374. Who should not be given the Sacrament?
The Sacrament should not be given to the following:
A. Those who are not Christian or who are not baptized.
Note: The Lord's Supper is for Jesus' disciples who are baptized and instructed in the Christian faith (Matthew 26:17; 28:19-20).
B. Those Christians who are unable to examine themselves, such as infants and very young children, people who have not received proper instruction in the Christian faith, or the unconscious.
1 Corinthians 11:28 Let a man examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
Note: Luther cautioned about who should receive the Lord's Supper (LC V 1-2): "Just as we have heard about Holy Baptism, so we must also speak about the other Sacrament, in these same three points: What is it? What are its benefits? and Who is to receive it? And all these points are established through the words by which Christ has instituted this Sacrament. Everyone who desires to be a Chrsitian and go to this Sacrament should know them. For it is not our intention to let people come to the Sacrament and administer it to them if they do not know what they seek or why they come."
C. Those Christians of a different confession of faith, since the Lord's Supper is a testimony to our unity in faith and doctrine.
Acts 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
1 Corinthians 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.
1 Corinthians 10:17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
Romans 16:17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.
Ephesians 4:1-4 Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have bveen called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call.
Note: The practice of closed Communion seeks to guard those who eat and drink in teh Lord's Supper from sinning against Christ's body and blood or receiving it to their harm. At the same time, this practice professes that those who partake of Christ's body and blood together are united in the same teaching and confession. We in no way mean to imply, however, that others who truly believe in Jesus as Savior from sin, yet who are not members of an orthodox Lutheran church, are not Christian.
D. Those who are openly ungodly and unrepentant, living contrary to God's Word.
1 Corinthians 5:11, 13 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler--not even to eat with such a one. ... God judges those outside. "Purge the evil person from among you."
1 Corinthians 10:20-21 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
E. Those who are unforgiving, refusing to be reconciled with their neighbors.
Matthew 6:15 But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Note: When we receive the Sacrament, we receive a sure sign of fellowship with Christ and all His sants. "Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread" (1 Corinthians 10:17). All the spiritual possessions of Christ and His saints become the common property of those who receive the Sacrament. Likewise, all the sufferings and sins become common property as well, so that Christians are called to show one another love, which "covers a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8). See Luther's treatise "The Blessed Sacrament of the Holy and True Blood of Christ and the Brotherhoods" (LW 35:49-51).
In all these instances, pastors are "stewards of the mysteries of God" (1 Corinthans 4:1), which includes a sacred responsibility for admission to the Lord's Supper. The individual communicant is to examine himself or herself, but this does not relieve the pastor of faithful and lovnig oversight at the Lord's altar, which includes the examination of those who would commune. The congregation also has a responsibility for upholding faithful Communion practices. "No one is admitted to the Sacrament without first being examined. The people are also advised about the dignity and use of the Sacrament, about how it brings great consolation to anxious consciences, so that they too may learn to believe God and to expect and ask from Him all that is good" (AC XXIV 6-7).
Eventual commentary
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