Open Communion?⤒🔗

Baptized members may not be admitted to the Lord’s Supper. Many churches are of a different opinion regarding this. They practice what is called paedo-communion (communion for children), which means that children may partake of the Lord’s Supper. Such churches frequently also subscribe to what is called open communion. Whoever wishes to join the congregation in partaking of the Lord’s Supper, may do so. Neither church membership nor one’s convictions are then an issue. The Lord’s Supper is open to anyone.

The views of our Reformed fathers regarding the Lord’s Supper were, however, different. They maintained that only those may partake of the Lord’s Supper who have made public profession of faith, whose life is void of offense, and who are capable of examining themselves. The Lord’s Supper must be celebrated in a worthy manner. Children are not capable of proper self-examination. They must first be instructed regarding the doctrine of the Lord’s Supper.

The Reformers also were not in favor of open com­munion, for then the Lord’s Table could easily be defiled. It would then be possible that people would partake who elsewhere are subject to ecclesiastical discipline. It would also be possible that people with heretical views could partake of the Lord’s Supper. How would the consistory be able to exercise over­sight over the Lord’s Supper and keep the Lord’s Table pure? The Reformers insisted that careful oversight be exercised regarding the Lord’s Table.

Desecration of the Lord’s Table by unholy people had to be prevented. Calvin therefore implemented the use of the table token in 1560 — a practice which is still in use in the Scottish churches. This token was a small metal coin, usually made of lead, which the elders would dispense to those members in their district with whose walk of life they were acquainted. These people had to show this token when they wished to partake of the Lord’s Supper.

Calvin insisted on having a personal meeting with all who wished to partake of the Lord’s Supper. In Strasbourg, he had replaced Romish confession with a personal meeting with every believer who requested to be admitted to the Lord’s Supper. In a letter to Farel, he reminds him of how often he has stated it would be of little benefit to abolish confession if it was not replaced with a personal meeting.

Such a meeting with prospective participants of the Lord’s Supper would have to be conducted by the elders “so that the ignorant, though insufficiently instructed, would receive more adequate religious instruction, and that they who were in need of specific exhortation would also receive it — and finally that those who were troubled by spiritual concerns could be comforted” (Calvin as Pastor, J. D. Benoit, p. 152).

Oversight over Life and Doctrine←⤒🔗

Oversight regarding life and doctrine of communicants was deemed necessary, and prospective com­municants needed to be instructed as to for whom the Lord’s Supper is instituted.

This view of Calvin became embedded in Reformed churches. For a period of time, it was customary that members would be visited prior to the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. They who either led offensive lives or were indifferent were exhorted to refrain from partaking of the Lord’s Supper. Our practice of conducting annual family visitation is still a blessed remnant of this.

At the Convent of Wezel (1568), it was already determined regarding admission to the Lord’s Supper that they who wish to be admitted to the Lord’s Supper must forward their names to the pastor eight days ahead of time. Immediately thereafter, one or more elders, depending on the size of the districts and the number of candidates, must be directed by the consistory to inquire care­fully regarding their previous walk of life and to report to the consistory regarding this.

During the early stages of the Reformation, it occurred quite often that members were not admitted to the Lord’s Table. One would then be refused admission either in regard to one’s walk of life or due to great ignorance regarding a worthy partaking of the Lord’s Supper. This prohibition to partake of the Lord’s Table was intended to be medicinal rather than puni­tive. Calvin wrote: “If someone is prohibited to partake of the Lord’s Supper, it does not mean that he will permanently be excluded” (Calvin as Pastor, p. 153).

Such was the manner in which discipline was implemented in regard to the Lord’s Table. This was exercised first of all in regard to life and doctrine, but also in a personal meeting (instead of Romish confession) during which one would discuss how to partake worthily of the Lord’s Supper.

The Reformers were of the opinion that also in this they were following in the footsteps of the early church. The early Christians would convene prior to the Lord’s Supper in almost identical fashion as the Jews did prior to the Passover.

