbed Me,
Even this whole nation.
(Malachi 3:8-9)

29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. (1Corinthians 11:29-30)

    (Regarding not discerning the Lord’s body, the body of the Lord is all about the will of the Lord. According to Hebrews 10:5-7, a body is for doing things on the earth. The Lord’s body is for doing the Lord’s will on the earth. Not discerning the Lord’s body is not discerning His will; or, in the above context, not discerning that other believers, who are part of His body, are an expression of His will, even though they are poor.)

    By applying the blood (cup) by faith, we are exercising authority over curses like lack, want, poverty, sickness; and the killing, stealing and destroying of the devil. We war against these curses or demonic attacks with the blood (Revelations 12:11). Not only do we by faith apply the blood to cancel the power of the devil and curses, but we also drink the cup (blood) because by faith we are drinking God’s rich promises of provision. By faith we are receiving all of God’s delicious nourishment, provision and support.

    The cup of Communion not only stands for a vital message of the cross, it also stands for a vital ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of the Lord (Spirit of life) seeks to minister life and blessing to an area where death once reigned (the message of the cup). The Spirit of the Lord seeks to lead us into all righteousness in an area where sin once reigned (the message of the bread).

    The cup is all about your needs. Drink deeply of God’s rich provision, and of His mighty deliverance from death, curses, and every form of lack. There is a specific promise of provision for every need; the cup represents this. Every promise to us is a blessing and a "slice" of His rich, abundant life. Drink!

Please read the other many articles on this web site. They are essential to gain further understanding of the bread and the cup. You can get a book on the Lord’s Supper through the home page of this web site.

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