Eating & Drinking Jesus Daily - Who emphasizes this besides the LC?

[Sons to Glory!]

(I searched but didn't come up with any threads on here about eating and drinking Jesus, so I thought to start one.)

This was a big theme with the LC back in the day. There are plenty of instances in the word that talk about eating and drinking the Lord, perhaps most famously where Jesus Himself said in John 6:53, "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you." When He spoke it, it says many were offended and left, and I can certainly see why! Many, many other places talk about eating and/or drinking. The Lord's Table is another famous example and Paul talks about drinking the One Spirit. There's much more in the word about this, of course.

I'm convinced that eating and drinking Christ is something beyond just a mental comprehension, and is something of the Spirit that actually nourishes our spirit deep within. Many times, it seems, this nourishing is something that's connected to my mouth, that is I often get more fed spiritually, when speaking the word or singing or praying aloud.

But I have to say that the LC is one of the few places that I've heard about this (except here in Scottsdale) over the years. Different ones certainly mention the significance of the Lord's Table, but I don't know I've heard eating and drinking related much to my daily walk with Christ - that is, to eat Him on a daily basis that I might live by Him.

Now in reading certain authors (T. Austin Sparks comes to mind, Andrew Murray and maybe Piper) they certainly speak regarding this matter of eating to be strengthened into the inner man and to live Christ daily. But I've been to a few places and have been exposed to a fair amount of Christian radio and TV, and I can't remember when I've heard this specific teaching.

Any-a-ways - I thought this might be an interesting topic to discuss.

[Jo S]

Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!

(I searched but didn't come up with any threads on here about eating and drinking Jesus, so I thought to start one.)

This was a big theme with the LC back in the day. There are plenty of instances in the word that talk about eating and drinking the Lord, perhaps most famously where Jesus Himself said in John 6:53, "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you." When He spoke it, it says many were offended and left, and I can certainly see why! Many, many other places talk about eating and/or drinking. The Lord's Table is another famous example and Paul talks about drinking the One Spirit. There's much more in the word about this, of course.

I'm convinced that eating and drinking is something beyond just a mental comprehension, and is something of the Spirit that actually nourishes our spirit deep within. Many times, it seems, this nourishing is something that's connected to my mouth, that is I often get more fed spiritually, when speaking the word or singing or praying aloud.

But I have to say that the LC is one of the few places that I've heard about this (except here in Scottsdale) over the years. Different ones certainly mention the significance of the Lord's Table, but I don't know I've heard eating and drinking related much to my daily walk with Christ - that is, to eat Him on a daily basis that I might live by Him.

Now in reading certain authors (T. Austin Sparks comes to mind, Andrew Murray and maybe Piper) they certainly speak regarding this matter of eating to be strengthened into the inner man and to live Christ daily. But I've been to a few places and have been exposed to a fair amount of Christian radio and TV, and I can't remember when I've heard this specific teaching.

Any-a-ways - I thought this might be an interesting topic to discuss.

StG, you really have to put yourself in the cultural mindset of the Jewish people in order to understand what Christ meant by eating his flesh and drinking his blood. Even then the Jewish people didn't understand Jesus because he was referring himself, a human being, as being the sacrifice which was to cleanse the people from their sins.

Eating Christ's flesh and blood is an allegorical representation of animal sacrifice. Christ is prophesying to the people that unless they accept his sacrifice, they can not be cleansed from sin. Nothing more to it....

Receiving the Holy Spirit through repentance is a one time event. You don't have to keep eating and drinking. If spiritual gluttony were a term in the bible, I'd use it to describe mysticism. Paul's use of the term "given" in 1 Corinthians 12:13 is denoting a past event, not a continual drinking of the spirit.

When the simplicity of Christ isn't enough for people they tend to over-spiritualize scriptures. This is what the local churches do and this is what mysticism is. It looks for hidden meanings and nuances in the text that simply aren't there.

The bottom line is if you lack repentance toward God yet want to remain "spiritual" you'll always fall into mysticism...

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by Jo S

Receiving the Holy Spirit through repentance is a one time event. You don't have to keep eating and drinking. If spiritual gluttony were a term in the bible, I'd use it to describe mysticism. Paul's use of the term "given" in 1 Corinthians 12:13 is denoting a past event, not a continual drinking of the spirit.