The Jews would come together to partake of the meal of the Passover. However, prior to partaking of this meal, the history of their deliverance from Egyptian slavery would be recounted. Subsequently, they would eat the Passover lamb along with the bitter sauce and the unleavened bread, and drink wine. They would then speak about their deliverance from Egypt, prayers would be offered, and blessings would be pronounced.

During this meal, they would reminisce about the history of their forefathers and the roots of their existence as a Jewish people. It was by way of the blood of the Passover that God had delivered them from the angel of destruction and had set them free from their bitter oppression.

The Lord’s Supper, as instituted by Jesus, was an extension of this. It was also a meal. He instituted it after He had observed the Old Testament Passover with His disciples. The essential difference with the Passover was, however, that Jesus had said, “Do this in remembrance of Me.”

His atoning suffering and death had to be the focal point of this meal. Christians were indebted to this death for their eternal salvation, and that molded them together into a new people of God who had been delivered by God from the bondage of sin and Satan. Jesus Himself was the centerpiece of the meal.

Nevertheless, the link between the Lord’s Supper and the Old Testament Passover was always maintained during the first centuries of the Christian church. The central thought that God had passed over Israel for the sake of the blood of the Passover lamb, resurfaces in the doctrine of the Lord’s Supper.

This becomes evident, for example, in a Lord’s Supper sermon by Melito, bishop of Sardis, preached in 170 A.D.

He came from heaven to earth to suffer for man; He became man in the loins of a virgin from which He came forth as a man; He subjected Himself to suffering by a body which was capable of suffering, and eliminated suffering in the flesh, and since His divine nature was not capable of dying, He became in His flesh the death of death by which man perishes.

For as a lamb and a sheep He was brought to the slaughter; He redeemed us from the slavery of the devil, as from the hand of Pharaoh, and sealed our souls with His own Spirit and our bodies with His own blood. It is He who covered death with the garment of humiliation, who wrapped the devil in the garment of His suffering as Moses did with Pharaoh. It is He who defeated the devil, as Moses defeated the lawless one in Egypt who committed injustice by stealing the children.

Within that context, Christians understood that the Lord’s Supper was only intended for the people of God, redeemed by Christ — just as the Passover was only intended for redeemed Israel. Just as an uncircumcised person could not partake of the Passover, likewise unbelievers may not partake of the Lord’s Supper.

Only baptized believers could partake of the Lord’s Supper. The early Christians not only carefully guarded Baptism but also the Lord’s Supper. In the so-called Instruction of the Twelve Apostles, or the Didache, we read, “Let no one eat or drink of the Eucharist, except those who have been baptized in the Name of the Lord, for regarding its partaking the Lord has said, ‘Give not that which is holy to the dogs.’”

Justin wrote around the year 150 A.D.: “This food is called the Eucharist and no one is permitted to partake of this except those who believe that our teachings are the truth, who are washed with the washing of regeneration and the remission of sins, and who live as Christ has instructed us” (Apology).

Jesus did not celebrate the Lord’s Supper with everyone. He did so in the restricted circle of His disciples. Especially what is written in 1 Corinthians 11 regarding self-examination and discerning the body of Christ indicates that one must indeed be able to give an account of what he believes.

The New Testament uses verbs in connection with the Lord’s Supper which indicate active involvement. We read of taking, eating, drinking, doing it in remembrance of Him, showing forth the death of the Lord, examining one’s self, discerning the body of Christ and persevering in the breaking of bread. These are activities which pertain to a select group of individuals, namely, true believers in Christ.

It was therefore customary in the early Christian church to admit to the Lord’s Supper only those adults who had been baptized. Prior to the administration of the Lord’s Supper, the bishop would say, “Ita missa est,” that is, “Be dismissed.” All who were not baptized, all children who had not yet made public profession of faith and all non-Christians had to leave the gathering. The Lord’s Supper was celebrated exclusively with professing Christians.

