Is It OK for Children to Take Communion?

Is it okay for children to take communion mesh is one of the questions will be answering on today's edition of core Christianity will hi this is Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez. This is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day.

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Our phone lines will be open for the next 25 minutes or so. Here's the phone number 8833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. By the way, you can also send a question through our YouTube channel and watch a drill right now on YouTube and send us a question via email anytime at questions at core, Christianity.com burst up today. Here's a voicemail from one of our listeners named Cella about prayer and what the Bible says about prayer and how to pray in groups nine prayer in the upper room for you knocked at the door and go see how we should thank you for the question. Of course you Jesus words in Matthew chapter 6 about praying on your own, you know, when you pray, go to go to your closet, pray before your father who is in secret place, and your father who sees in secret will himself reward you. So I think we should pray individually before God offering our prayers up to the Lord. We should also pray together with the people of God as a corporate body and you do see that throughout the Bible. You gave the example when Paul was imprisoned and the church was gathered together in one place. You know lifting up their voices to the Lord that that God would would deliver him from prison. God did miraculously send an angel to break Paul how to present one of the one of the kind of an interesting story in the book of acts, but it's something that we see throughout the book of acts. In fact, in acts chapter 1. You remember when Matthias was chosen to replace Judas as an apostle. The disciples were gathered together next chapter 1 verse 14 says all these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers in those days Peter stood up among the brothers the company of persons was an all about hundred and 20 Z of this group of people and what they're doing is praying, calling upon the name of the Lord, and in this is you know right before that the coming of Pentecost. The setting of the Holy Spirit. You see this commitment to prayer.

Even later in acts chapter 2, verse 42 and they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And so one of the things it did churches should be committed to devoted to is prayer.

We need to be praying in our services as as one body together calling upon the name of the Lord and what we pray for me either.

We pray for the things that are outlined in Scripture. Certainly those things that are according to the will of God that he's revealed to us in his worry commands us in places like first Timothy to pray for you know kings and rulers and all those who are in authority were praying for the church that God would give us open doors for the advancement of the gospel were praying for persecuted brothers and sisters throughout the world calling upon the name of the Lord.

And so I think I think both individually you know we want to be committed to prayer in our own lives. You know that without ceasing is the possible said, but also as a church together coming together to call upon the name of the Lord to bless great counsel. Thanks for that Andrew. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez if you got a question about the Bible, the Christian life. Maybe there's a Bible passage that's just a little bit confusing to you, and you'd like some clarification on that Israel will be happy to talk to you if you got some doubts about the Christian faith that you consider yourself to be an agnostic or an atheist, or maybe you practice a different religion and just stumbled across this program in your sin. What's this Christianity thing all about. Hey, we'd love to hear from you and get your questions well, here's the phone number it's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 let's go to voicemail from one of our listeners named John, my question is on children taking communion for the longest time, I felt like it was very important since the communion table and keep my children until they were catechized or gone to a communion class. Take communion now I'm becoming more convinced that this should be under a covenant of a parental oversight but I'd like your insights on this. Thank you, John. Excellent question should children be taking communion and sometimes gets lumped into what's what's called Pato communion.

That is, you know, younger infants, even those who haven't made a profession of faith when when they're able to eat table food in a you think of your your baby six months older, seven months older, five months old whenever it is a start giving them food that that you want to eat what you start giving that the children communion then as well that's that's called Pato communion will know.

I think that that should be rejected.

It's what historically at least that the Western church in Protestant churches reject they do not embrace that view that are infant should be given communion that the question about the age of children who are welcome to the Lord's table. There's there's diversity of opinion on that.

I am of the conviction that children who believe and have made a profession of faith should be welcomed to the Lord's table, but the date but they need to be believers need to made a profession of faith, not one thing that out little say sometimes you know but I think we we we put the age of when children can understand the gutter when our our kids can understand the gospel is as you know we we really want to make sure they get it and and were not sure that they can it, five, six, seven, and so were really cautious, but one thing that I think it we see throughout Scripture is that oftentimes it was the little children who recognized Jesus before everyone else. I think of Jesus's own prayer in Matthew chapter 11 really a beautiful prayer he says in verse 25 I thank you father, Lord of heaven and earth that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children. Yes father for such was your gracious will. I just a little bit later when Jesus is cleansing the temple we read in verse 14 of Matthew chapter 21 and the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. When the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did and the children crying out in the temple. Hosanna to the son of David, they were indignant and they said to him, do you hear what these are saying.

And Jesus said to them, yes. Have you never read, out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared crazy sometimes and in this we see in the Gospels is oftentimes it was the little children who understood who Jesus was, hosanna to the son of David there calling upon him with that childlike faith and so I think we should be open to the fact that God is at work in our families and our children when they make that profession of faith. I think we should welcome them to the Lord's table, but not before that point.

