Episode 14: Closed Communion

The Sacrament of the Altar Part 3: Who receives this sacrament worthily?   

Fasting and bodily preparation are certainly fine outward training. But that person is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”  

But anyone who does not believe these words or doubts them is unworthy and unprepared, for the words “for you” require all hearts to believe.

1. “Fasting and bodily preparation are certainly fine outward training.” Are there spiritual benefits to fasting and bodily preparation?
   Yes, fasting and practicing self-control can help a person in his faith, but they do not make a person prepared to receive the Sacrament.
   “Bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way.” 1 Timothy 4:8
   Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
   
   
2. What makes a person truly worthy and well prepared to receive the Sacrament of the Altar?
   Faith in these words: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”
   
   
3. Who is unworthy to receive the Sacrament of the Altar?
   Anyone who does not believe or doubts Christ’s words.
   1. “We believe, teach, and confess also that there is only one kind of unworthy guests: those who do not believe. About these guests it is written in John 3:18, ‘Whoever does not believe is condemned already.’ And this judgment becomes clear and more  grievous, being aggravated by the unworthy of the Holy Supper (1 Cor. 11:29: For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.) Epitome of the Formula of Concord VII:18.
      
      
4. How should you examine yourself before receiving the Sacrament?
   I should examine whether
   1. I am sorry for my sins;
      “I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.” Psalm 38:18
      “Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you.” 2 Corinthians 7:10-11
   1. I believe in my Savior Jesus Christ and what he says about this Sacrament.
      “This is my body, which is given for you. …. This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” Luke 22:19-20
      “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.” 2 Corinthians 3:15
   1. I intend, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to amend my sinful life.
      “To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”  Ephesians 4:22-23 (See Luther’s Christian Questions and Answers in the Small Catechism).
      
      
5. What if you’ve committed a terrible sin, but repented or you have a weak faith, does this make you unworthy to receive the Lord’s Supper?
   No, Christ instituted this Sacrament to strengthen and increase the faith of the forgiveness of sins.
   “I believe; help my unbelief!” Mark 9:24
   “Whoever comes to Me I will never cast out.” John 6:37
   1. “We believe, teach, and confess that no believer—as long as he has living faith, however weak he may be—receives the Holy Supper to his judgment. For the Supper was instituted especially for Christians weak in faith, yet repentant. It was instituted for their consolation and to strengthen their weak faith [Matthew 9:12: Jesus said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.; 11:5, 28: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. … Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.].” Epitome VII:19
   1.  We believe, teach, and confess that all the worthiness of guests of this heavenly feast is and is founded on Christ’s most holy obedience and perfect merit alone. We receive these for ourselves by true faith, and by the Sacrament we are assured of them. Our worthiness is not at all in our virtues or inward and outward preparations.” Epitome VII:20
   1. “It must also be carefully explained who the unworthy guests of this Supper are. They are those who go to this Sacrament without true repentance and sorrow for their sins, without true faith and the good intention of amending their lives. By their unworthy oral eating of Christ’s body, they load themselves with damnation (i.e., with temporal and eternal punishments) and become guilty of profaning Christ’s body and blood.
      Some Christians have a weak faith and are shy, troubled, and heartily terrified because of the great number of their sins. They think that in their great impurity they are not worthy of this precious treasure and Christ’s benefits. They feel their weakness of faith and lament it, and from their hearts desire that they may serve God with stronger, and more joyful faith and pure obedience. These are truly worthy guests for whom this highly venerated Sacrament has been especially instituted and appointed. For Christ says:
      “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)
      Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. (Matthew 9:12)
      [God’s] power is made mighty in the weak. [2 Corinthians 12:9 Luther]
      As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him; … for God has welcomed him. [Romans 14:1-3]
      Who believes in [the Son of God, be it with a strong or with a weak faith,] may have eternal life. [John 3:15]
      Worthiness does not depend on the greatness of smallness, the weakness or strength of faith. Instead, it depends on Christ’s merit, which the distressed father of little faith [Mark 9:24: “I believe; help my unbelief!”] enjoyed as well as Abraham, Paul, and others who have joyful and strong faith.” Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord VII 69-71.
   1. Agony and bitter labor
      Were the cost of God’s high favor;
      Do not come if you suppose
      You need not Him who died and rose.
      
      Christ says: “Come, all you that labor,
      And receive My grace and favor:
      Those who feel no pain or ill
      Need no physician’s help or skill.
      
      “For what purpose was My dying
      If not for your justifying?
      And what use this precious food
      If you yourself were pure and good?”
      
      If your heart this truth professes
      And your mouth your sin confesses,
      You will be your Savior’s guest,
      Be at His banquet truly blest.
      
      Let this food your faith so nourish
      That its fruit of love may flourish
      And your neighbor learn from you
      How much God’s wondrous love can do. Jesus Christ, Our Blessed Savior, stanzas 7-10, LSB, John Hus (1369-1415, German version, Martin Luther, 1483-1546)
      
      
6. To whom should the Pastor not give the Lord’s Supper?
   1. The publicly impenitent sinners, including those who belong to non-Christian religious groups.
      “You must not associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler- not even to eat with such a one. … ‘Purge the evil person from among you.'” 1 Corinthians 5:11, 13
      “What pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.” 1 Corinthians 10:20-21
      
      
   1. Those who refuse to forgive those who sin against them.
      “If you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:15
      
      
   1. Those of a different confession of faith, since the Lord’s Supper is a testimony of the unity of faith. Horizontal as well as vertical fellowship…
      “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Acts 2:42
      “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.” 1 Corinthians 10:17
      “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” 1 Corinthians 11:26
      “Watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.” Romans 16:17
   1. Those who are not able to examine themselves, such as infants, people who have not received instruction, or the unconscious.
      “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink the cup.” 1 Corinthians 11:28
7. What is closed Communion and why do we practice it?
   Closed communion is the biblical practice of giving Christ’s body and blood only to those who have been instructed properly in the true Christian faith and who faithfully confess that faith. (This is why we don’t give communion to those who have not been instructed and examined or to those of different confessions).
   “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?.” 1 Corinthians 10:17-22
   “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” 1 Corinthians 11:26
   “No one is admitted to the Sacrament without first being examined.” (ACXXIV:6)
   “Chrysostom (347-407AD) says “that the priest stands daily at the altar, inviting some to the Communion and keeping back others.” (ACXXIV:36)
   “To be sure; it is true that those who despise the Sacrament and live in an unchristian way receive it to their hurt and damnation [1 Corinthians 11:29:30]. Nothing shall be good or wholesome for them. It is just like a sick person who on a whim eats and drinks what is forbidden to him by the doctors.” Large Catechism, 69-70.
   “We believe, teach, and confess that not only the true believers in Christ and the worthy, but also the unworthy and unbelievers receive Christ’s true body and blood. However, they do not receive them for life and consolation, but for judgment and condemnation, if they are not converted and do not repent (1 Corinthians 11:27-29). (Formula of Concord, Epitome: VII:16).

Conclusion

The only true requirement to be worthy to receive the Sacrament of the Altar is faith, because the Sacrament is Gospel, it offers free forgiveness of sins and grace by the merits of Christ. Sinners and those weak in the faith should find consolation, forgiveness, and strengthening of faith in the Sacrament. However, unrepentant sinners, those who confess a contrary faith, and those who are unable to examine themselves should not receive Communion, because the unworthy take it to their own judgment and Communion is a public confession of fellowship.