"Closed" Communion

Talk with the pastor about your concerns in private first. Sometiems what the pastor belieevs and what people think the church believes may be two different things.

Many years ago I spoke with a pastor in private about a similar thing. I spoke with him about what he would say before the bread and juice was passed. One Sunday my mother-in-law who was not a Christian at the time was visiting us. The pastor said that the person needed to be a Christian and be baptized. She called herself a Christian because she went to church sometimes. She was baptized by sprinkling as an infant. So in her mind she met the criteria. After I spoke with the pastor about that his presentation changed. I doubt that he had ever considered that point.

Tell your pastor that you really like the church and would like to be a member and then tell him what you have written to us.

My point of view is that rebaptism like what you describe often introduces a doctrine that is not compatible with the NT teaching of baptism. Baptism covers more than just joining a local church. If for example we were to take the chruch of The Way found in the book of Acts and say that to be a member of a Baptist Church and not accept the baptism of The Way then what are we saying about those believers and their baptism as recorded in Acts?

Now if you had been baptized in a Mormon Chruch or another cult church I would not accept that pseudo-baptism. Those people are not immersed as a testimony of their faith in Jesus.

 

While I am a Baptist and have been for a 35+ years and believe in the autonomy of the local church. I believe that in order to hold the teachings of closed communion and water re-baptism in order to be a part of a local church goes beyond the pale of Scripture. That is of course assuming the individual has been Scripturally baptized. The baptismal pool and the Lord's table does not belong to that local congregation. They belong to Him, and those who are His are welcome at His table.

I would not pastor a church or attend a church that turned genuinely saved people away from the Lord's table.

Bro Tony

 

Maybe you need to take a look at what other churches are around that you might enjoy doing ministry with. If the issue of membership bothers you now, it will bother you later too.

Find a place where you can serve and do ministry.

I agree with Bro. Tony.

 

I agree with Bro. Tony and gb. I don't mean to be unkind but the church that you are presently attending sounds little too full of themselves..instead of the Holy Spirit. I would pray for the Lord's guidance and see if he will lead you to a different church.
Shasta

 

I guess that you could start a thread, that way more people would know that you are inquiring. I visited a PB one time because someone I knew was being baptized but I don't know anything about their beliefs.
Shasta

 

In order to participate in the Lord's Supper and washing of the saints' feet in any sound Primitive Baptist church one must first be a member of the Primitive Baptist family.

First, we do not consider it re-baptism because scripture teaches there is only one baptism. As you probably already know we consider ourselves to be the true church of God, the remnant, left here so we accept no other denomination's "baptism" as being sound.

We believe the only true New Testament baptism occurs in the Primitive Baptist church, so there is no re-baptism.

Also, notice in Mark 14 that the water-bearer and the goodman of the house where the feast was held in the upper room were neither invited to take part in the supper. It was only Jesus and his disciples.

This church seems to be doing things as any other PB church would.

The question I would ask is why do you not want to be baptized into the church? If you honestly believe the way this church does and you feel the conviction from God to do so you will not be able to resist joining the church. However, if you are not feeling that conviction then my advice is to not join. I would not join for the sole-purpose of participating in Communion. If you truly believe the way this church does then you will understand why we believe what we believe.

In any event, I would talk to the pastor about your feelings and have him explain it to you in more detail than I have. There is no better place to go than the horse's mouth. Well, maybe God, but last I checked He had a full schedule.

God Bless.

Bro. James
Spring Grove Primitive Baptist Church

 

Very Catholic, very Church of Christ, very Mormonistic, very unscriptual.

My advice, run as fast and as far away from that "church" as possible.

 

Yep, I second that motion.

In the words of Monty Python, "Run Away"

I am blessed to be part of a church that uses the Bible as its only rule for faith and practice, instead of some imaginary doctrine that someone sucked out of their thumb somewhere along the way, and decided that anyone who didn't follow them, was not in the "true" church.

Our church encourages anyone who is a Child of God, and has been baptized by water immersion to join with us in the Lord's table. There is nothing magical about it, it is an opportunity to remember the sacrifice of Christ, and is valid for all members of the Church as in the Body of Christ, not just my particular local church.

 

How is that different than what the Church of Christ believes?

 

quote- "we do not consider it re-baptism because the scripture teaches there is only one baptism"

Only one baptism, I would agree, but it does not belong to any one denomination. And it is not water baptism in the first place. Read Paul's writings to the church at Ephesus. Baptism is not the door into the church, Jesus is! The ordinance of baptism is not for non-believers to get into the church, or a church, it is an act of obedience that declares that one has received Jesus as Lord. The beauty and the great symbolism of baptism is cheapened when turned into a requirement to join a denomination or local church.

quote-"we consider ourselves the only true church of God". You guys are going to be very lonely in heaven.

Bro Tony

 

What everyone seems to be misunderstanding is that we don't believe church membership is required in order to go to heaven.

Bro. Tony, you contend that baptism is not required for church membership. If that is the case then why is baptism taught as a duty in the scriptures?

If we refuse to submit to baptism, then we start right off the bat by disobeying the scriptures.

How can every church be the true church of God when we all hold to different beliefs?

Once a church has strayed from the path of the old church she ceases to be a true church.

That is plain and simple.

As we don't fellowship with any of the other Baptist groups, since the 1832 split, we no longer recognize those churches as orthodox, therefore we will not and can not accept their baptism and remain ourselves a true church.

Please read rsr's comments above in regard to comparing us to the Church of Christ. It is simply a bad comparison to make.

Again, Mitsy, please speak with the pastor of the church. It is easier to see and understand someone's point when you are with them rather than writing over the computer.

 

Bro James,

I did not say that water baptism is not commanded in Scripture. We differ on the reason and purpose of the ordinance. You believe it is to enter your church/denomination, I say that Jesus brings us into His Body, The Church, and as an act of obedience of a believer we follow Him in believer's baptism. Baptism does not belong to a denomination, I was not baptized into the baptist church, I was baptized into Christ by the Holy Spirit, and my water baptism is a outward expression of that wonderful event.

Your narrow view of the true church makes me wonder why you are on this board. Since none of the rest of us are apart of the church, I am surprised you would fellowship with us in these discussions.

Finally, I believe orthodox is determined by keeping what the Scriptures teach, not some denominational or traditional slant to the teachings. Your group apparently have left the clear meaning of the Scripture in this area, and I would hold your view as "unorthodox". That being said, I still would fellowship with you even though we disagree in this point. As long as you didn't teach baptismal regeneration, which apparently you don't, I would consider you a part of the church, even though you don't consider me the same.

What a shame, apparently the Apostles weren't a part of the true church. What denomination were they baptized into?

Bro Tony

 

Mitsy,

It looks like you have three choices....get baptized in the PBC, continue to attend and absent yourself from the Lord's supper or find another Baptist church to join.

Last Sunday I attended two churches (I am the director of our state fellowship) and celebrated the Lord's Supper in both. In the morning I attended a Baptist church in which the pastor simply served the Lord's supper with no instruction or requirement (essentially open communion). In the evening we attended our home church where we are members. The pastor gave a brief challenge and laid down the biblical requirements for baptized believers to participate (essentially close communion).

Frankly, I would not consider being rebaptized to join a church nor would I feel comfortable purposely missing the Lord's supper. If I were you, I would give that independent Baptist church another try.