Since one also must be of a spiritual disposition, the bishop would exclaim, “Sursum Corda,” that is, “Lift up your hearts!” the congregation would then respond, “Habemus ad Dominum,” that is, “We have lifted them to the Lord!” the administration of the Lord’s Supper would then follow.

Thus we conclude that profession of faith and self-examination are connected with the Lord’s Supper.

The Second Criterion for Self-Examination←⤒🔗

Secondly, that every one examine his own heart whether he doth believe this faithful promise of God that all his sins are forgiven him only for the sake of the passion and death of Jesus Christ, and that the perfect righteousness of Christ is imputed and freely given him as his own, yea, so perfectly, as if he had satisfied in his own person for all his sins and fulfilled all righteousness.

This second aspect of self-examination pertains to the doctrine of redemption. In order to partake worthily of the Lord’s Supper, one must not only have knowledge of his sins and the curse due to him for them, but also of the redemption and atonement which Christ has merited. The worthy partaker of the Lord’s Supper must be a believer, for the Lord’s Supper is a spiritual meal. Faith is the mouth whereby one eats and drinks Christ; that is, it is the means whereby one most intimately appropriates the atoning passion and death of Christ.

Without faith, one cannot receive Christ. To partake of the Lord’s Supper without faith is no more than receiving a piece of bread and a sip of wine. Such a person is not capable of receiving Christ. It is the intent of the form that one would examine his heart whether he possesses true faith — and indeed, there is sufficient reason to examine one’s heart.

Much faith is not true faith. There is historical faith which acquiesces in the truth without the heart being involved. There is also temporary faith. One who has such faith will for a season follow Jesus with much enthusiasm, but as soon as trials come his way, he disappointedly bids Jesus farewell. Then there is also miraculous faith, by which one does and believes in wondrous things, without, however, his heart being united to Jesus.

Only by true faith a person is united with Christ. Only of true faith it can be said, “Unto you therefore which believe, he is precious” (1 Pet. 2:7). Counterfeit faith does not involve the heart. One must therefore examine his heart whether he believes the faithful promise of God. Faith must be the exercise of our heart.

In what manner, then, must one examine his heart? As follows: “...whether he doth believe this faithful promise of God that all his sins are forgiven him only for the sake of the passion and death of Jesus Christ.” When reading these words, one could draw the wrong conclusion that the Lord’s Supper is only for assured believers, and one should therefore read carefully what it says.

The issue is not whether one has an assured faith, and thus believes without any doubt, but whether one believes the faithful promise of God. The certainty referred to here is not to be found in us, but rather, in God’s promise. One must believe that the promise of God is certain and truthful.

Faith rests upon the promises of God. Without such a resting upon the promises of God there can be no faith. Calvin says:

Free promise we make the foundation of faith, because in it faith properly consists. For though it holds that God is always true ... yet it properly begins with promise, continues with it, and ends with it ... Therefore, if we would not have faith to waver and tremble, we must support it with the promise of salvation, which is offered by the Lord spontaneously and freely, from a regard to our misery rather than our worth. Hence the Apostle bears this testimony to the Gospel, that it is the word of faith (Rom. 10:8) ... Therefore, when we say, that faith must rest on a free promise, we deny not that believers accept and embrace the word of God in all its parts, but we point to the promise of mercy as its special object.” Institutes, 3-2-29

By directing us to the promise of the gospel as the foundation of faith, we are drawn away from ourselves and are led to Christ. Hereby the foundation for salvation is not laid in us, but outside of ourselves in the atoning passion and death of Christ.

The contrite sinner who reflects upon his sins and the curse due to them is not cast upon himself in order to find something within himself. Rather, one is cast upon God’s gracious promise of forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

What warrant is there that God will receive me in grace? Does one find this warrant in his contrition or hungering and thirsting after the righteousness of Christ? No; rather, this warrant is to be found in the promise of the gospel. One may flee to Christ with his sins and the curse due to them, since the promise of the gospel says that whoever looks to Christ the Cru­cified One, and believes in Him, shall not perish but have eternal life.

