Many on this board accept "open communion"
That is a person does not have to be a member of that particular Baptist church to participate in the ordinance of communioum.
However, in this day and age - there are those who are radical in their "lifestyle". In particular - homosexua1s.
So suppose a "couple" came to visit your church - and you suspected they were only there to "make a point" by partiaking in communion.
What would be the appropriate action.
The reason I came up with this thread was an article I saw written by a radio talk show host.
I will mention I do know Bill personally (in fact I even filled in for him on his show one year on Christmas Eve Day) and he is Roman Catholic.
1 Corinthians 11:27-28 NIV
[27] So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. [28] 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. …
Hubby explains what communion is each Communion Sunday and he explains that it's for all believers in Jesus Christ.
He speaks of 1 Corinthians 11 and even suggests that if someone has an issue with a brother or sister, to hold off on taking communion that month.
We do not police who takes communion - that's really between them and God.
Should a gay couple come into our church service and choose to take communion, that is on them if they are taking in an unworthy manner - not us.
I don't think there is anywhere in Scripture where the church is told to not give communion to someone but it's a self-police-ing kind of thing.
Some good replies so far.
Now lets take this a step further-
Suppose there is a couple living together -
makes no difference if they are same gender or opposited gender.
Does the pastor have a responsiblity to visit them and inform them they are taking commuion in violaton of I Cor 11?
- this being after he observed them participating in communion.
I can only speak in the church I grew in... It was closed communion!... Those sister churches that we affiliated with could also take communion with us but it was closed for others not of our same faith and practice. We also used in our communion service unleavened bread and wine. After communion we washed feet... If you want to know what church observes this order I grew up in a Primitive Baptist Church!... Brother Glen
Well, if they became regular attenders of our congregation and it was known that they were shacking up, yes, I believe one of the pastors would address this issue.
This verse gets misused very often. If it was intended to speak to sin in our lives no one would ever qualify. It actually speaks to the manner in which we do it as was addressed by Paul to the church.
Do you mean:"unworthy manner" seems to be an adverbial phrase. That is - the present tense act of taking the cup was in question. e.g. Being drunk and taking communion is taking it in an unworthy manner?
Or any other irreverent way.
It is not so much having some acknowledged sin committed in the past (recent or distant) in one's memory.
Treating the bread and cup flippantly by getting drunk on the wine or gluttonous consumption of the meal, thereby excluding others.
There might be other unworthy manners in which someone could consume also, but in today's communion of a little cracker and a half ounce of grape juice, this verse might scarcely even apply
So does closed communion mean that every person who takes communion is in fellowship with the Lord and with others? Does it mean that everyone partaking of it will be taking it seriously.
Or might it also mean that they're sitting there thinking I'm sure glad I've hidden that affair?
Closed, close or open communion guarantees nothing of the kind. The person in a closed communion service is as likely to have viewed pornography as the person in the close communion. They might just hide it better because they don't want to be singled out.
My take is that we should do what the Bible says and "let a man examine themselves..." If someone is in open sin as in the man in 1 Corinthians either style of communion can take care of the situation by telling them they cannot participate.
Out them on Facebook, bad mouth them on BB and preach a 4 week series on adultery. The usual.
Seriously, I have had the misfortune of speaking privately with folks that meet your "what if" scenario. Four times in 23 years, and I have to be honest, all of them ended poorly.