Did the Early Churches Commune with the Lord?

by Terry Wane Benton

You might think it is easy to answer with a "Yes," and it is. However, when an AD 70 advocate gets a hold of almost any topic, the simple becomes very complex, and they would answer the title question with a no. I’m not kidding! Here are quotes from Steve Baisden:

1. "Jesus said He would observe the communion with His disciples when it was fulfilled in the Kingdom (Luke 22:16-20). Terry says he observes it like the Corinthians, without the Lord, but then says it will be more intimate when the Lord returns." [Baisden Third Affirmative, Baisden-Benton Debate].
2. "Jesus was not partaking with the Corinthians, nor with Terry (per Terry’s admission), since Jesus said He wouldn’t because it was not fulfilled at that time; Terry still has it unfulfilled." [Baisden Fourth Affirmative].
3. "The Corinthians were observing the communion, looking for Jesus' return; therefore, they were not taking the communion with the Lord, but partaking of it in anticipation of His return. Yet, when He comes, the futurists say, the communion ends, which means they will never partake with Him. Their position is this: 'We partake of it without Him, waiting for His return, then when He comes, it ends.' Oh the blind hardhearted position they have put themselves in, i.e., never to commune with the Lord, all the while, Jesus said He would commune with all in his house when it was fulfilled in the kingdom: 'For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God,' (Luke 22:16). Folks, the Bible is right, not those looking for an end to communing with the Lord!" [From his article posted on his Facebook page].

Thus, Steve is affirming that for forty years the early churches were not communing with the Lord, but communing with each other without the Lord, and that this would be the case right up until AD 70, when he says the Lord came, the elements were fulfilled in the kingdom, and Jesus began communing with them. So, let us examine this claim. Is Baisden correct?

What does “new with you in the kingdom” mean?

In Luke’s account, Jesus said He would not drink this fruit of the vine until it is “fulfilled in the kingdom” (Luke 22:16). We ask, “Was it fulfilled in Acts 2?” or was it only fulfilled in AD 70? Baisden contends that when the disciples broke bread in Acts 2:42, it was without the Lord, and that would be the case for the next forty years. Jesus said He would “drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29; Mark 14:25). The question is, did they start drinking it new with Jesus in the Father’s kingdom on the day of Pentecost, or forty years later in AD 70? The evidence is that all things were new in Acts 2, forty years before AD 70.

“All Things Were New” in Christ

Jesus would drink it new with you in the kingdom. The kingdom was in place on Pentecost (Acts 2) when Jesus was “now both Lord and Christ” (anointed king). The believers were right then “translated out of darkness and into the kingdom of God’s dear Son” (Colossians 1:13). They were now in Christ, where all spiritual blessings were found and enjoyed (Ephesians 1:3,7f). Paul said all things had become new in Christ (II Corinthians 5:16-6:2). Thus, they had all things new in Christ. Therefore, they were drinking the fruit of the vine, new in the kingdom. The word for “communion” is the same as “fellowship”. Fellowship or communion was with Jesus, not without Christ. I John 1:1-4 says that our communion or fellowship is with the Father and the Son. Baisden is therefore in error. The Corinthians were not communing without the Lord Jesus. They were communing with Jesus, new in the kingdom.

It is absurd to contend that communion with the body and blood of Christ is without communion with Christ. The Lord’s Supper is communion with the body and blood of Christ (I Corinthians 10:16), and you cannot commune with Jesus’ body and blood without communion with Christ. Thus, we are communing with Christ, new in the kingdom. The night before Jesus’ betrayal and crucifixion was when Jesus announced that He would not drink it with them until it was new in the kingdom, and it would take Jesus’ body and blood to establish the kingdom. After Jesus’ death, resurrection, ascension, and sending of the Helper, the Holy Spirit, the kingdom was established, and the disciples were now “breaking bread” in a new way within the kingdom. They were right then, communing with the Lord in the kingdom.

If they were new themselves in Christ, new in the kingdom, and having fellowship with the Father and the Son in the kingdom, then they were eating the bread and drinking the grape juice new, in a new and more meaningful way than they did before His death, resurrection, and ascension. To say otherwise is to reveal how spiritually blinded one has become by imbibing the indoctrinational cup of modern Realized Eschatology for too long.

Till He Comes

The Corinthians were told to “do this till He comes” (I Corinthians 11:26). Why do this till He comes? Because when He comes, the material elements of the world will melt with fervent heat (II Peter 3:10f). We will not be communing with these elements anymore. The elements did not melt in AD 70 because Jesus did not come then. He came representatively in the Roman army to judge and destroy Jerusalem. When He comes personally Himself, we will leave this earthly domain and be caught up together to meet Him in the air and ever be with the Lord. The Lord did not come and catch up His people into the air to be with Him forever in AD 70 (I Thessalonians 4:13-18). We are still taking the bread and fruit of the vine in communion with Him till He comes. The fact that we are still doing this is proof that Jesus has not yet come.

Baisden and company are mistaken. We have been communing with Christ, new in the kingdom, ever since the day of Pentecost. We will cease the physical Lord’s Supper when He comes, because corruptible things don’t go into the incorruptible heavens. Our communion with Jesus will take a different form. Fellowship or communion with Jesus will never cease, but using corruptible elements for memorial purposes will cease “when He comes.” This being the case, the arguments advanced by AD 70 individuals are patently false. Do not be deceived!