725. When We Come Forward Worthily to Take the Holy Supper, We Are in the Lord and the Lord Is in Us; Therefore through the Holy Supper We Enter into a Partnership with the Lord

Many chapters above contain proof that we come forward to take the Holy Supper worthily when we have faith in the Lord and goodwill toward our neighbor, and that truths related to faith bring a presence of the Lord and good actions related to goodwill work together with faith to form a partnership between us and the Lord.

It follows from this that when we come forward worthily to take the Holy Supper, we form a partnership with the Lord; and when we have a partnership with the Lord, we are in the Lord and the Lord is in us. The Lord himself declares in John that this is what happens to us when we take the Holy Supper worthily: "Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood live in me and I in them" (John 6:56). In the same gospel, the Lord also teaches that this is a partnership with him: "Live in me and I [shall live] in you. Those who live in me, and in whom I live, bear much fruit" (John 15:4-5; Revelation 3:20). What else is having a partnership with the Lord but being among those who constitute his body? Those who constitute his body are those who believe in him and do his will; and his will is for us to practice goodwill in accordance with the truths that relate to faith.