Bible Discussion Thread

Taking communion in the church building by the church, it is often brought up by various believers whether to use juice or wine.

I feel like in the days of old in the beginning of taking communion, real fermented juice was used, as Paul commented to the Corinthians that some drank and became drunken.

But today, we in the churches of God only use fresh juice that represents the blood of Christ. In this manner, we stop anyone from being drunken.

Question, would any of us as believers condemn any believer if they partook of fermented juice in communion as long as an amount would not be intoxicating ?

Hello Alvin,

I am ok with fermented wine being used at communion since that is what Jesus used and the early church did, also. If someone is an alcoholic, then they could refrain from taking the wine and just have the bread of communion. I would rather follow the example set by Jesus than substitute something in place of the drink that represents His blood of the new covenant. But then again, if a congregation goes with just juice instead of wine, it is ok with me, also, because it was common in Jesus' time to have wine with meals. If it is common for people to no have alcoholic wine with meals now, then having juice as the drink of communion would equate to the wine of Jesus' time in that the cup is taken communally as meaning all share in the new covenant of Christ's blood by faith.

Dear Alvis.

Throughout the history of christianity wine was always used for communion. Not just wine but sweet wine which was the type of wine used in ancient times Acts 2:13 "Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine." New wines are sweet, they contain glucose in large quantities. That grape fruit juice practice is a recent "invention" of the previous, or so, centuary.

Paul in his letter to Corinthians talks about believers who got drunk but to understand that we have to see how communion was performed in the early days. The communion was not done during the church service as probably nowadays most churches do. In Sunday evenings (Sunday was a working day at that time) believers sat on tables to eat together and the communion was done at the end of that supper, just like Jesus and apostles did on that day. So some believers had a bit too much of wine during the meal (not during the communion) and got a bit drunk. Others ate their food without expecting the rest, who probably were poor and had little or nothing at all to eat. So Paul adresses this sort of things. If you read the history of christianity, you will find out that those meals were called "agapes", from the greek agape which means love. That practise was kept until aprox. the middle or end of the 2nd centuary AD and was eventually abandoned since christians were then thousands and practically couldn't gather together in huge tables. So the communion was eventually transfered from the tables to the Sunday service. During emperor Constantine's time Sunday was declared a holiday and the church service together with the communion were transfered from evenings to mornings. A brief account of the practice of the early church.

GBU

Jesus's first miracle was turning water into wine at a wedding party and it likely contained alcohol based on the comment someone made there (saving best for last). Because Jesus is sinless it would not make sense for him to do an act causing sin. Therefore what He did is not sinful. And following His example is not sinful as long as following other verses about keeping in moderation. Nearly everything can become sinful in excess and if abused. Plus Jesus used wine at his last supper not Welch's grape juice. So, while I think well intentioned to not cause anyone to stumble (such as for any recovering alcoholics), I personally would prefer to remember Jesus following His example with real wine. God bless.

With due respect of your conclusion on wine (fermented juice) being used in Communion, remember day old juice will not have much fermentation, but as scripture refers to, not putting new wine (juice) in old bottles lest the old bottles burst. So, wine could be considered before and after fermentation. While you would prefer in today's world to use fermented juice as your choice of wine, we should not condemn anyone desiring to use Welches grape juice, for neither new or old wine would have any bearing on why either are used in remembrance of the precious blood of Christ.

No Alvis, I wouldn't condemn believers partaking in a little red wine at the Lord's Table. In fact, some believers do, as observed during my days with the Christian Brethren Assemblies, & one soon knows that most of those present there don't indulge in alcohol at home, since subdued coughs are sometimes heard after taking a sip of the wine from the common cup. As long as our focus is on the Lord Who was sacrificed for us, our remembrance of Him & in communion with the saints, it matters little whether juice or wine is used.