And part of the reason why why historically Protestants if they have said that is because of what the apostle Paul unpacks in first Corinthians chapter 11 about worthily partaking of the Lord's supper. In particular there in first Corinthians chapter 11 pulses there is there two things that you need to do in order to ward worthily partake of the Lord's supper not to eat and drink judgment to yourself in verse 28 says let a person examine himself. Let a person examine himself then and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup that that word in a mixed test to determine the genuineness of something is calling the Corinthian church to examine themselves as they approach the Lord's table that he says in verse 29 for anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself that were discernment to evaluate or to distinguish between so there two things that he calls the church to do while they're approaching the Lord's table. We need to we need to examine of art examine ourselves of our ability to discern the Lord's body of our faith to feed upon him of our repentance in our love for the Lord our obedience to do things that we should looking at confessing our sins to the Lord and coming to the table in faith to receive the gifts that God is given to us. And so since this is something of the requires active participation right. This is why our children need to make a profession of faith in you to understand what's taking place when we gather around the table. Even in a childlike way to receive the gifts. The gifts of God and so but as I said, I think that I think one of the beautiful things about the gospel is that even children can grasp it through the grace of the Holy Spirit blessed. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez's we do receive a lot of questions about spiritual gifts and speaking in tongues here at the core and today would like to offer you a free resource on that topic you Bill.

We got a brand-new free resource called six things you should know about spiritual gifts and is as you said every week, we received question, sometimes daily about spiritual gifts is speaking in tongues, a sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit are the miraculous gifts like prophecy and speaking in tongues and healing for today or have they ceased. I can identify identify my own spiritual gifts is that the big question I had, you know what what gift God is given to you or what gifts God has given to you. And so we made this resource to help guide you through these important questions. It's again a free download over core, Christianity.com called six things you should know about spiritual gifts. We have a lot of free downloads there at our website really to help you grow in your faith. Learn more about the Christian faith and just help others to learn more and you can go to core Christianity.com/offers to download this new 16 things you should know about spiritual gifts again. Core, Christianity.com/offers to find that go back to the phone.

Scott is on the line from Illinois Scott, what's your question for Pastor Israel hello hey Scott, I would like to know cross and died and where did he go before he rose the third day like today is you don't hear anything about it. I search a script that I couldn't find anything but I got one thought in mind, why think he might've went, but I have no scripture to back it up.

And that is I think my thought he he went down in hell I got rid of all the citizens that was placed on him he can't go to heaven with sin like is that I have no scripture to back that up with you for this. Thank you for that question. This is this is something that has been debated in the church especially we know that there's the apostles Creed and there's the clause in the apostles Creed talks about Christ descending into hell in there maybe was a look at what exactly does that mean what it does not mean is that Christ you know during those those those that period of time he went down and suffered in hell further for our sins know he took all of the suffering on himself at the cross and there are some of it interpreted that that statement and the greed is the judgment that Jesus bore on the cross but on a mission to point out two passages of Scripture Scott to help you out here and I think I think I'll answer your question one. You do have what Jesus said to the thief on the cross in Luke chapter 23, where Jesus gives them the promise of eternal life, and he says remember me in your kingdom and Jesus said to him, truly I say to you today you will be with me in paradise. So there's there's there's one verse there's one text that I think you can you can go to and thing okay Jesus says to this thief on the cross today are to be with me in paradise.

Now another passage that sometimes people will go to is in first Peter chapter 3 and this is verse nine and in what follows that in particular as he begins to get into Christ's suffering. Peter gets into Christ suffering. He says later down in the text in verse 18 Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison and that sort of sounds like what you were getting at kind of really Jesus going and proclaiming something to those in imprisoned.

If you will, but whatever it was, it wasn't that another offer of salvation.

What many people say is this is this is Christ vindication him proclaiming victory over the grave as the one with Concord as the one who has suffered and died and has put away our sins, proclaiming his victory over the graves of those.

Those are two things I think we can say is that you don't. During that. While Jesus's body was in the tomb he was proclaiming his victory if you will, as as the one who would Concord is the one who would accomplish the atonement for us and put away sin once for all. We want to shy away from her just completely reject anything that says that Jesus was suffering in hell.

During that period of time. God bless. Got thanks for the clarification Andrew appreciate that this is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez. If you have a question for a drill about doctrine theology may be a confusing Bible passage. Feel free to give us a call right now will be taking calls for the next 10 minutes or so and here's the phone number is 833. The core that's 833-843-2673 let's go to Diane in Washington, Illinois.

Diane what your question for a drill been reading out of Revelation and Revelation 3 starts off addressing the church of Sardis and in verse five it says he who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the book of life, but I will confess his name before my father and the for his angel now II don't believe you can lose your salvation, but indicate that maybe some people will be blotted out the book of life, which means that they could lose their salvation.

So I was wanting clarification on yes thank you for that question.

The language of the book of life is something that we see way back in the Old Testament, beginning in Exodus chapter 32 were were Moses after the situation with the golden calf is pleading with God and he's been talking about that don't don't blot me out. Of that book of life and and so you have this this language here again in Revelation chapter 3, but not just in Revelation chapter 3.

You also see in Revelation chapter 13 and in Revelation chapter 17 I think we take all of the passages that speak about the book of life together in this idea of names being blotted out of the book of life shed some some helpful light on this question. First, right, we want to remember that that the book of Revelation is this this apocalyptic book that oftentimes speak speaks to us with symbolic imagery so I don't think that God has this this literal book where you know when somebody believes in Jesus.

