Communion

What are your positions on communion in church? (Do you go to church, or are you an independent, independent Baptist?)
Open- unregulated
Closed- members only
Close- like minded believers, members or not
Independent- observe communion yourself, independent of church

Ben1445 said:

What are your positions on communion in church? (Do you go to church, or are you an independent, independent Baptist?)
Open- unregulated
Closed- members only
Close- like minded believers, members or not

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Close. Not too sure what you mean by your question in brackets - surely independent Baptists are not lone Baptist; they meet with other believers for worship and to study the word.

David Lamb said:

Close. Not too sure what you mean by your question in brackets - surely independent Baptists are not lone Baptist; they meet with other believers for worship and to study the word.

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No, I am an independent Baptist. There is just an increase of people who have forgotten that church is an assembly and I suppose I should have made a different category for the people who have started their own church for just themselves. I am in no way disparaging independent churches.

Ben1445 said:

No, I am an independent Baptist. There is just an increase of people who have forgotten that church is an assembly and I suppose I should have made a different category for the people who have started their own church for just themselves. I am in no way disparaging independent churches.

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Thanks for explaining. Yes I agree that a lot of confusion is caused by using the same word "church" in English to mean so may things.

Ben1445 said:

No, I am an independent Baptist. There is just an increase of people who have forgotten that church is an assembly and I suppose I should have made a different category for the people who have started their own church for just themselves. I am in no way disparaging independent churches.

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I did say that poorly. I had intended to identify the person who does not go to church as being independent of even independent Baptists. Sorry for that.

Added 4th choice defining "independent" as you described your original intention

Ben1445 said:

What are your positions on communion in church? (Do you go to church, or are you an independent, independent Baptist?)
Open- unregulated
Closed- members only
Close- like minded believers, members or not
Independent- observe communion yourself, independent of church

Click to expand...

The scripture gives us a couple of patterns as to how we approach the table. In every instance of the New Testament there is not one example or command or indication that supposes a man to receive the supper without being baptized and discipled prior. That being the case, to allow anyone to the supper would give what is holy to dogs and outsiders.

We are instructed to be aware of those of the church. Anyone can fake a profession of faith and eat unto their judgement, which is why it is vital that we are aware of our members and those who receive the supper.

A good rule of thumb: you don’t feed family food to outsiders, likewise you don’t feed spiritual food to those not considered spiritual.

JoshOne said:

The scripture gives us a couple of patterns as to how we approach the table. In every instance of the New Testament there is not one example or command or indication that supposes a man to receive the supper without being baptized and discipled prior. That being the case, to allow anyone to the supper would give what is holy to dogs and outsiders.

We are instructed to be aware of those of the church. Anyone can fake a profession of faith and eat unto their judgement, which is why it is vital that we are aware of our members and those who receive the supper.

A good rule of thumb: you don’t feed family food to outsiders, likewise you don’t feed spiritual food to those not considered spiritual.

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Does that mean closed?
Does the principle of entertaining strangers apply here per your illustration?
I don’t mean everyone help yourself.
1 Corinthians 11 is pretty clear about eating being unworthy.
I myself am “close.”
When is a brother not a brother?
When does a person not tarry one for another?

I appreciate the input here. It has been a long time since this subject has come up, and since it has come up again outside the forum, I appreciate the time spent in reviewing the subject.

Ben1445 said:

Does that mean closed?
Does the principle of entertaining strangers apply here per your illustration?
I don’t mean everyone help yourself.
1 Corinthians 11 is pretty clear about eating being unworthy.
I myself am “close.”
When is a brother not a brother?
When does a person not tarry one for another?

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To your first two questions. Yes.
A brother is not a brother when they walk unruly lives not according to the church covenant and rules from the Scriptures clearly professed and laid down.

Open communion (any baptized believer regardless of church affiliation).

My reason is that it is up to the believer to search his or her heart and partake of the Supper in a worthy manner.

I also believe this should be a common meal rather than a little cracker and a sip of juice/ wine...but thats another topic.

JoshOne said:

To your first two questions. Yes.
A brother is not a brother when they walk unruly lives not according to the church covenant and rules from the Scriptures clearly professed and laid down.

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Sorry. I realized that I forgot the verse to go with that second question.
Hebrews 13:2
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Now let me ask that again. Would you give any consideration to this verse in the subject?
Because communion/ the last supper was a Passover meal, are there any considerations to be made for the “sojourning stranger” of
Exodus 12:48.
And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.

Also bearing in mind
Philippians 3:3
For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

And the question, “when is a brother not a brother” in my mind was applied to the idea of a faithful believer who is a member of a church that is identical to the one he is visiting but is still visiting and not a member.
Asked a different way, would someone who is not a member of your church be considered to be taking unworthily as stated in 1 Cor. 11 as follows:
Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.