by J. C. Ryle
(1) Right reception of the Lord's Supper has a "humbling" effect on the soul. The sight of the bread and wine as emblems of Christ's body and blood, reminds us how sinful sin must be—if nothing less than the death of God's own Son could make satisfaction for it, or redeem us from its guilt! Never should we be so "clothed with humility," as when we receive the Lord's Supper.
(2) Right reception of the Lord's Supper has a "cheering" effect on the soul. The sight of the bread broken, and the wine poured out—reminds us how full, perfect, and complete is our salvation! Those vivid emblems remind us what an enormous price has been paid for our redemption. They press on us the mighty truth—that believing on Christ, we have nothing to fear, because a sufficient payment has been made for our sin debt. The "precious blood of Christ" answers every charge that can be brought against us. God can be "just and the one who justifies, those who have faith in Jesus" (Romans 3:26).
(3) Right reception of the Lord's Supper has a "sanctifying" effect on the soul. The bread and wine remind us how great is our debt of gratitude to our Lord, and how thoroughly we are bound to live for Him who died for our sins. They seem to say to us, "Remember what Christ has done for you—and ask yourself whether there is anything too great to do for Him!"
(4) Right reception of the Lord's Supper into hearts, has a "restraining" effect on the soul. Every time a believer receives the bread and the wine, he is reminded what a serious thing it is to be a Christian, and what an obligation is laid on him to lead a consistent life. Bought with such a great price, as that which the bread and wine call to his recollection, ought he not to glorify Christ in body and spirit, which are His? The man who goes regularly and intelligently to the Lord's Table finds it increasingly hard to yield to sin and conform to the world.
Such is a brief account of the benefits which a right-hearted Christian may expect to receive from the Lord's Supper. In eating that bread and drinking that cup, such a man will have . . . his repentance deepened, his faith increased, his knowledge enlarged, his habit of holy living strengthened. He will see more clearly what Christ is to him—and what he is to Christ. He will feel the roots of his soul's spiritual life watered, and the work of grace in his heart established, built up, and carried forward. No wonder that a true Christian finds the Lord's Supper a source of blessing!
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From J. C. Ryle, "The Lord's Supper"
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Related Resources
Short Treatise on the Supper of Our Lord by John Calvin
What Makes Something a Sacrament? by Dr Michael s Horton
The Fundamental Significance of the Lord's Supper by B B Warfield
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