Subject: Is water baptism must for Holy communion |
Bible Note: Reformer Joe: There is no doubt that new believers must confess Jesus as Lord in open confession, through Baptism. I am not speaking about someone who is unrepentant in a defiant way. My point is that not everyone has a choice in taking communion. While in the USN everyone took a wafer dipped in grape juice as it was required, and there was no choice about it not partaking. I have more than reasonable doubt nonbelievers took communion in bootcamp. The Priest that administered the commuinon was following his orders as well. I was not then, and am not a Roman Catholic now. I felt rather out of place in this worship and communion service. AS to if a person should or should not take communion, if they are not Baptized, that would require "closed communion" which I find unscriptual. The cloice to partake or not to, is up to the believer, they alone can judge if they are to partake or not. Scripture say's we are to examine ourselves. Partaking unworthly as the church of Corinth was doing was condemed by Paul, and serves as an example today as to what is not acceptable. I personally am not as concerned about new Christians taking commuinon before being Baptized. I am more concerened about ordinary Christians who have been baptized, maybe some in ministry, who have secret sins. Quite often we hear of pastors in affairs, or those in church leadership doing immoral acts, that no one knows of, only God Himself. I believe we live in times that sexual purity in Christians is not much better than the worlds view. I have seen a good number of pastors witch lost their families and ministries because of sexual sin. Yet until they were caught they did commuinon services, Baptisms, Weddings and preach. I am sure every sexual sin there is, many churches have members is sin today. I do not see that a pastor doing his or her best in being obediant to the call of Christ, and administering communion, can be called irresponsible if he or she is unaware of such sins of the people. I most certianly can not find damnation for a child or unsaved person partakes is under Gods to be punnished list. I see Communion as an ordaince not a sacrement. I revere Jesus and what He said, but let us not forget Judas took the cup as well, and followed Jesus, he saw the healings and much more. Does that not show even our Lord knew what was in Judas' heart? If I being a mear mortal, can not know a persons heart, then that makes the partakers accountablity to the Lord Jesus, not me. In responding to you Joe, I am not attempting to disagree with you. I just see there is a large gray area that is left up to each believer or unbeliever that no pastor can be held accountable for. We each must face Christ, face to face and let His judgement be given to us in His mercy and grace. Perhaps we as sinfull humans have harsher judgement on each other than the Lord Himself. Perhaps, I have seen commuinon done in many ways that has been inlightening for me. I have seen communion services before a bombimg run took place, when someone was about to die, at a table with family, between a small group of church leaders, and after a funeral service. Churches have communion at different times sone every Lords day, or once a month, or quarterlty, yearly. The ways of actually eating the bread and wine, are just as verrird as well. Some use saltien crakers, some real unlevened bread, then some use grape juice and some real wine. I have ever heard of what ever juce was available at the time. I think the most important thing is we do the communion as remembering Christ is our risen LORD and by Grace from Jesus are told to fo this in remembering Him. I don't know it all, and I certainly would not fault some one who does the service differently unBiblical. There is a wide understanding on this issue that's for sure. Blessings and peace. justme |