Friday, August 31, 2007

Communion: opened or closed?

This is blog I am writing seems like a subject that is not on the highest priority of Bible believers today.
Yet, I think it should be at the heart of our ecclesiology. For whom is the commuion(representing the Bod of Christ meant?
I have a dear minister friend who has focused a lot of his time on this issue and leans towards closed/close commuinion. I have known many Baptist ministers and read authors of whom I respect who carry this position.
Yet, I have disagreements with their viewpoint.

Before I critique them I think it would be fair and first to lay out and defend their positions since it is unpopular for worldly Christians.

The thesis of close/closed communion
1. As born-again believers in Christ we are to followers his commands.

2. The first commandment we recieve from christ is to Baptized in the trinitarian name.

3. This command precedes our entering into the local church.

4. The ordinance of the Lord's Supper was given to the church.

5. The ordinance of the Lord's Supper is not to be taken by unbelivers.

6. It is out of order for christians who have not been baptized thereby joining the church to partake in communion.

7. The Bible says to refuse communion with those in fornication and other sin.

8. The only biblical baptism is immersion. Therefore denominations who baptize differently are excluded from comunion.

let me answer these thesis'

1. true (John 13:15-17)
2. true (Matt. 3:15-17,John3:22-23,26, Mark16:15-16 Mat.28:19)
3. true(Acts 2:41)
4. yes and no. The Lord Jesus commanded the church to eat and drink.
Yet, the gospels nor the rest of the New Testament tells the church to distribute the elements. First of all Christ gave it to everyone. Christ even allowed Judas to partake whom he knew was not born-again Matt26:24
5. This is true(1Cor 11:27)
yet the book tells us that we should let people examine themselves and partake (1 Cor11:28-30)
closed communion advacates tend to argue as if we are defileing the communion. But God is concerned with the heart and not the food) We can not judge others only they cna judge themselves.

6. It is true that a believer ought to be baptized ideally before they partake in communion. yet it is not the churches job to distribute but the individuals job to properly partake.

7.Church discipline involves more than communion but all fellowship, until the person is brought unto godly repentance. so the communion is only a minscule example and they would not be present to be rejected.

8. This is true, but a conviction for the individual. They need to get themselves to a church that will baptize them biblically(immersion). (why because the word baptism just means immersion, sprinkling is a contrdiction in terms!)

It is also important for us to observe the communion the way the bible states. That our hearts are right as well as their doctrine on this issue.
But it is our own responsibility just like salvation.

I think a better strategy for a church is to have communion at believers services where we do not try to bring non-believers.

To all those who hold cor close communion I do really have respect for your position and simply ask that you consider this argumant.

We all need to know that which portrays the heart of the gospel.
In Christ,
Matt

No comments: