Thanks!
Ok, I want to narrow my concerns down to 2 (even though I have so many questions).
What do you guys think about this portion of Cary's commentary I posted previous regarding the Calvinistic view of the Lord's Supper,
So the reflective faith of the Reformed tradition is strong stuff. It assures you not just that God is gracious to you today (like Lutheran faith) but also that you are saved for eternity, which means you can be assured of this much about God’s hidden decree of predestination: that it includes you among the elect. To require such a faith before admission to the sacrament is to require a great deal. It is, I think, to make faith into a work—and quite a substantial work indeed, which many anguished souls could never accomplish. The Puritan churches of New England included many baptized persons who believed that the creed was true but who did not believe they had experienced a conversion to saving faith, and therefore were excluded from the sacrament. In their case, the sacrament could not serve to build up the weak in faith.
1) Is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper only for the Assurred and if so isn't this perspective a bit of an oxymoron - because do the assured really require such a strengthening of their faith since they are already "assurred? I guess I may be simplifying, but aren't we complicating the L.S. if we say we must know we are a true child to partake of it - aren't we leaving out those with weak faith to whom the sacrament should be a great help! It's almost a catch-22, don't come up if you are not truely called - but you need to come up despite your own insecurities and sinfully cloudy self-perception.
I guess I'm having conflict between assurance of inner righteousness vs. looking outside one's self for Christ's righteousness.
AM I MAKING ANY SENSE???
2a) It's still not clear to me if the Calvinistic/Reformed tradition believes the L.S. has spiritual power outside of the inner faith we bring to the table.
Theo, what you quoted suggest yes - but not "locally" in the sacrament? Our souls are lifted up to Heaven - what does Calvin use for justification for this belief? I'm not saying I disagree - just probing.
2b) Why are we condemned if we are participating w/out true faith since it is our faith that brings power to the sacrament in the first place (if the sacrament has no power in itself - wouldn't it be just an empty act - why the condemnation?).
I guess the unbelievers souls are not lifted up since for them there is no spiritual benefit.
2c) why does the pastor say a blessing over the bread & wine if the sacraments do not actually become the things signified (at least in a spiritual sense)?
I guess we'd have to consider what it means that the spirit descends and bring our souls up to heaven upon particiaption of the sacarment - Jesus is not present locally in the sacrament but via spirit we are lifted up to Him (this is a bit beyond my comprehension/understanding).
I wonder how did Calvin developed this perspective?
I'm not expecting you guys to have all the answers!
I'm not questioning predestination - but I've always kinda questioned complete assurance of predestination (I guess I'm more of an Augustinian that way! and I think my questions/concerns regarding the Reformed practice/perspective of Lord's Supper kinda touches on my concerns).
God Bless!!!
AC
