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What We Believe and Why
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

Copyright - Lester Hutson - 1986
This material is copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of Dr. Lester Hutson.

CHAPTER FORTY SIX

THE CALL FOR UNITY IN THE CHURCH DEMANDS CLOSED COMMUNION
I CORINTHIANS 10: 16-17

Since the body of Christ is the church, and the church is a local assembly of baptized believers, not an assembly of any or all who have been saved and baptized; when the body is told to take the bread, that local assembly is who is to do it. The scriptural symbolance and significance of the supper is destroyed if members of two or more bodies jointly participate in the supper.

This message is designed to show you further the symbolism of the supper and why only closed communion can maintain that symbolism:

I. The Lord's Supper is an expression of unity:

A. Eph. 4:3-6 is an excellent testimonial of the unity that should be known and existing in the Lord's church:

1. Notice that the "one body" is being addressed (Vs. 4) which we have already established as being a local church.

2. This body, according to Vs. 3 is to ever endeavor to keep a very high degree of unity.

3. They are ever to bear in mind that they are one body, and that have all believed in one Lord, having exercised one faith, and been baptized by one baptism, and are kept by one Spirit, while serving one God.

4. The church should shine as an example of the unity that runs through the whole system of spiritual things.

B. Our text I Cor. 10:16-17 shows that this unity is expressed when the body observes the supper:

1. Note well in Vs. 17 that Paul speaks that many members may partake of the bread; but still only "one body" is involved. (And the body always refers to a local church; in this case to the one in Corinth. I Cor. 1:2).

2. This body (the church) in observing the supper shows communion (unity).

C. The church in Jerusalem serves as an illustration of this principle:

1. Acts 1:14 says they "all continued with one accord."

2. Acts 2:1 says, "They were all with one accord in one place."

3. Acts 2:46 shows them continuing "daily with one accord in the temple."

4. And, notice from Acts 2:42 that all this was done in connection with "breaking of bread."

D. There's a lot involved when a church takes the Lord's Supper:

1. Not only does it show the death of Christ.

2. It is also a testimony of the unity of the church and the faith.

3. It shows the church in unity with each other and the Lord.

II. The kind of unity necessary for an honest portrayal of this symbolism can only exist if members of the same body jointly partake of the supper:

A. If members of two or more bodies jointly take the supper, the whole symbolism of unity is disrupted:

1. Instead of there being "one body" as both I Cor. 10:17 and Eph. 4:4 testify, then there are two or more "bodies" or as the universalists would have to admit . . . only a small fraction of the big universal body.

2. A scripture like I Cor. 10:17 would have to read "For we being many are one bread and many bodies", instead of saying, "one body."

3. It would be impossible for the kind of "communion", which I Cor. 10:16-17 speaks of to exist, among members of two or more bodies:

a. They have not all been baptized into the same body, I Cor. 12:13.

b. Thus, they are not members of the same body and thus able to function or suffer together, I Cor. 12:14-31.

4. If you as a member of one body partake of the supper with those of another body, then the very unity for which the supper stands as a symbol is destoryed. The same is true if members of one church invite members of another to take the supper with them.

5. When this occurs, the portrayal of unity becomes a lie or dishonest portrayal.

B. Furthermore, the standards set forth as prerequisites to partaking of the supper, and the disciplining of members is further testimony that the supper was intended only for members of a local body:

1. Every organization which proposes to work smoothly, yet efficiently, must have certain rules and regulations to be followed, as well as the authority to enforce those rules.

2. God has given that authority to His church:

a. Mt. 18:17 talks about bringing a sinning brother before the church.

b. II Thes. 3:6 says, "Now we command you brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us."

c. Titus 3:10 teaches, "A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition, reject."

d. I Pet. 4:17 reads, "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God."

e. Listen to the lengthy discussion in I Cor. 5:9-13.

3. It is clear thait a church has the responsibility of enforcing certain standards of conduct among the membership:

a. Particularly note I Cor. 5:12, "judge them that are within."

b. Almost all denominations recognize and admit that this means a local assembly, for how could a universal assembly or church possibly discipline its members?

4. This enforcing of Godly standards by the local church is essential in order to maintain the unity with which the church is to take the supper:

a. Paul proves this in I Cor. 10:21, "Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and of the table of devils."

b. Thus, the church is told "not to eat" with such in I Cor. 5:11.

5. Such exhortations as these could only be carried out by those practicing closed communion:

a. The open communionist have no way (in a universalist system) of bringing any member into judgment before the church; and they say you shouldn't; you have no right to.

b. When they invite an unruly person to take the supper, they are inviting him to heap damnation upon himself, (I Cor. 11:29).

C. Each local church can discipline its own members, thus be in the unity to take the supper; but no church has any jurisdiction over members of any other church, thus neither does it have the right to serve the supper to them.

The conclusion is that each church is local and the supper is only to be observed by members of that local body, when they be come together.

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"