Without a genuine knowledge and heartfelt sense of one’s sins and the curse due to them, no one shall seek Christ and be desirous to serve Him. However, one’s knowledge of sin, contrition, and a desire for reconciliation are not the foundation of one’s faith. The foundation of one’s faith is God’s gracious promise that whoever believes in Christ shall not perish but have eternal life.

In the gospel, Christ proclaims, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” It is in response to the call of Jesus in the gospel that the laboring and heavy-laden sinner comes.

Thus, the distinguishing feature of genuine faith is that it trusts in the faithful promise of God. This faith is therefore so certain of its case that the form continues by stating, “and that the perfect righteousness of Christ is imputed and freely given him as his own, yea, so perfectly, as if he had satisfied in his own person for all his sins and fulfilled all righteousness.”

Nevertheless, this truth elicits many questions. Few understand that there is assurance in every exercise of faith. And yet, this fully harmonizes with the definition of true, saving faith. Faith is therefore defined as such in our Heidelberg Catechism:

True faith is not only a certain knowledge, whereby I hold for truth all that God has revealed to us in His word, but also an assured confidence, which the Holy Ghost works by the gospel, in my heart; that not only to others, but to me also, remission of sin, everlasting righteousness and sal­vation, are freely given by God, merely of grace, only for the sake of Christ’s merits. Lord’s Day 7, Q. 21

Thus, the language of our form is not a foreign formulation. Yet, many will say, “I miss this faith as it is defined here. I miss the assurance that this is also for me.”

First, one needs to consider that true faith will be assaulted. One need not be jealous of those who look down upon the struggle of God’s children. They deem such struggles to be unhealthy. They consider all this agonizing whether salvation is also for me to be superfluous. They are always able to believe and doubt is foreign to them. I fear that what Comrie writes is applicable to them:

O, my beloved, from the bottom of my heart I must say that I fear for many. They are haughty and speak presumptuously about the most advanced exercises of faith. They have never suffered pain nor anguish and are as little acquainted with broken bones as was Luther’s prior, and yet they are masters at passing judgment on many.

Exposition of Heidelberg Catechism, p. 426

Therefore, I do not want to judge the strife of God’s children in that manner.

Sometimes, however, God’s children can entertain serious misconceptions. Instead of seeking the foundation for their freedom to come in God’s promise, they seek it within themselves. Everything then revolves around whether a person has humbled himself sufficiently, whether he feels his sins enough, or whether he can feel that God is willing to be gracious and that Christ shall receive him. Rather than looking to the brazen serpent, he looks within himself.

Sometimes people look for very special things, such as a voice from heaven saying to them that God has loved them with an everlasting love and that Christ has died for them. One may have had the occasion to hear godly people speak about a revelation of Christ to their soul and then deems such a revelation to be of an extraordinary nature.

As far as God’s children are concerned, there are many reasons why faith cannot break through. To be able to say by faith, “Not only to others, but also to me God, for Christ’s sake, has graciously granted for­giveness of sins, eternal salvation, and righteousness,” can be so far beyond one’s reach. Such spiritual misconceptions and ignorance frequently yield much doubt and fear, and Satan abuses this to keep many in a state of uncertainty — sometimes for years.

However, we also need to consider a different aspect. It is ultimately the work of the Holy Spirit to work faith and assurance. Only when the Lord Him­self says to our soul, “I am thy salvation,” can our heart be at rest. For the enjoyment of assurance, we remain dependent upon the Holy Spirit.

Even if one may enjoy the benefit of healthy preach­ing and have interaction with biblical Christians, that in and of itself cannot yield assurance to one’s soul. The assaulted sinner can read the promises of the gospel in the Bible, a minister may proclaim them and set Christ before him in all His fullness and suitability — yes, even an angel from heaven could proclaim the promises of the gospel without the assaulted sinner experiencing their comfort and power.

