Expert: Rev. Robert Woods - 5/12/2010

Question
adult joins church to be baptized.are they permitted to take communion before baptism

Answer
Blessings and thank you for your question.

It is really up to the individual church.  Some churches have closed communion, meaning only Baptized believers who belong to that church may participate in communion.  Other churches offer open communion, meaning if you are a believer in Jesus Christ then you are welcome to participate.  In my church, if you have been saved (even if you haven't been baptized yet) then you can participate in communion.  

In 1 Corinthians 10: 16, Paul rebuked the Corinthians for their involvement with idolatry. He called the cup "the communion of the blood of Christ" and the bread "the communion of the body of Christ." The Greek word for communion means "fellowship," "participating and sharing." From the context it appears that Paul is saying that when Christians partake of the cup and bread, they are participating in the benefits of Christ's death {his blood) and resurrection life this glorified body}. The most important of these benefits are the as¬surance of sins forgiven through Christ's blood and the assurance of Christ's pres¬ence and power through his body.

The one body (the universal church) in 1 Cor. 10:17 connects with the body of Christ V. 16) in the sense that the entire church of Christ is organically related to the living, glorified human body of Christ now in heaven. The one Loaf of bread (v. 17), representing Jesus as the Bread of Life, is eaten by all believers at the Supper, sym¬bolizing their unity and common partici¬pation in the one body of Christ (see John 6:35).

The great discourse of Jesus on the Bread of Life John 6:25 68), while not intended to be a direct theological explanation of the Lord's Supper, helps to explain how receiv¬ing the sacrament can be one way in which Christians "feed" on the Lord John 6:55-¬57). Other important ways are by prayer and the hearing of God's Word through the Scriptures.

In 1 Corinthians 11:17 34 Paul rebuked the Corinthians for their pride and greed during the meal that accompanied the Eu¬charist (vv 17 22). Then (vv 23 25) he de¬scribed the institution of the Lord's Supper and emphasized the need for Christians to partake in a worthy manner. Many of them who had not been doing so were weak and sick, and many had even died as a result of God's judgment (vv. 27 34).

Why does Paul use such strong language when speaking of the abuse of the Lord's Supper? The Corinthians were not prop¬erly recognizing the Lord's body. Wealthy Corinthians shamed their poorer brothers and sisters by their selfish eating practices (vv. 21 22) and were not grasping the true nature of the church as Christ's body in which all distinctions of social class and race were blotted out (cf. Gal. 3:28).


Meaning for Today.

Three concepts can help us see the value of the Lord's Supper for today.

1. The Lord's Supper is a time of remem¬brance and focuses on the past. Jesus said, "Do this in remembrance of Me" (Luke 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:24 25). This is not so much our dwelling on the agonies of the Crucifixion as it is our remembering the marvelous life and ministry of our Savior. The sacrament is an occasion for express¬ing our deepest praise and appreciation for all Jesus Christ has done for us.

One step in the Jewish Passover meal was to proclaim the Hebrews' deliverance from Egyptian bondage (see Exod. 12:26-¬27). In the Supper, Christians proclaim de¬liverance from sin through the death of Christ, our Passover {cf. 1 Cor. 5:7; 11:26).

2. The Supper is a time of refreshing and communion. This focuses on the present. As we participate in the benefits of Jesus' death and resurrection life {Rom. 5:10; 1 Cor. 10: 16), we are actually being nour¬ished and empowered from the risen Christ through the Spirit.

John Wesley believed in this strengthen¬ing. On the average, he received Commu¬nion every four or five days throughout his long and fruitful ministerial career. It is not that God cannot empower us without the Lord's Supper, but that he instituted the Supper for us, even as he has designated prayer and the hearing of Scripture as means of communicating grace. While the Bible does not tell us how often to observe the Eucharist, Wesley's guideline—"as of¬ten as you can"—deserves our serious con¬sideration.

3. The Supper is a time of recommit¬ment and anticipation. This focuses on the future. We are to examine |literally, prove or test) ourselves and partake in a worthy manner (1 Cor. 11:28 29). In so doing, we renew our dedication to Christ and his peo¬ple, in hopeful anticipation "till He comes" (1 Cor. 11:26). After Christ's return we shall partake with him—in his physical presence—in the kingdom (Matt. 26:29).