Q: 78. Do then the bread and wine become the very body and blood of Christ?
A: Not at all: but as the water in baptism is not changed into the blood of Christ, neither is the washing away of sin itself, being only the sign and confirmation thereof appointed of God; so the bread in the Lord’s supper is not changed into the very body of Christ; though agreeably to the nature and properties of sacraments, it is called the body of Christ Jesus.

Q: 79. Why then does Christ call the bread “his body”, and the cup “his blood”, or “the new covenant in his blood”; and Paul the “communion of body and blood of Christ”?
A: Christ speaks thus, not without great reason, namely, not only thereby to teach us, that as bread and wine support this temporal life, so his crucified body and shed blood are the true meat and drink, whereby our souls are fed to eternal life; but more especially by these visible signs and pledges to assure us, that we are as really partakers of his true body and blood by the operation of the Holy Spirit as we receive by the mouths of our bodies these holy signs in remembrance of him; and that all his sufferings and obedience are as certainly ours, as if we had in our own persons suffered and made satisfaction for our sins to God.

Applications
1. There is not much to say on question 78. However, I do like the analogy to baptism.

2. Question and answer 79 is rich with great theological truth. First, note again that the Lord’s Supper is a sign of assurance. It is there to assure us that we are really partakers of Christ’s body and blood. In other words, the point of the supper is not to make us doubt whether we really partake of Christ’s blood or not. Second, the picture painted of imputation is beautiful. God looks on us, because of the work of Christ, as if we ourselves had suffered and made satisfaction for our sins. We are united to Christ in such a way that his sacrifice becomes ours. His righteousness becomes ours. This is good news indeed!

Q: 75. How are you admonished and assured in the Lord’s Supper, that you are a partaker of that one sacrifice of Christ, accomplished on the cross, and of all his benefits?
A: Thus: That Christ has commanded me and all believers, to eat of this broken bread, and to drink of this cup, in remembrance of him, adding these promises: first, that his body was offered and broken on the cross for me, and his blood shed for me, as certainly as I see with my eyes, the bread of the Lord broken for me, and the cup communicated to me; and further, that he feeds and nourishes my soul to everlasting life, with his crucified body and shed blood, as assuredly as I receive from the hands of the minister, and taste with my mouth the bread and cup of the Lord, as certain signs of the body and blood of Christ.

Q: 76. What is it then to eat the crucified body, and drink the shed blood of Christ?
A: It is not only to embrace with believing heart all the sufferings and death of Christ and thereby to obtain the pardon of sin, and life eternal; but also, besides that, to become more and more united to his sacred body, by the Holy Spirit, who dwells both in Christ and in us; so that we, though Christ is in heaven and we on earth, are notwithstanding “flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone” and that we live, and are governed forever by one spirit, as members of the same body are by one soul.

Q: 77. Where has Christ promised that he will as certainly feed and nourish believers with his body and bleed, as they eat of this broken bread, and drink of this cup?
A: In the institution of the supper, which is thus expressed: “The Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and: said: 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 often as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For, as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.”. This promise is repeated by the holy apostle Paul, where he says “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? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.”

Applications
1. Question 75 is one of the most marvelous statements of the purpose of the Lord’s Supper in print. And guess what? It makes the exact same point as was made in the baptism section. The sacraments are there to assure us of our salvation. How many modern churches use communion to do exactly the opposite? Communion is a time to doubt your salvation. Communion is the time to wonder if we actually do believe or not. But the gospel is good news. Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascension is good news. And if these things are what communion is about, then how can we possibly turn it into a time filled with scare tactics, guilt trips and beat downs? Believe that as surely as you eat and drink Christ’s body was broken and his blood spilled for you.

2. Question 76 points to the idea of communion increasing our union with Christ and with his body. It is not simply about remembering, but something happens as we eat and drink. The Spirit unites us to the living Christ and unites us to the living Body of Christ, the Church.

Q: 69. How are you admonished and assured by holy baptism, that the one sacrifice of Christ upon the cross is of real advantage to you?
A: Thus: That Christ appointed this external washing with water, adding thereto this promise, that I am as certainly washed by his blood and Spirit from all the pollution of my soul, that is, from all my sins, as I am washed externally with water, by which the filthiness of the body is commonly washed away.

