Recently the elders in our congregation decided
to make a few adjustments to our practice of communion. Starting next week
there will be a few differences in our celebration of the sacrament. First, we
will be using freshly baked unleavened bread, and the loaf will be blessed and
broken in front of the church before being distributed (Matt. 26:26; 1Cor.
10:16-17). Second, the elders will carry the trays containing the bread and the
fruit of the vine to the congregation, emphasizing in a symbolic way their
responsibility to feed the flock. Third, cups of wine will be added to the
trays so those partaking may choose either the traditional communion wine or
grape juice as we used before. We recognize this third change, the offering of
wine in addition to grape juice, is likely to be the most surprising or
potentially offensive to some members, so we thought it wise to briefly explain
why we decided to begin doing so.
There is absolutely no doubt the
Church used (fermented) wine in communion for almost two thousand years after
Christ instituted the Lord’s Supper. The process for pasteurizing grape juice
was only invented in the late 1800’s (by a man named Welch). The widespread use of grape juice in communion is almost
entirely a modern, American phenomenon. So how did it get started, and why? It
largely began as part of the Temperance Movement in the 19th
century. Some Christians and advocates of social change responded to the
frequent abuse of alcohol by campaigning for complete abstinence. Prohibition
was one, temporary, result of this social movement. The use of grape juice in
communion was another, one which endures to present day.
Contrary to what many American
Christians believe (and some denominations affirm), the Bible does not
universally forbid drinking alcohol. Scripture does strongly condemn drunkenness (Prov. 20:1; 23:20, 29-35; Gal.
5:19-22), but wine is a symbol of God’s grace and abundant blessing on His
people (Deut. 7:13; Psa. 104:15; Joel 3:18). Wine is to be enjoyed by God’s
people, in moderation and not to drunkenness, as a celebration of His goodness
in our lives (Deut. 14:26; Isa. 55:1; John 2:1-10). It is perfectly lawful for
a Christian to choose to completely abstain from alcohol, and some probably
should do so for reasons of health. But drinking alcohol moderately is a matter
of Christian liberty, and its use in communion is a fact of biblical and Christian
history.
Some may object that using wine in
communion may cause a brother or sister to stumble, but practicing biblical
ordinances with biblical elements and using them in a biblical way is never a
cause for stumbling. Furthermore, grape juice will continue to be provided in
the same trays for those who wish to abstain, so no one will ever be asked to
do something which violates their conscience or might lead them into sin.
Brothers in Christ must be careful not to exercise their liberty or scruples in
a way that causes another to stumble (Rom. 14:1-23), but this is just as true
for the “weaker brother” who refuses to drink wine as it is for the “stronger
brother” who does so. Both are instructed to follow their own convictions
without forcing the other to comply.
Starting next Sunday the trays
containing the fruit of the vine will have two options. In the center of the
trays will be cups containing grape juice. The outer two rings will contain
cups of wine. We will use white grape juice and red wine each week to make the
distinction more obvious. Each participant can choose for themselves which
emblem to drink. Either will satisfy the biblical requirement of using the
“fruit of the vine” (Matt. 26:29). No one is made better or worse by using one
or the other. The point of communion is Christ, not the presence or absence of
fermentation.
