Lord's Supper: Open, Close, Closed

blhowes · #1 (**permalink**) 11-06-2005, 10:41 AM

Should the Lord's Supper be open, close, or closed? Why?

Who's responsibility is it that the participants partake in a worthy manner? The church officers? The members themselves? Both?

In some churches, credible professions of faith must be made to the elders before being allowed to partake of the Lord's supper. Should a person who understands that they should obey Jesus' command to 'do this in remembrance of me', who can't articulate a credible profession (to the elder's satisfaction), be allowed or denied access to the Lord's supper?

Scott Bushey · #2 (**permalink**) 11-06-2005, 10:57 AM

Close!

It is the elders responsibility to watch over the table.

The supper should be w/held until the participant is cleared by their governing body.

blhowes · #3 (**permalink**) 11-06-2005, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Scott Bushey
Close!

It is the elders responsibility to watch over the table.

The supper should be w/held until the participant is cleared by their governing body.

At first glance, it would seem that 1 Corinthians 11 puts the responsibility on the person in the congregation.

1Co 11:27 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.
1Co 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

In this passage, is the elder's responsibility an extension of Paul's oversight of the Corinthian church? If not, where does the elder's responsibility to watch over the table come from?

VirginiaHuguenot · #4 (**permalink**) 11-06-2005, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by blhowes

Quote:

Originally posted by Scott Bushey
Close!

It is the elders responsibility to watch over the table.

The supper should be w/held until the participant is cleared by their governing body.

At first glance, it would seem that 1 Corinthians 11 puts the responsibility on the person in the congregation.

1Co 11:27 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.
1Co 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

In this passage, is the elder's responsibility an extension of Paul's oversight of the Corinthian church? If not, where does the elder's responsibility to watch over the table come from?

Self-examination is definitely required. But the command is to examine, and then partake.

Quote:

WLC Q172: May one who doubteth of his being in Christ, or of his due preparation, come to the Lord's supper?
A172: One who doubteth of his being in Christ, or of his due preparation to the sacrament of the Lord's supper, may have true interest in Christ, though he be not yet assured thereof;[1] and in God's account hath it, if he be duly affected with the apprehension of the want of it,[2] and unfeignedly desires to be found in Christ,[3] and to depart from iniquity:[4] in which case (because promises are made, and this sacrament is appointed, for the relief even of weak and doubting Christians)[5] he is to bewail his unbelief,[6] and labor to have his doubts resolved;[7] and, so doing, he may and ought to come to the Lord's supper, that he may be further strengthened.[8]

1. Isa. 1:10; I John 5:13; Psa. 77:1-12; ch 88; Jonah 2:4, 7
2. Isa. 54:7-10; Matt. 5:3-4; Psa. 31:22; 73:13, 22-23
3. Phil 3:8-9; Psa. 10:17; 42:1-2, 5, 11
4. II Tim. 2:19; Isa. 1:10; Psa. 66:18-20
5. Isa. 4:11, 29, 31; Matt. 11:28; 12:20; 26:28
6. Mark 9:24
7. Acts 2:37, 16:30
8. Rom. 4:11; I Cor. 11:28

Church discipline is given to the officers of the kingdom. Excommunication is the ultimate manifestation of that authority. Therefore, to grant permission based on credible profession and submission to authority (ie., church membership) to partake of the privileges of communicating with the body of the Lord in his Supper or to revoke such permission is not only necessarily a function of church officers but in fact it is one of the marks of a true church that this function is exercised by the officers.

Quote:

WLC Q173: May any who profess the faith, and desire to come to the Lord's supper, be kept from it?
A173: Such as are found to be ignorant or scandalous, notwithstanding their profession of the faith, and desire to come to the Lord's supper, may and ought to be kept from that sacrament, by the power which Christ hath left in his church,[1] until they receive instruction, and manifest their reformation.[2]

1. I Cor. ch. 5; 11:27-31; Matt. 7:6; Jude 1:23; I Tim. 5:22
2. II Cor. 2:7

WCF, XXV:

Quote:

IV. This catholic Church hath been sometimes more, sometimes less visible.(h) And particular Churches, which are members thereof, are more or less pure, according as the doctrine of the Gospel is taught and embraced, ordinances administered, and public worship performed more or less purely in them.(i)

(h) Rom. 11:3, 4; Rev. 12:6, 14.
(i) Rev. 2 and 3; I Cor. 5:6, 7.

NaphtaliPress · #5 (**permalink**) 11-06-2005, 08:44 PM

Close; or what our church calls session controlled. A visitor from another church would have to meet with the session before being allowed to partake and it would have to be a credible profession, ie one that would be credible to charitable judgment.