Theology
101 No.27
The Lord’s Supper is a means of grace by which Christ gives to us His very body and blood in, with, and under the bread and the wine. Communion carries with it the forgiveness of sin that Christ won on the cross for each of us. But is Communion for everyone? Some believe that since Christ died for all that it must also mean that the Lord’s Supper is for everyone. Some also teach that Communion is an evangelism tool. Both of these ideas could not be further from the truth of Scripture.
Unlike Baptism, the Lord’s Supper carries with it a stern and solemn warning: “Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body” (I Corinthians 11:27-29). The Lord’s Supper is a restricted Sacrament and is not open to all. If a person is unwilling or unable to examine themselves, they cannot be allowed to commune. If they are living in gross unrepentant sin they are also barred. If an individual refuses to forgive another they are not to partake of the Sacrament of the Altar (for if our Lord’s body and blood are the greatest symbol of forgiveness how can one participate in the Lord’s Supper if they refuse to forgive as God has forgiven them?). These few examples should make it clear that it is Scriptural that some people are not to participate in the Lord’s Supper and it is meant for their own good. If Scripture teaches that some ought not commune, then why would they want to, or why should we allow them to bring “condemnation” upon themselves for doing so?
It should be obvious that the Lord’s Supper is not meant for everybody. Many people, however, get upset with the Missouri Synod’s teaching on Close(d) Communion. It has been said that this is just a bunch of manmade rules, that Close(d) Communion is unloving, and that you should never turn anybody away. The above evidence from Scripture would speak contrary to these ideas. Open Communion is the manmade invention - not Close(d). Scripture also warns against just anybody taking the Lord’s Supper. St. Paul writes, “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons” (I Corinthians 10:21). This verse teaches that non-Christians must not participate in the Lord’s Supper. It would not be right nor pleasing to God to allow the Body and Blood of Christ to be blasphemed by one who does not believe that Christ died for their sins.
But what about restricting other Christians from the Lord’s Supper? This is a point of great consternation the last couple of decades. St. Paul says, again, “For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself” (Emphasis added). In the context of I Corinthians chapters 10 and 11 the word “body” means Jesus’ body. If a person does not believe in the real presence (Christ being present in, with, and under the bread and wine - the “Sacramental Union”) should they be allowed to commune based on this verse? Clearly the answer would be “no.” Church bodies of the Reformed tradition (Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, modern Evangelical, Disciples of Christ, in fact the vast majority of denominations in the United States) do not believe in the real presence. We ought not allow them to commune at our altar, not because we are “unloving” or unfriendly, but to prevent them, as Paul makes quite clear, from eating and drinking judgement/condemnation upon themselves!
Some will argue that Communion is between the individual and God. What matters is what they believe. This is also a false notion. The Lord’s Supper is the Lord’s Supper. It is what He says it is; not what we say it is. What an individual believes about it is not relevant to the reality of what Communion is and does. As such it is clear from Scripture that the Lord’s Supper is a fellowship meal. This is a concept that is hard for us to understand in this day and age, but was readily understood in St. Paul’s. To share a meal with some one at their table was an intimate thing to do and was a symbol of unity. St. Paul, remember, wrote his first letter to the Corinthians precisely because of the disunity that was occurring there. Within the context of this letter and the witness of other Scripture passages, we cannot ignore the fellowship aspect of the Lord’s Supper. This means that besides a person’s belief in Real Presence, there is yet one more reason to prevent an individual from coming to the Lord’s Supper in our churches: disunity in doctrine/teaching (See also Act 2:42).
Paul told the Romans, AI urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.” The word “divisions” is the Greek term from which we get our word “heresy” or false teaching. If we are to keep away from those who teach falsely, how then can we invite them to this sacred meal that defines our unity to each other in the truth of Christ’s Word? (See also II Thessalonians 3:14.15; II John 1:10,11; and I Timothy 6:2-5) Part of the reason people are to be denied the Lord’s Supper, be it unrepentant sin or false doctrine, is not to punish them, but to show them their error. Emotionalizing the issue (“But I want to be able to commune with son/daughter during the holidays”), accusatory excuses (“It’s unloving to say no.”) nor poor theology (“Well, I don’t think Jesus would turn anybody away) cannot negate the truth of God’s Word or the (dis)unity issues between denominations.
Close(d) Communion has been the official teaching and practice of Lutheranism since the Reformation. In fact Close(d) Communion has been the historical practice of the church since the earliest of days and it is the official policy of Confessional Lutheranism, Roman Catholics, and Eastern Orthodoxy - regardless of any individual priest’s or pastor’s practice is. Open Communion is a practice born of the modern ecumenical movement and finds its drive from human logic and desire rather that the truth of God’s Word. Poor Communion practices are not without their consequences. A proper use of the Office of the Keys and the right exercise of church discipline are greatly hindered under the practice of open Communion. People are left nearly unabated to eat and drink to their own condemnation. It is the practice of Open Communion that is truly unloving and damaging - not Close(d) Communion.
When it comes to this issue or any other, we need to keep in mind that God’s Word always takes priority over our wants or views, regardless of whether we like it or understand it. We are called to be faithful stewards in our use of the gifts God has given us. And God has given us a tremendously powerful gift in the Lord’s Supper. It is as the saying goes, “With great power comes great responsibility.” With this in mind, the Pastor, together with the congregation, is to help prevent people from bring harm to themselves, even if they believe it is for their own good. Sometimes this means telling people “no.” We tell our children “no” because we understand that what they ask or what they are doing is not good for them. And while they may be upset with us for doing so, we know that it is for their own protection that we say “no.”. While people may not understand the practice of Close(d) Communion, particularly if they come from a looser tradition, we can help them to understand that it is out of concern for them that we adhere to this ancient and Biblical practice.