The word of promise, however rich it may be, does not have the inherent power to accomplish this. The Holy Spirit must personally apply the promise. It is he who must convince the sinner that the promise is true and that it is true for him! Such is the manner in which faith is wrought in the heart.

The concerned sinner cannot just believe the promise, but instead says, “I shall yet be excluded. It is for others, but not for me.” But behold, the Holy Spirit assists the sinner in this struggle and persuades him that the promise is true and that it is true for him. It is as if the promise embraces the sinner and the sinner in return may embrace the promise. One may then hear the message, “The Master is there and He calleth thee!” At such a moment, faith breaks through. Though one earlier had to say, “It is for others and not for me,” now he may say, “It is also for me — yes, even for such a one as I am!”

Then one will understand the question of the form for the administration of the Lord’s Supper and will echo its words: “He doth believe this faithful promise of God that all his sins are forgiven him only for the sake of the passion and death of Jesus Christ, and that the perfect righteousness of Christ is imputed and freely given him as his own.”

However, there is more in the second question for self-examination. It continues, “yea, so perfectly, as if he had satisfied in his own person for all his sins and fulfilled all righteousness.”

These words could readily lead one to conclude that he must possess an assured faith to partake of the Lord’s Supper. If, however, such is one’s conclusion, he is not reading this correctly. It does not say that one must believe this with full assurance, but that Christ has made full satisfaction for sin. The issue here is the fullness of the satisfaction accomplished by Christ.

The only way one could know whether he had made full satisfaction would be if he had paid God the very last penny. However, Jesus has made such complete satisfaction! He has so fully made satisfaction for all the sins of His people that it is as if they themselves had made satisfaction. So completely has He taken their place before God and made atonement for their debt before Him! To this atonement, made by Christ, the faithful promise of the gospel bears witness — a promise which faith embraces. Once more we must observe that the focus here is upon the contents of the gospel promise.

This promise of the gospel, however, does not speak of a doubtful salvation, but rather, of a righteousness that is so all-encompassing that it is as if one per­sonally had atoned for his sins. It is that promise which faith embraces.

Such faith is needed to partake of the Lord’s Supper — a faith that in the midst of a deep consciousness of need clings to the faithful promise of God. It is a faith that knows of the blessed experience, “Now it is not only for others, but also for me!”

Let me conclude with the beautiful and instructive description Justus Vermeer gives of this embracing of God’s faithful promise:

One needs to make a distinction between the promises of God in which all these great matters are comprehended, and the faith by which these sure and faithful promises are received and appropri­ated. We do not read that this faith must be an assured faith. These great and faithful promises of God encompass the believer’s complete justification and pardon of all sins — all this solely for the sake of the passion and death of Jesus Christ. These promises pertain to nothing less than the imputation of Christ’s perfect righteousness and obedience — a righteousness so perfect that it is as if believers have personally made atonement for all their sins and fulfilled all righteousness.

This is the essence of the matter of which everyone must be a partaker. Not to be a partaker of these faithful promises means that one will perish, and therefore the feeblest believer yearns to be a partaker of this great benefit. It is therefore of crucial importance that we have that faith by which God’s faithful promises are embraced.

One can do this with a strong as well as with a weak faith; with much assurance, but also with much doubt; which much faith or with little faith. What matters is whether one’s faith is genuine, and that, burdened by all his sins and wretchedness, one cannot live without Jesus; whether, as an ungodly one, one takes refuge to Him, thereby confessing that he would surely perish if there were no Jesus and that he seeks his life outside of himself in Christ, being convinced of the absolute necessity of being a partaker of Christ — and whether Christ has become precious to his soul Justus Vermeer, Exposition of the Heidelberg Catechism, p. 752

The Third Criterion for Self-Examination←⤒🔗

The third question reads as follows:

That every one examine his own conscience, whether he purposeth henceforth to show true thankfulness to God in his whole life and to walk uprightly before Him; as also, whether he hath laid aside unfeignedly all enmity, hatred, and envy, and doth firmly resolve henceforward to walk in true love and peace with his neighbor.

