Open Communion [Folder/Base] [Apologética, ]

[Versión en Español]

There are 3 type of teaching in the administration of the Lord's Supper referring to its participants.

1. Open Communion.  The church allows that any person take the Holy Supper.
2. Denominational or Close Communion. Only people who are members of a church with the same denomination can join to take the Holy Supper.
3. Closed Communion. Only the local church can take the Lord's Supper.

In here the 3 of them are being analyzed but the analysis will focus on the of the doctrine of open communion.

1. Open Communion

1. In Favor

1. Verses

1. Jhn 13.2,26. Judas himself was in the Holy Supper, he was not even a child of God and he was enjoying the Lords Dinner, this implies that being part of the church is not important but examine yourself.

• R: Even though Judas was not saved this is a reminder that there are people  in the church that even if baptized they are not childs of God. Although the baptism and the membership of the a church are related with the salvation doesn’t have a direct influence (You can be either a member of a church without being saved or being saved without being a member of the church). The highlight is the nature of the baptism since the baptism is the first act of obedience in service to the Lord. Although Judas was not a child he had a membership in the Church of Christ and surely he did a faith profession (he said), this means that he was one of the Christ chosen ones and he did teach. The attempt with this is reinforce that the baptism is a requirement to take the Holy Dinner.

2. Si  Eph 4.4-6 "There is one body, and one Spirit ... one hope ... One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all",
   How can we forbid our brethren with whom we share all this from participating of the Lord’s Dinner?

• R: XD

2. Ideas or Metaphors

2. Against

1. Verses

1. In the verses 1Co 11.17-22 Paul condemns the lack of unity of the church, specifically in the Lord’s Supper, and therefore implies that the Church must have unity when celebrating the Lord’s Supper. There is no unity in an ecumenic celebration, where you can find for example people who believe they will receive sins’ forgiveness through the ritual of the Communion, differing from the teaching that states the Scripture: that the COmmunion is to commemorate the death of Christ (Luk 22:19).
2. Act 2:41-42 “they were baptized... and continued.. and in breaking of bread”. Only those who were baptized in water participated in the breaking of the bread. The 3 thousand new members of the church were baptized first and then they participated in the Communion.
3. Luk 22.29-30 "...That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom...". The marriage supper is only for Christ Church. Regardless of this, the verse is clearly establishing a "type" of the Lord Supper. Not everyone will reign.

2. Ideas or Metaphors

1. The primitive church did not practiced it, and no other did it until the XIX century according to the historians as mentioned in the following book reference:

1. Una Defensa del Sistema de la Comunión Cerrada (By Thomas Williamson. 3131 S. Archer Avenue, Chicago, Illinois  60608)

1. “Dr. Wall said in the XIX century that “it has never existed a church that gives the communion to people who are not baptized.” " "

2. From the Baptist Church Directory : a guide to the doctrines and discipline, officers and ordinances, principles and practices of Baptist churches. Hiscox, Edward Thurston, 1814-1901.

1. "Dr. Wall says, "No church ever gave the communion to any persons before they were baptized. ..." "

• R:

2. Not even the ecumenic churches invite not baptized people to participate on the Supper of the Lord.
3. This type of administration of the Communion is an offense to the Baptism since it diminishes the importance that the Scriptures give it.

2. Close Communion

1. In Favor

1. Verses

2. Ideas or Metaphors

2. Against

1. Verses

2. Ideas or Metaphors

1. There is a problem, when disciplining a member, let say, expelling him from the church (1Co 5:5) and therefore not letting him/her participate of the blessings such as the Lord’s Supper, this member can ignore the discipline and being in sin he can go and take the Communion in other church.

• R: A solution could be to only accept visiting members from our other fellowship churches to participate on the Holy Dinner, by first creating a bond with these churches and knowing this kind of problems, so we can know when a person who is member could participate or not in the Communion.

3. Closed Communion

1. A Favor

1. Versículos

1. 1 Co 11:18 “...when ye come together in the church...”. It establishes a pattern, declaring that the church is the one that should gather for the Lord’s Supper  and reaffirming this in 1 Co 11:22 “or despise ye the church of God” (indicating that the church was the one that was commissioned this ordinance); and implying that by doing it in another way is incorrect. e implicando que el hacerlo de otra manera es incorrecto.

• R: It seems to establish a pattern but the implication is not very clear.
• R: It is necessary for taking this point open and clearly as “In Favor” of the Closed Communion to understand the invisible universal church doctrine.

2. The restrictions of the easter establish a “type” of the restrictions of the Lord’s Dinner Ex 12.43-49.

2. Ideas o Metáforas

1. He 13:10 “...they have no right to eat...” Should not invite churches that are not of Christ (that were founded by man or that has man’s doctrines) 1 Co 10.21 “...ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils”

2. En Contra

1. Verses

2. Ideas o Metáforas