What is the difference between baptism and the Lord's Supper?
Baptism and the Lord's Supper are the two ordinances Jesus gave His church, and each is rooted in His command. Baptism happens once, at the beginning, and pictures entering into union with Christ in His death and resurrection. The Lord's Supper is repeated, and keeps the church returning to remember the body and blood of Christ until He comes. One marks the start of the Christian walk; the other sustains it along the way.
Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
The study
What the Scripture says
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Both are commandments of Jesus
Jesus commanded baptism as part of making disciples: 'Go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.' He commanded the Supper in the same way: 'Do this in memory of me,' and 'as often as you drink, in memory of me.' Neither is an optional decoration of the church; both come from the Lord's own word and have been kept by the church from the beginning.
Go,and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.”And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
When he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.” In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.”And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Baptism is a one-time act of initiation, showing our once-for-all union with Christ: 'all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death.' The Supper, by contrast, is for a lifetime: Jesus says, 'as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.' Baptism points to the doorway into the Christian life; the Supper is the repeated meal that sustains us on the way.
Or don’t you know that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.
Go,and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.
Baptism pictures death and resurrection with Christ: 'We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death... so we also might walk in newness of life,' and Paul says we were 'buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith.' The Supper pictures our sharing, or communion, in Christ: 'The cup of blessing which we bless, isn't it a sharing of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, isn't it a sharing of the body of Christ?' Entry into the risen life, and ongoing fellowship with the crucified Lord.
We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death, that just like Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
The cup of blessing which we bless, isn’t it a sharing of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, isn’t it a sharing of the body of Christ?The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
Because there is one loaf of bread, we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf of bread.For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
In Scripture the order is clear: those who received the word 'were baptized,' and then 'they continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.' Baptism is the public beginning of following Christ; the Supper is the regular remembrance of Christ by the gathered church. The one is administered to the new believer once, in the presence of the church; the other is shared repeatedly, as the church is built up and remembers together.
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls.Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls. They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
As they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it. He gave to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, “All of you drink it, for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Both ordinances are visible words that point beyond themselves to Christ. Peter is careful about baptism, that it saves 'not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God' through the resurrection of Jesus. And Paul warns that the Supper must be taken with self-examination 'if he doesn't discern the Lord's body.' Whether we are baptized once or take the bread repeatedly, the power is never in the rite but in the Christ they proclaim, and in the faith that lays hold of Him.
This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he doesn’t discern the Lord’s body.Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death, that just like Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
Why does the church practice these two and not more?
We haven't written this one yet. Take it to your church or small group: the Word answers it wherever it is asked. If we study it here later, all the better.
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Verses to meditate on
Go,and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.” Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
Or don’t you know that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death, that just like Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.
The cup of blessing which we bless, isn’t it a sharing of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, isn’t it a sharing of the body of Christ?The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?