Communion is one sacrament of the Christian faith. It is a time when Christians, usually with other believers, will drink juice or wine and eat some kind of bread, which represents Jesus’ broken body and spilled blood. For every believer, there will be a time when you take your first communion. Within denominations, there may be different rules or traditions surrounding when someone can take their first communion. While the Bible does not speak specifically about taking a first communion, there are guidelines regarding communion in general. Those guidelines should govern when someone is ready to take their first communion.
What Is the Goal of Communion?
The first person who ever served communion was Jesus, and with it, he established the goals of communion. Here are three of them.
1 - To Remember his sacrifice
“And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’” (Luke 22:19)
Communion is a time to remember what it took for Jesus to pay for our salvation. His body had to be broken. His blood had to be spilled. Every time you take communion, you should remind yourself of Jesus’ great sacrifice made for our sins.
2 - To Recognize the new covenant
“In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’” (Luke 22:20)
The body and blood of Jesus removed the need for the old covenant and created a new one. It is not just new. It is better. This covenant is not based on our ability to keep the law but on his shed blood, which provides forgiveness and cleansing. Communion is a time to be thankful and recognize that we have been redeemed with the precious blood of Jesus. This eternal covenant, sealed in his blood, has washed away our sins forever.
3 - To proclaim his death
“For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26)
The other goal of communion is to proclaim the death of Jesus for our sins. This proclamation is essential to the message of the gospel. During communion, you have an opportunity to refocus your attention on the message we proclaim to the world.
What Is First Communion in Liturgical Traditions?
Within the Catholic Church and some Protestant denominations, first communion is a significant event. It marks the first time a baptized individual receives the bread and wine/juice during the Mass or worship service. In the Catholic Church, this usually happens around the age of seven, which is considered the age of reason. The age of first communion may vary among other denominations.
Before receiving first communion, there is typically a time of preparation which helps instill an understanding of the significance of this sacrament. In some traditions, the participants wear white garments to symbolize innocence and purity during the ceremony. Taking first communion is supposed to signal a deepening of a person’s relationship with Jesus and a full welcome into the church’s life.
Should Young Christians Take Their First Communion After Being Saved?
So, when is the right time for someone to take their first communion? The answer is it depends. I got saved when I was six years old. As I write this article, I can remember sitting in a service when I was probably eight or nine, where communion was being served. I don’t remember if this was the first time I took communion, but I did not know the true meaning of what we were doing. To me and my friend sitting next to me, it was just a small cup of juice and a piece of cracker.
However, it was not my age that did not allow me to understand it. Someone had not yet taught me what it really meant. So, while age may matter, understanding matters more. Therefore, if someone is a young Christian (by age or recent conversion) and can fully comprehend all that communion represents, there is no reason to withhold it from them.
I mentioned before the Bible does not speak to first communion, but it gives some general communion guidelines in 1 Corinthians 11.
“So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.” (1 Corinthians 11:27-29)
If someone can recognize what communion is, what the elements represent, and examine their heart, then they can take communion correctly. For people like this, age should not be the determining factor. Whether young in age or a young believer, they should be allowed to take it if they can recognize and discern the importance of why we take communion. This means someone seven could be fully ready for communion while someone 70 may not.
How Can We Talk with Cultural Christians about First Communion?
Some people were raised in churches where communion was more about formality than faith. By that, I mean they did it because it was part of the custom of their church, but they did not fully understand the true significance of what they were doing.
For someone to really appreciate what communion represents, they must first have been redeemed by the blood that Jesus spilled. When someone has been raised in a culture of communion, then it can be easy for it to be nothing more than a ritual and not a reflection of genuine faith. If you are dealing with someone who has taken communion in this fashion, then what do you do? I believe you educate to liberate.
First, you must educate them on salvation and what that means. So many people get the pathway to salvation wrong. I have had many conversations with people who were baptized when they were babies, and they believe that is enough. We know from scripture that salvation requires a confession of faith, and a baby cannot do that. So, let us genuinely and lovingly share the gospel and instruct them of what is required to be saved. Let’s confirm they have faith in Christ before we can move them to the next part.
Second, you must educate them on why we need to do this. The best way to do this is to ask them why they are taking or have taken communion. Their answer will let you know what direction to take in the conversation.
Third, if they have never taken communion with the right perspective and understanding, lead them into a communion celebration. If you don’t feel comfortable or qualified to do that, find a pastor or leader in the church to do it with you. That way, you, your friend, and that leader can celebrate together the joy of taking communion.
Communion is a wonderful time to focus and reflect on all Jesus has done for us. Let’s make sure we are teaching those around us correctly so whether it’s their first communion or one of many, we can all rejoice in the body and blood of Jesus given for our salvation.
Photo Credit: Unsplash/Debby Hudson
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