The third aspect of self-examination pertains to sanctification. True faith purifies the heart. A faith that does not transform a man into a new creature is not of God.

The Roman Catholic Church accused the Reformers that their doctrine of salvation by faith alone in Christ makes men ungodly and careless. Rome argued that if salvation is by grace alone, it does not matter how one lives. That accusation is unbiblical and false. The Reformers responded like the Heidelberg Catechism:

Question 64: But doth not this doctrine make men careless and profane?

Answer: By no means: for it is impossible that those, who are implanted into Christ by a true faith, should not bring forth fruits of thankfulness.

All who have become acquainted with God’s forgiving grace through Christ’s blood, will tell you that their sorrow over sin and their desire to serve God have increased. John Wyclif, whose bones were exhumed and burned after his death, defended himself against this accusation by saying, “I have never lived such a holy life as since I embraced this doctrine that I am saved only through Christ and not by works.”

Thus one needs to examine himself whether he is inclined to live unto God. He must examine the incli­nation and sincerity of his heart. The requirement is not that a person must keep God’s commandments perfectly, but whether he is inclined to live uprightly before God.

If you are a child of God, there can be much that will fill you with sorrow and shame. However, as to the inclination of your heart, you will dare to say with Peter, “Lord, Thou knowest all things. Thou knowest that I love Thee.” In spite of the evil that cleaves to you, you will have a sincere desire to live unto God. You will be able to say wholeheartedly, “I wish that all sin in me were dead.”

A regenerate person has a new inclination. Even if there were neither a heaven full of light nor a hell full of darkness, he would desire to serve God and to live before Him without sin.

Sin and Satan are the lord and master of the unre­generate heart. The power of sin has never been broken, even though it may be kept in check by a person’s upbringing and conscience.

This is not the case with the regenerate person. His heart has been renewed; a new principle and inclination have been planted in his heart. Christ has ascended the throne of his heart. Sin is no longer lord and master.

Why then does a child of God still have so much struggle with sin? He will complain much more about his evil heart and the power of sin than prior to his conversion. Struggle with sin is a healthy sign. It proves that one is no longer a slave to sin. On the con­trary, new desires and a new inclination have been planted in his heart. It is this new inclination which causes him to live uprightly before God. This renewal of the heart also yields a desire to live in love and peace with one’s neighbor.

This concludes the self-examination required for partaking of the Lord’s Supper. He who partakes of the Lord’s Supper is indeed a sinner; however, he is a renewed sinner. The only proof that a person is in Christ, and He in him, is a sanctified walk of life. A person proves which family he belongs to by his life. Therefore one may not glory in Christ’s work for him unless he shows by his life that Christ is at work in him.

The Worthy Partaker of the Lord’s Supper←⤒🔗

After the third question for self-examination, the form for the Lord’s Supper continues:

All those, then, who are thus disposed, God will certainly receive in mercy and count them worthy partakers of the table of His Son Jesus Christ.

How comforting and encouraging that is! If these questions for self-examination express what lives in your heart and you are thus inclined, God will receive you in grace. In God’s sight you are a worthy partaker of the table of His Son Jesus Christ. What an honor! It is almost too great to believe. Fallen sinners who acquiesce in their own condemnation are partakers of the table of God’s Son!

This elicits questions in many concerned Christians. Perhaps you too have difficulty with the expression “all those, then, who are thus disposed.” Your question is, “Am I thus disposed?”