Q: 70. What is it to be washed with the blood and Spirit of Christ?
A: It is to receive of God the remission of sins, freely, for the sake of Christ’s blood, which he shed for us by his sacrifice upon the cross; and also to be renewed by the Holy Spirit, and sanctified to be members of Christ, that so we may more and more die unto sin, and lead holy and blameless lives.

Q: 71. Where has Christ promised us, that he will as certainly wash us by his blood and Spirit, as we are washed with the water of baptism?
A: In the institution of baptism, which is thus expressed: “Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”, And “he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believes not, shall be damned.”, This promise is also repeated, where the scripture calls baptism “the washing of regenerations” and the washing away of sins.

Applications
1. Notice the first question. How do we know that the cross is of real advantage to us? We all wonder this at times. How do I know that I am a Christian or that Christ died for me? One way is by looking at our baptisms and the promise given there. As sure as the water was poured, sprinkled or I was dunked in it, I can be assured that Christ shed his blood for me.

2. The answer to the second perfectly balances justification and sanctification. Christ’s blood means that my sins are forgiven and that I should lead a holy life. It does not mean that my sins are forgiven so I can do as I please. It does not mean that I must earn forgiveness. It means that I am holy in Christ and I need to grow up into that holiness.

Q: 65. Since then we are made partakers of Christ and all his benefits by faith only, whence does this faith proceed?
A: From the Holy Spirit, who works faith in our hearts by the preaching of the gospel, and confirms it by the use of the sacraments.

Q: 66. What are the sacraments?
A: The sacraments are holy visible signs and seals, appointed of God for this end, that by the use thereof, he may the more fully declare and seal to us the promise of the gospel, that is, that he grants us freely the remission of sin, and life eternal, for the sake of that one sacrifice of Christ, accomplished on the cross.

Q: 67. Are both word and sacraments, then, ordained and appointed for this end, that they may direct our faith to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, as the only ground of our salvation?
A: Yes, indeed: for the Holy Spirit teaches us in the gospel, and assures us by the sacraments, that the whole of our salvation depends upon that one sacrifice of Christ which he offered for us on the cross.

Q: 68. How many sacraments has Christ instituted in the new covenant, or testament?
A: Two: namely, holy baptism, and the holy supper.

Applications
1. The Holy Spirit operates in both the preaching of the Gospel and in the sacraments. Most Protestants would say yes to the first, but no to the second. This also means that just as the Holy Spirit works only in the elect via the preached word, so He works only in the elect via the sacraments.

2. The sacraments are there to assure us that Christ’s work upon the cross is sufficient for our salvation. In other words, the sacraments cause us to look away from ourselves to the cross. They are not there so that we might look into our hearts or into some past experience.

Q: 62. But why cannot our good works be the whole, or part of our righteousness before God?
A: Because, the righteousness, which can be approved of before the tribunal of God, must be absolutely perfect, and in all respects conformable to the divine law; and also, that our best works in this life are all imperfect and defiled with sin.

Q: 63. Do not our good works merit that which God will reward in this and in a future life?
A: This reward is not of merit, but of grace.

Q: 64. But does not this doctrine make men careless and profane?
A: By no means: for it is impossible that those, who are implanted into Christ by a true faith, should not bring forth fruits of thankfulness.

Applications
1. All of our works in this life are marred with sin. Therefore, there is no room for pride. Without Christ’s blood even what we consider “good works” would send us straight to Hell.

2. The Heidelberg does a great job of keeping its answers tied to Scripture. A lot of men feel that any talk of reward is unbiblical. However, the Bible plainly teaches that there are rewards to the faithful. (See II Timothy 4:7-8 and Hebrews 11:6) The question is not, “Is there is a reward?” But rather, “What type of reward is it?” The Heidelberg rightly answers that it is a reward of grace.

3. The doctrine of grace does not lead to men doing whatever they please. Note that last phrase, “It is impossible…” If a man is born again, he grows in holiness. Any other teaching is not from the Bible.