When the simplicity of Christ isn't enough for people they tend to over-spiritualize scriptures. This is what the local churches do and this is what mysticism is. It looks for hidden meanings and nuances in the text that simply aren't there.

The bottom line is if you lack repentance toward God yet want to remain "spiritual" you'll always fall into mysticism...

Hmm, boy I'm glad I only have to eat just once to sustain my physical life! Oh wait, no I dont and no I'm not glad - because I like to eat, and I get to do it a number of times today! If I didn't eat frequently, my energy would suffer greatly (except the energy to find something to eat).

And why do we do the Lord's Table more than once?

And what about drinking - we have to do that even more often . . . is there perhaps a picture there? What I think you're saying sounds a little like the idea that "I've got my ticket punched, now I don't need anything until I go to heaven," doesn't it?

"As the dear panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." Psalm 42:1

[Jo S]

Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!

Hmm, boy I'm glad I only have to eat just once to sustain my physical life! Oh wait, no I dont and no I'm not glad - because I like to eat, and I get to do it a number of times today! If I didn't eat frequently, my energy would suffer greatly (except the energy to find something to eat).

And why do we do the Lord's Table more than once?

And what about drinking - we have to do that even more often . . . is there perhaps a picture there? What I think you're saying sounds a little like the idea that "I've got my ticket punched, now I don't need anything until I go to heaven," doesn't it?

"As the dear panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." Psalm 42:1

Even though you need to continually eat and drink to sustain physical life, you still die in the end. The same is with the mystical approach to spirituality. You can eat and drink of all the spiritual experiences you can handle but in the end it eventually leads to separation from God.

Scripture says that those born of God will have rivers of living water flowing out of their belly. Your interpretations imply that our belly needs filling as if we were dehydrated and devoid of Christ.

Interpreting the bible through mysticism makes Christianity sound appealingly mysterious and esoteric but in reality what this does is it twists the truth 180 degrees.

Christ said not to give thought to what we eat or drink. The same is with our spiritual needs. If you have faith in God, He will provide. The ongoing process of sanctification in a Christian's life is a work of God, not a work of our own.

[Raptor]

StG... The thought of the importance of eating spiritually is highlighted in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The Lord presented Himself as food and drink to us over and over again. I think it's a great mercy to see that and to learn how to eat, drink, absorb and enjoy the Lord... daily! Once you see this AND have the experience you realize it's crucial for our growth and strength. Like other practices, though, it's important not to allow this to become something mechanical and impersonal. It is not a "thing", but we are dealing with a Person and enjoying Him...(And I agree, I don´t think there are many places that teach this or practice this on a daily basis.)

[Jo S]

Raptor,

May I ask; do you still meet with the LC's (LSM/GLA)?

[Indiana]

Originally Posted by Raptor

StG... The thought of the importance of eating spiritually is highlighted in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The Lord presented Himself as food and drink to us over and over again. I think it's a great mercy to see that and to learn how to eat, drink, absorb and enjoy the Lord... daily! Once you see this AND have the experience you realize it's crucial for our growth and strength. Like other practices, though, it's important not to allow this to become something mechanical and impersonal. It is not a "thing", but we are dealing with a Person and enjoying Him...(And I agree, I don´t think there are many places that teach this or practice this on a daily basis.)

Right on the Mark. Thank you Raptor. This is major for believers unto the building up of the Body of Christ. Thank you Sons to Glory! To eat him is to live by Him... and be led by Him, "leading many sons into glory".

[Indiana]

Originally Posted by Raptor

StG... The thought of the importance of eating spiritually is highlighted in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The Lord presented Himself as food and drink to us over and over again. I think it's a great mercy to see that and to learn how to eat, drink, absorb and enjoy the Lord... daily! Once you see this AND have the experience you realize it's crucial for our growth and strength. Like other practices, though, it's important not to allow this to become something mechanical and impersonal. It is not a "thing", but we are dealing with a Person and enjoying Him...(And I agree, I don´t think there are many places that teach this or practice this on a daily basis.)

I have not seen this practiced anywhere else, like in the LC.

