In this post, I will briefly walk through the reasons why communion is not required for salvation and why it is not necessary to perform at every worship gathering. Before diving into the details, I want to clarify the difference between ‘needed’ and ‘beneficial.’ While I believe that communion is a valuable practice, as Jesus said to do it ‘in remembrance of’ Him, it is not biblically accurate to elevate communion to the point where it holds more significance than being a symbolic and intimate way to remember Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
The key points I will discuss in this post are: 1) There is no biblical mandated frequency for communion, and no command for it to be taken at every worship gathering, and 2) Salvation is not dependent on communion.
No Biblical Mandated Frequency for Communion
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Corinthians record the Last Supper, but nowhere does Jesus command that communion must be taken at every gathering of his worshipers. In our earliest gospel, Mark, Jesus does not provide any instruction to “do this in remembrance of me” during the Last Supper or any instruction to carry out this sharing of the bread and wine in the future as they were in that moment. In Corinthians and Luke, when Jesus did say, “Do this in remembrance of me,” His words made it clear the purpose of communion is to remember His sacrifice, not as a mandatory act.
Many individuals who disagree with this stance often reference 1 Corinthians, which says, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me… For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” While this is frequently cited as a command for regular communion, it needs clarification and perspective. The surrounding context shows that Paul is addressing issues in how the Corinthians were treating the Lord’s Supper. For example, Paul says earlier in the passage, “When you come together, it is not really to eat the Lord’s Supper. For when the time comes to eat, each of you proceeds to eat your own supper, and one goes hungry while another becomes drunk.” This indicates the Lord’s Supper was a full meal, not a small ritual with some crackers and grape juice. Furthermore, later in the passage, Paul instructs, “So then, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another,” again implying a shared meal rather than a formal, repeated sacrament of crackers and grape juice. Even if one interprets this passage as referring to the sacrament of modern communion, there is no specific frequency mandated for its observance.
Another debated verse on this subject is Acts 20:7. It says that the believers gathered “on the first day of the week, when we met to break bread.” However, in the broader context, this is clearly a recounting of a specific event and not a prescriptive command for all believers to gather for communion every week. In this passage, the story recounts Paul’s farewell visit to Troas, where he gathered with the believers. The “breaking of bread” mentioned in the verse could easily refer to a communal meal, which was often intertwined with fellowship in early Christian communities, rather than solely referring to the Lord’s Supper (communion). To assume this is referring to communion is to read into the verse, adding meaning that is not found in the text. This interpretation fits with other passages like Acts 2:46, where “breaking bread” is often associated with simple communal meals.
This gathering was an isolated event, part of Paul’s travels and farewell to the believers. There is no indication that this was a regular or weekly command to all Christians. Therefore, Acts 20:7 does not provide a directive to practice communion weekly but rather describes one moment in the life of the early church.
Communion Is Not Required for Salvation
The idea that not taking communion habitually risks one’s salvation has no biblical foundation. Regardless of one’s view on achieving or receiving salvation, nothing in Scripture supports the notion that refraining from communion could lead to damnation.
Romans 10:9-11 clearly states, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart, leading to righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, leading to salvation. The Scripture says, ‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’”
The thief on the cross is a perfect example of someone who received salvation without partaking in communion. In Luke 23:42-43, the thief simply expressed faith in Jesus (confessed with his mouth), and Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” This alone demonstrates that communion is not essential for entering heaven.
A common counterargument is based on John 6:53, where Jesus says, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” However, examining the broader context shows that Jesus is clearly speaking metaphorically, emphasizing the necessity of spiritually accepting His sacrifice, not the physical act of communion. He later clarifies in John 6:63: “The Spirit gives life; the flesh is useless. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life,” making it clear that His earlier words were not literal but spiritual.
Jesus’ reference to Himself as the “living bread” that came down from heaven (John 6:51) draws a metaphorical parallel between His sacrificial death and the need for spiritual nourishment. The confusion of the Jews in this passage, who ask, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” (John 6:52), shows that they also misunderstood His symbolic language. His teaching in this passage points believers toward a deeper, spiritual understanding and acceptance, not a literal command to eat His flesh and drink His blood.
Again, even if one interprets this passage as referring to communion, there is no biblical mandate for a specific frequency of its observance. Jesus’ words focus on the importance of spiritual belief, not the modern version of some ritualistic requirement.
Conclusion
While communion can undoubtedly benefit one’s spiritual relationship with Christ and serves as a historically significant practice to help believers reflect on and remember Jesus’ sacrifice, there is no biblical basis to claim that it must be observed at every gathering of believers or that it is required for salvation. Scripture does not suggest that one’s eternal destiny is determined by the frequency of taking communion. Instead, Jesus Himself describes it as a symbolic act of remembrance, meant to be practiced with reverence but not as a legalistic requirement.
As Christians, we should all appreciate the different ways we worship, the way we praise our Lord and the choices different churches make on a weekly basis. As long as we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord, believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and love our neighbors as ourselves, I believe it is very clear we are welcomed into the kingdom of heaven.
