Unity in the Meal: The Bible's Stance on Open Communion

While one could continue in this circular debate citing various traditions and theologians, the surest answer lies within the Bible itself. Rather than subscribe to centuries of thought and ecclesial policy, believers are beckoned to seek the Eternal by His living Word. Mark 14:22-25 illustrates that by Christ’s blood a new covenant is established between God and Man which can only be entered into by the life-altering choice and commitment to the sovereignty and authority of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. To celebrate this covenant, one would seem to have to abide in it, which Christ teaches occurs through conversion and baptism.
Grudem affirms this statement writing that the Lord’s Supper is solely for Christians. A person’s participation in the Supper symbolizes that they have made the commitment to be a part of the body of Christ (Grudem, 996). Diving into Paul’s first epistle to the church at Corinth one finds that when the Corinthians tell the story of Christ as it is told in the Supper it becomes their story as well. According to Paul they proclaim their life and identity in Christ in the Supper, affirming that Christ’s body is for believers and the Church (Sampley, 935-6). The body assembled is unified in fellowship for the Supper as the Eucharist acts as a lens through which the most important things about one’s new life in Christ are brought into focus. The meal is greatly sacred to the apostle. Whereas earlier in 1 Corinthians Paul makes concessions about eating meat and dining in unbelievers’ homes, he strictly forbids Christians to partake in pagan cultic ceremonies that in any way resemble that which is done and observed at the Table (1 Cor. 10:15-17).
Although certain modern theologians and pastors may see inconclusive evidence for open or closed communion, Paul had no doubt or question. How could someone who had never tasted the goodness and grace of Jesus Christ celebrate the Supper? How could a person who had come face to face with the utter reality of human depravation and atonement completed by the willingly and loving sacrifice of Jesus and not accepted that same Jesus as Saviour possibly begin to understand the sacredness of the Lord’s Table? While the gift of grace is an offer made to all mankind, the Lord’s Supper clearly is a blessing for only those who have entered into God’s family. To argue anything else is to deny the Biblical doctrine of justification solely by faith and the soteriological teachings of God’s Holy Word.