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What Must I Do To Be Saved?

  

FROM: 9/22/02 Radio Program

Question:

Why do you partake of the Lord's Supper, but do not observe the Passover? Since Christ was observing the Passover when He instituted the Lord's Supper, why don't you take it all?

Answer:

It is true that when Christ and His apostles observed the Passover together before His crucifixion, He instituted the Lord's Supper. Yet, His actions on that day do not necessitate us observing the Passover in connection with the Lord's Supper. Why not? Because, as has been said in times past, if we are to observe one part of this law, we would be a debtor to do all (Jas. 2:10; Gal. 5:3).

Let us remember, that in observing the Passover: 1) It commemorated the night that the Jews were liberated from Egypt (Ex. 12:25-28). 2) One had to travel to Jerusalem to observe it (Deut. 16:2, 5-6, 16; Jn. 2:13). 3) One had to eat it with his shoes on and a staff in his hand (Ex. 12:11). 4) One and his family had to eat a male yearling (either a sheep or goat) and eat it with bitter herbs (Ex. 12:3, 5, 8). 5) One and his family had to eat all of it at night, and nothing could be left over in the morning (Ex. 12:10). Therefore, if one "born and raised" in Owensboro, KY wished to observe the Passover, could he/she do it? By no means.

In contrast, when we consider the Lord's Supper, we learn: 1) Christ is "our Passover" today (I Cor. 5:7). 2) It can be eaten in any country (Acts 2:42, 20:7; I Cor. 11:23-29, 4:17). 3) It must be observed on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7, 2:42). 4) It is a memorial of the Lord's death (I Cor. 11:26). 5) It has different elements which are to be eaten (I Cor. 11:23-27). Though instituted on the night Christ observed the Passover, the Lord's Supper is quite different, isn't it?

Let us understand that though Christ instituted the Lord's Supper during the Passover, this did not somehow bind Passover observance on us today. Christians are expected to partake of the Lord's Supper as a memorial of what Christ did for us on the cross (Matt. 26:28). He is "our Passover" now, the mediator of the new covenant (Heb. 8:6, 9:15, 12:24), and we need to follow that covenant today.

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