2011-10-21

To whom must a pastor not give Holy Communion?

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He must not give Holy Communion
  1. To those, who have not been baptized into the Christian faith.

  2. To manifest and impenitent sinners, in order that they will not eat and drink to their damnation.

    Matt. 7:6: Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine.

    1 Cor. 11:27: Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of he Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

  3. To those who have abandoned the Christian faith and have not repented and returned.

  4. To those of different faiths, for in partaking of the Lord’s Supper, we confess that we are one in faith with those with whom we commune.
    Rom. 16:17: I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them.

    Cor. 10:21-22: 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. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?

  5. To those who have caused offense, and have not as yet removed it, so that no one will have any basis for believing that they are partaking of the Lord’s Supper while impenitent.
    Matt. 5:24: First be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

    1 Cor. 10:32: Give none offense... nor to the church of God.

  6. To those who are not able to examine themselves, and do not understand what they receive in the Lord’s Supper. Such people are small children, the unconscious, those mentally confused, those who are asleep, those patients who because of their illness do not understand what the Lord’s Supper is, and those other Christians, to whom the chief parts of Christian doctrine, especially the doctine of the Lord’s Supper, have not as yet been taught.

    1 Cor. 11:29: He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself.


    Luther: “I cannot say that the Bohemians, who give Communion to children, are right.” (Letter to Hausmann, 1527)