The touchstone for self-examination has been given in these three questions. The question, however, is, “Are the marks of worthy partakers of the Lord’s Table found in me?” Let us listen to Brakel:

1. A true believer will perceive within himself that with all his heart — albeit the one time more perceptibly than at other times — he yearns for the Lord Jesus in order to be justified by His blood, to be clothed with His holiness as merited by His fulfillment of the law, and to be renewed and sanctified by His Spirit. He will perceive that he yearns for, longs for, cries after, flees to, waits upon, and surrenders himself to Him. He wrestles against unbelief in order that he may bring Jesus into his heart, and to be assured that he believes in Him and is a partaker of Him and His benefits.
2. He will perceive that he cannot be satisfied with believing that he has received grace. He desires with all his heart the possession, the enjoyment, and the relish of the benefits of the covenant. He will perceive that he is enamored with being truly united to God, with a life in which there is an impression of the Lord’s presence, with peace of conscience, and with the love and fear of the Lord. When he misses this, he is troubled, and if he has lost this, he cannot rest until he receives it by renewal; for this is his life, delight, and felicity.
3. He will perceive within himself a hatred and distaste for sin, a grief when he sins, a repeated rising again and a fleeing to the blood of Jesus unto reconciliation, and a delight and love to live a life which is pleasing to the Lord. He perceives within himself a warfare between the flesh and the spirit. The lusts of the world continually draw him to the world and away from God, whereas the spirit­ that which has been regenerated, his spiritual life within him — continually draws him away from sin unto God. He also perceives, to his grief, that the flesh at times has the upper hand in this bat­tle, whereas at other times, to his joy, the spirit prevails.

Such may not refrain from partaking, but rather are obligated to come forward with the multitude which keeps holyday, so that by using the signs, the promises — which are made to such as have just been mentioned — may be sealed to them (The Christian’s Reasonable Service, Vol. 2, p. 581).

The form for the Lord’s Supper itself continues in a very pastoral tone. The reading of the form, when blessed by the Lord, can resolve many difficulties. How pastorally we are addressed:

For we do not come to this supper to testify thereby that we are perfect and righteous in ourselves; but on the contrary, considering that we seek our life out of ourselves in Jesus Christ we acknowledge that we lie in the midst of death.

That is the basis upon which a guilty and condemned sinner comes to the Lord’s Supper. The grounds for coming are not within yourself — not even in your experiences, though they cannot be lacking as the evidence of faith. The foundation for coming is to be found in Christ’s atoning passion and death. The true partaker of the Lord’s Supper seeks his life outside of himself in Christ. The core truth regarding partaking of the Lord’s Supper remains: “Whereas you should otherwise have suffered eternal death, I have given my body to the death of the cross and shed my blood for you.” The eye of faith must be fixed upon that truth, and that truth must be remembered at the Lord’s table.

What about one’s worthiness? Let me conclude with the words of Calvin:

How shall we, who are devoid of all good, polluted by the defilements of sin, and half dead, worthily eat the body of the Lord? We shall rather consider that we, who are poor, are coming to a benevolent giver, sick to a physician, sinful to the author of righteousness, in fine, dead to him who gives life; that worthiness which is commanded by God, consists especially in faith, which places all things in Christ, nothing in ourselves. Institutes, 4.17.42

Calvin goes on to say that your unworthiness is your best worthiness. This sense of unworthiness, which is the fruit of acquaintance with God and self, must be there. For there is also another possibility. The form for the Lord’s Supper states, “On the contrary, those who do not feel this testimony in their hearts, eat and drink judgment to themselves.” Be upright in dealing with your soul! Consider that the first question of a contrite heart is, “What must I do to be saved?” It does not begin with the Lord’s Supper.

A person does not come to the Lord’s Supper to obtain faith. That he must acquire by means of the preaching of the gospel and the operation of the Holy Ghost. I fear that at times the decision to partake of the Lord’s Supper is made too early. One may possibly grieve over sin and be jealous of God’s people, and yet have not learned at all to seek salvation outside of himself in the Lord Jesus. However, the latter is so essential for partaking of the Lord’s Supper. Without having any knowledge of the Lord Jesus by faith, a person cannot fruitfully partake of the Lord’s Supper. How can we remember someone we do not know?

Do not partake of the Lord’s Supper for the sake of the Lord’s Supper itself. When you arise and take your seat at the table, you must be able to say why you arose and did come. You must be able to say, “Lord, Thou knowest that I seek Jesus which was crucified.”