Church Discipline and the Lord's Supper

OK...this is a loaded question because it also brings up the issue of open/close/closed communion.

I would not servce the ex-member because I'm a closed communion believer. It would have nothing to do with the discipline, but my belief on communion.

If I did believe in open communion I would still not serve. Based on their actions they have unrepented sin and are not eligible to partake.

 

Not. She must be a member to receive an ordinance of the church.

It would be announced before observing this ordinance for all non-members not to participate. This action makes it a matter of accountability to the local assembly, not the assembly being accountable to the individual.

She will have to go public with her admission of her sin before the congregation. After a specified amount of time, no less than 90 days, and depending on the severity of her sin, (the more severe the sin, the longer the period of time), this church will allow her to have a part. This will only happen as she has been restored into fellowship and become a member again.

I believe this falls under just who is ordained to perform the ordinance and not who wants to participate in it. It's all a matter of who is in authority.

 

Where in the Bible are there regulations of who should serve, and to whom? I thought the warnings were to those partaking, not to those who are serving...

 

Ok, show us where the partakers have authority over the administrators?

All of this has to do with who is in authority over church ordinances.

 

I asked first...

 

I believe Paul addresses this problem in 1 Corinthians 5:

9. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10. Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
12. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?

Of course I believe in closed communion myself!

 

If it is closed communion then no one but members who in the eyes of the other members deserve to participate. (I do not know how closed communions work)

If this person has gone to the pastor and requested participation then the pastor will have a chance to counsel them and permit or deny participation based on their actions.

To insist that they apoligize to the whole church and then serve public probation, when the problem has not come before the church would be IMHO the church acting a bit to big for their britches.

The churches job is not to punish, but to receive and support the brethren while doing actions that worship God.
Dishing out public punishment is not worship.

 

The Apostles delivered the ordinances, and ministers are accounted as "stewards (dispensers) of the mysteries (hidden/symbolic things) of God." 1 Cor. 4:1

 

Stepping aside from the church discipline issue, I personally practice open communion, meaning that if served communion in most churches I visit, I will partake. (Few exceptions include Catholic churches.) Most churches I have attended/visited have been Baptist or similar on stance or presentation of the Lord's supper. I hold this because I am a believer and I believe the Bible says to take part in communion in remembrance of him. I also believe that a person ought to examine ones' self and pray about his/her participation.

Few times have I ever chosen not to participate. I have chosen not to because either my attitude wasn't right or I had issues of critical nature with broken relationships. I don't believe that participants should cause dissention, for their own proper worship is that of unity.

For as many churches I have been in where I have participated in Communion, I do not recall a church ever withholding communion from those who were present. Personally, because of my personal worship through the Lord's supper, I struggle with remaining in a congregation that withholds (practices closed communion.)

Now, add church discipline. I haven't followed the thread on church discipline to know of the issues presented, but am fairly certain that the issues (I hope) are not "shallow" or stupid. I think if a church practices closed communion, so be it. If they do not, they need to make sure they cover the full monty of those who do participate. Certainly, if this lady participates and has been given the opportunity to become right, she will become sick. If she is doing it for dissention, God will repay.

 

I believe in closed communion; for baptized believers. I also, however, have never disallowed any CHRISTIAN from partaking. I leave the responsibility on their shoulders and always announce beforehand: "As baptized believers we will partake.............let a man therefore examine himself...........

If, then, that person can agree to partake, so be it. If they happen to believe infant baptism is biblical, so be it. Who am I to judge them?

Mr. Spurgeon, a good quoted Baptist, was also open on this question. His church members could oly be baptized believers, but the table was open to believers.

It is one thing to have rigid beliefs, but quite another to have an open heart.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Let me ask this on top your thread, let's say this same person walks down the isle and wants to re-join the Church. Do you let them?

 

What sin??

 

???? So now we have to ask the Church for forgiveness?
I still think the pastor should be able to council with them and accept(on behalf of the Church) their willingness to change their ways. (Unless the Church just likes to rub salt in the wound instead of offering help in the healing) Besides I believe that this would have accomplished the same thing the discipline prosess was intended to do.

The way I read it, the Lord's Supper participation is between the believer and the Lord. I do think believers should be forwarned about their participation while being willfully disobedient to God.