He writes their name down and then boy they fall away from the faith, he erases them know it's it's this picture of God knowing all those who are his. In Revelation chapter 13 verse eight makes it clear that those who are his. That is, those who are in the book of life have been there from the very beginning. Listen to this. This is verse eight of Revelation 13.

All who dwell on earth will worship it. That is the beast everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain as of this is something that's set secure and what would Jesus is promising to the church at Sardis is you're not going to be blotted out, you who overcome that can't happen is on one since this is this is an encouragement on this is a call I think to assurance that it's not you know hey if you if you fail if you don't have enough good works. I'm just going to erase your name from the book of life. You're no longer going to be saved know those names are there from the very foundation of the world. And so the question is how do we conquer and what does it mean to conquer because Jesus says in verse five the one who conquers will be clothed. Thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life will John who wrote the book of Revelation also wrote a letter. I'm sure you're familiar with first John in first John chapter 5 verse four he says this, everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world same word and this is the victory that is overcome the world. Our faith, who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the son of God. If you trust in Jesus Christ. If you been born again you received them by faith we overcome the world and God keeps us preserves us in our names have been in the book of life since before the foundation of the world So well said by the way, we have a free core guide on this topic. It's called five things you should know about the Bible's final book. It really help you unpack revolution relation and understand that book so feel free to find that at core, Christianity.com/guides look for five things you should know about the Bible's final book was go back to the phones George is on the line from Chesterfield, Missouri George, what's your question for a drill in one place in the Scripture says to be absent from the body is to be present from the Lord and then another places, says the dead in Christ will be raise first, then those who are alive will be changed in an instant. So if the that were already present with the Lord. Why would a bodies are our says the dead in Christ will be raised first two texts of Scripture were thinking about the first 20 run a business in Corinthians 5 verse six. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord is this is you know what the apostle Paul is is highlighting their visit visit when we die we are in the presence of the Lord were were apart from the body. Our bodies go down into the grave.

Our souls are perfected in holiness and we gather together with with all those who have gone before us in Christ and the angels in heaven around the throne of God worshiping him. This is the picture that the author, the Hebrews had in Hebrews chapter 12, it's what we sometimes referred to as the intermediate state that is that period of time from the moment we dine our bodies going to the ground to the final resurrection, which was the other passenger alluding to the final resurrection where our bodies and souls are reunited and were were glorified and and that's the time of that the fullness of the new creation if you will, entering into the fullness of the new creation, but there two things that are being spoken about in and the passages that you reference the other passage that you referenced about the dead in Christ being raised. First, what would what's going on there is the apostle Paul is talking specifically about the final resurrection and he says look when Christ returns those who have died are going to be raised first and then we who are alive and remain are gonna be transformed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and so there is not talking about what takes place. You know, when we dine we were in the presence of the Lord immediately perfected in holiness. He's talking about the last day, the day of resurrection which which all the departed look forward to those who are in the intermediate state which we look forward to that will happen when Jesus Christ our Lord comes back to earth. And so to two different passages there two different focuses of the apostle Paul, but both I think putting before us the hope that we have as believers. First, that when we die will be in the presence of Jesus perfected in holiness and then were looking forward to the final resurrection.

The restoration and glorification of our bodies in the new creation adolescent things that I drew this is core Christianity with pastor Adm. Sanchez. Just a reminder we have that free offer for you today. Six things you should know about spiritual gifts.

You can find that by going to core Christianity.com/offers again core Christianity.com/offers at this question from Roy and he says my church has a giant statue of Jesus that some people try to take selfies with doesn't seem okay to me. What do you think yeah I I don't like it for a couple of reasons. One, I mean, throughout Scripture, it's very clear we don't right now see the Lord Jesus was was present with the disciples, certainly, but we are never called to depict Jesus through statues and images. In fact God. God forbade this in the Old Testament he gave his law were told very specifically not to make any graven images not enough to try to represent God through images and the reason is because so often we we just end up misrepresenting him. We want to let God give us the images. If you will want to let God give us the revelation of himself and that's precisely what he's done in his word. I think about how John begins in in first John chapter 1 of Artie quoted from first John at least once on the broadcast today, but in first John chapter 1 is John is talking about the experience that the apostles had the disciples had with Jesus.

He says that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and have touched with our hands concerning the word of life.

The life was made manifest, and we have seen it. Jesus here and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the father and was made manifest to us that which we have seen and heard we proclaim to you so that you too may have fellowship with us. How do we fix our eyes on Jesus truly is through the proclamation of the words to the preaching of the apostles is what the apostle Paul told the Galatians. For example, right, I placarded Jesus Christ and him crucified before you how it wasn't by painting a big picture you know or creating a statue.

It was through the preaching of the word.

That's the ordained means means that God is given to communicate himself to reveal himself to us to his people and so is outfit want to stick with what God has revealed in his word and also you know just uncomfortable with. Let's have a statue of Jesus. We can all go take selfies of their something strange about that and sacrilegious evening. So appreciate your question Roy and I pray that you will have a blessed day in Christ, Douglas. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers in the menu or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833 when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this program and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together