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by Jo S

Interpreting the bible through mysticism makes Christianity sound appealingly mysterious and esoteric but in reality what this does is it twists the truth 180 degrees.

Christ said not to give thought to what we eat or drink. The same is with our spiritual needs. If you have faith in God, He will provide. The ongoing process of sanctification in a Christian's life is a work of God, not a work of our own.

I thought you would be responding to this subject, based upon what some prior discussion had been - welcome aboard!

The Spirit is mysterious, is it not? It blows this way and that, and you can't see where it comes or goes. That is the nature of the unseen. Now the seen, we have no need for any faith there, because it is immensely apparent. So calling everything that happens in the unseen spiritual realm "mysticism" is a big misnomer I think. Hey, just by someone believing in Christ, many would label that mysticism!

But you have something you believe you have seen about WL and the LC, in that it was all mysticism, and that's fine. Perhaps they were too far in the experience direction of things. But I think we can go too far in labeling them (or any Christians) as this or that - we don't do ourselves any favors, and it can wind up blinding us through the categorization.

Concerning your 2nd paragraph (copied above), this is a big mystery too! The verse that comes to me is Philippians 2:12-13, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both the willing and the working for His good pleasure." So who's doing the working in us? God! But why does Paul also exhort us to "work out your own salvation"? We do have some part to play in this, as we still have a free will. We must choose to put the metaphorical car in gear, in order to experience all the power of the engine, right? Otherwise we just sit there.

This goes towards an accountability believers have. We must give an accounting of all that's been done "while in the body," at the judgement seat of Christ. (2 Cor 5:10) The Christian life is us opening to Him for initial salvation, then continuing to open to Him for His ongoing working in us. So we take Him in initially and "that which is born of Spirit is spirit" happens and we are joined to Him as one Spirit. (John 3:6 & 1 Cor. 6:17) You can't run this decades long race without ongoing nourishment, but we can still choose to eat and drink or not.

An old song has been running through me the last few days, and seemingly came out of nowhere. I thought to share it with you. It's from 1st Corinthians.

The last Adam became
A Life-Giving Spirit.
In one Spirit we're baptized
Into one body.
And all were given to drink -
To drink One Spirit.
So hallelujah drink Him
The Life-Giving Spirit!

[Bubbles!]

Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!

Hmm, boy I'm glad I only have to eat just once to sustain my physical life! Oh wait, no I dont and no I'm not glad - because I like to eat, and I get to do it a number of times today! If I didn't eat frequently, my energy would suffer greatly (except the energy to find something to eat).

And why do we do the Lord's Table more than once?

And what about drinking - we have to do that even more often . . . is there perhaps a picture there? What I think you're saying sounds a little like the idea that "I've got my ticket punched, now I don't need anything until I go to heaven," doesn't it?

"As the dear panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." Psalm 42:1

I haven't read this entire thread yet, but, I can tell that the ''mysticism bugaboo'' is certainly part of it!
You can go too far with any kind of emphasis in doctrine or practice. A.W. Tozer suggested a healthy balance of the mystics and the Puritans in our reading. I go by that.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Bubbles!

I haven't read this entire thread yet, but, I can tell that the ''mysticism bugaboo'' is certainly part of it!
You can go too far with any kind of emphasis in doctrine or practice. A.W. Tozer suggested a healthy balance of the mystics and the Puritans in our reading. I go by that.

Anything, and I mean anything, can be taken too far!

The watchword is, as you said, is "healthy balance."

I'm a firm believer that reading thru the Bible provides much needed healthy balance.

Many Christians frankly spend far too much time reading books, rather than God's word, and this is often the #1 reason for unbalance. Writing our own books, whether published or not, can be far healthier for us than merely reading other's books.

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by Ohio

Anything, and I mean anything, can be taken too far!

The watchword is, as you said, is "healthy balance."

I'm a firm believer that reading thru the Bible provides much needed healthy balance.

Many Christians frankly spend far too much time reading books, rather than God's word, and this is often the #1 reason for unbalance. Writing our own books, whether published or not, can be far healthier for us than merely reading other's books.

