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My two cents on this, since I started it all:
Ideally, we should all be members of churches (and reformed churches at that!). I also understand the need for the elders to protect the flock, and part of that protection is excersizing the office of the keys (which would include barring people from communion).
However, what has been communicated to me is this: The practice of only allowing those who are members in good standing of a church to come to communion began in the American Colonies, when Mr. Smith would get excommunicated from the Presbyterian church, and instead of submitting to the discipline, he would walk down the street to the Baptist church and take communion.
So, as I understand it, this whole practice of requiring membership was a result of certain cultural trends.
Today, we have a different problem. We have people who are not members of any church (and yet, they have been baptized). I know this is not good. But what do we do when these people, who are sincere believers, vistit our churches? Do we allow them to partake?
As I said before, I can see nothing in the Confessions or in Scripture that would lead me to believe they should be barred from commuion. But I am certainly willing to learn more about this.
One last note: I agree that the pastor should give a verbal warning prior to serving communion, and that we ought to examine ourselves, individually prior to partaking. What I don't agree with is, the elders and/or pastor coming up to a person before the service and asking them "Are you a member of a church?", and if the answer is no, saying "Please do not take communion."
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