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Lord's Supper (Communion)


  • "For everyone to be admitted to the Lord’s Supper, without distinction or selection, is a sign of contempt that the Lord cannot endure. The Lord himself distributed the supper to his disciples only. Therefore anyone not instructed in the doctrine of the gospel ought not to approach what the Lord has instituted. No one should be distressed when his Christianity is examined even down to the finest point when he is to be admitted to the Lord’s Supper. It should be established as part of the total state and system of discipline that ought to flourish in the church that those who are judged unworthy should not be admitted." - John Calvin, "Letter on Various Subjects" in the book Calvin’s Ecclesiastical Advice.
  • "An incident that happened a few years ago in my ministry might be cited in this connection, it seems to me, as an apt illustration. One of the ablest men I ever knew—the pastor of a neighboring congregation—accosted me on the street one day and said, 'One thing about your Church I could never understand, that is, your position on Close Communion.' In reply I said, 'In point of principle our views on that question are the same as yours.' 'How is that?' he said. 'Suppose,' said I, 'that one of your members should strike a child down with an ax and kill it, would your Session allow him to go to the Lord's table at the next communion?' 'Well,' said he, 'I should hope not.' 'Why?' I asked. 'Why, because he violated the Sixth Commandment,' he said. 'But,' I protested, 'he might hold that what he did was not murder.' 'Oh,' said my friend, 'we would not leave that to him; we would take that matter into our own hands.' 'You mean to say,' I said, 'that your Session would assume the responsibility of interpreting the Sixth Commandment and also of passing judgment on the man's conduct, as to whether it was a violation of the Commandment thus interpreted.' 'Precisely,' he said. 'Well, then,' said I, 'why should you object to our Sessions when they do the same thing with respect to the First Commandment, and the Second, and the Third?' 'Oh, I see,' he said, 'and what is more I believe you are right; it never occurred to me in that light; with you Close Communion means that the Reformed Presbyterian Church intends to honor the Moral Law as the Church apprehends it, before anyone shall be permitted to take a seat at the Lord's table under its jurisdiction and oversight.' 'Yes,' said I, 'that is the exact situation as we see it;' and the man was satisfied. After all, to any person who really stops to consider, it is only a question of clear thinking and a sincere purpose to follow orders." - W.J. McKnight, Pastor of the First Reformed Presbyterian Church Boston (RPCNA), Concerning Close Communion, 1930.
  • "Although ignorant and wicked men receive the outward elements in this sacrament; yet, they receive not the thing signified thereby; but, by their unworthy coming thereunto, are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, to their own damnation. Wherefore, all ignorant and ungodly persons, as they are unfit to enjoy communion with Him, so are they unworthy of the Lord's table; and cannot, without great sin against Christ, while they remain such, partake of these holy mysteries, or be admitted thereunto." - Westminster Confession of Faith, "Of the Lord Supper," Chapter 29:8, 1647, Original Edition.
  • "... lay people who refuse to learn (the catechism—ed.) should not be admitted to the Sacrament, and fathers must insist that children learn to recite these basics" - Martin Luther, Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation, Vol. 1, p. 276.

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