There are two main things to balance IMHO: 1) The pure word 2) The Anointing. With only the written word, there may be no revelation and everything gets legalistic. And without the balancing word, everything can get all experiential based, and drift into who-knows-what kind of practices.

We have been given both and need both - the indwelling Spirit within and the written word without. And I would also add fellowship - we were made as a called-out gathering (ekklesia) which we are told not to forsake, and for good reason.

And you're right, reading spiritual authors constantly, with little focus on the pure word, is also a BIG trap!

[Bubbles!]

Originally Posted by Ohio

Anything, and I mean anything, can be taken too far!

The watchword is, as you said, is "healthy balance."

I'm a firm believer that reading thru the Bible provides much needed healthy balance.

Many Christians frankly spend far too much time reading books, rather than God's word, and this is often the #1 reason for unbalance. Writing our own books, whether published or not, can be far healthier for us than merely reading other's books.

Unfortunately, most of us are not gifted enough to be writing our own books. In fact, most of us are not gifted enough to receive ''high revelation,'' or even correct interpretation, every time we read the Bible for ourselves. Most of us need some help from experienced teachers. We have to trust our own Spirit to detect any errors. Or, we may just see differently than the teacher we are reading at the time. A good healthy balance of listening to trusted teachers, and reading just the pure Word, is needed.

[Bubbles!]

Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!

(I searched but didn't come up with any threads on here about eating and drinking Jesus, so I thought to start one.)

This was a big theme with the LC back in the day. There are plenty of instances in the word that talk about eating and drinking the Lord, perhaps most famously where Jesus Himself said in John 6:53, "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you." When He spoke it, it says many were offended and left, and I can certainly see why! Many, many other places talk about eating and/or drinking. The Lord's Table is another famous example and Paul talks about drinking the One Spirit. There's much more in the word about this, of course.

I'm convinced that eating and drinking Christ is something beyond just a mental comprehension, and is something of the Spirit that actually nourishes our spirit deep within. Many times, it seems, this nourishing is something that's connected to my mouth, that is I often get more fed spiritually, when speaking the word or singing or praying aloud.

But I have to say that the LC is one of the few places that I've heard about this (except here in Scottsdale) over the years. Different ones certainly mention the significance of the Lord's Table, but I don't know I've heard eating and drinking related much to my daily walk with Christ - that is, to eat Him on a daily basis that I might live by Him.

Now in reading certain authors (T. Austin Sparks comes to mind, Andrew Murray and maybe Piper) they certainly speak regarding this matter of eating to be strengthened into the inner man and to live Christ daily. But I've been to a few places and have been exposed to a fair amount of Christian radio and TV, and I can't remember when I've heard this specific teaching.

Any-a-ways - I thought this might be an interesting topic to discuss.

In these days, I think it's very hard to find any practice in line with the Scripture, in regard to eating, drinking and breathing Christ. I think you'd have to go back a ways to find something even close. I bet you could come up with something from some earlier Christian mystics.

[JJ]

Originally Posted by Bubbles!

In these days, I think it's very hard to find any practice in line with the Scripture, in regard to eating, drinking and breathing Christ. I think you'd have to go back a ways to find something even close. I bet you could come up with something from some earlier Christian mystics.

Here’s an old book on this topic I found out about a while back
https://www.monergism.com/glorious-feast-gospel-ebook

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by Bubbles!

In these days, I think it's very hard to find any practice in line with the Scripture, in regard to eating, drinking and breathing Christ. I think you'd have to go back a ways to find something even close. I bet you could come up with something from some earlier Christian mystics.

Oh no - don't bring up the hot topic of CHRISTIAN MYSTICS! Some get riled-up concerning that subject; personally I think it's kinda fun! (sorry UntoHim)

[Bubbles!]

Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!

Oh no - don't bring up the hot topic of CHRISTIAN MYSTICS! Some get riled-up concerning that subject; personally I think it's kinda fun! (sorry UntoHim)

On Christian TV, I sometimes come across two guys who go strictly according to Herman. ( Mr. Nuetics, that is ) They're supposed to be ''preaching the gospel'' but, all they do is tell everyone how sinful they are. They don't invite them to receive the Lord. I guess that they leave that up to predestination, like a lot of extreme Calvinists do.