Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

Urbana '70 CommunionRev. RobertAlmonte.The religious press widely reported the Inter-VarsityChristian Fellowship's 1970 convention at Urbana, includingits communion service in the closing minutes of1970.This communing sacrament sponsored by avoluntary association of individual Christians raises anumber of questions.The first concerns an awareness of the basicmeaning of the word "communion." All know com means"together, with." Then munion derives from a Latin wordmeaning "erecting, fortifying, affectionate gift and service."Communion as a word therefore signifies a unitedbuilding and strengthening, by service, of a priceless gift.It does NOT merely represent a "memory of their(Christians') Lord" as one advocate declared.This etymological meaning then immediately leadsto the term's theological import. Presuming the Englishdictionary accurately declares the public's meaning, itdefines communion theologically as "a body of Christianshaving one common faith and discipline." Mindful that theBible uses the term body to mean the visible, corporateChristian church (I Cor. 12:12,27) which then excludesmisconstruing it as a voluntary gathering of professedChristian individuals, then theologically the precious giftbuilt through communion is the visible, united church ofChrist's doctrine and discipline.This gives rise to the third consideration, namely:What is that Biblical "doctrine" (discipline) which isconstructed through communion? Since Paul, in ICorinthians 5:7, declares, "Christ our passover issacrificed for us" — which Calvary is the basis of communion:Therefore New Testament communion continuesIhe spiritual reality of the Old Testament Passover. Moraltruths concerning the Passover therefore continue as thecommunion's principles.The Biblical institution of the Passover is recordedin Exodus 12. Verse 6 requires that "the whole assembly ofthe congregation of Israel" perform the sacrament. Verses11,12 show that law and discipline were of vital importanceto the observance. Verses 14,1 7 ,24 state theprinciples are perpetual. Verses 26,27 show the Passoverwas both worship and religious sen ice, but also the meansof fortifying Israel in being God's believing church. Verse43 adds, "There shall no stranger (literally, "no offspringof foreigness" — no person not recognizable as a memberof the bodv) eat thereof." Verse 44 requires that God'sMARCH 31, 19-71More. Jr.,Ontariodiscipline be cut upon the stranger and that he benaturalized into the body before sharing the sacrament.Verses 46,47 require that the communion cannot beobserved indiscriminately throughout the land, but ratherhad to be commemorated in the household of faith — inthe family of God's inheritance of Israel.These principles lend themselves to certain conclusions.(1) Communion is not divinely instituted on theindividualistic status of believers, but on the community ofthe body of saints. Hence individualistic Christiansgathered voluntarily for propagating certain goals cannotBiblically claim, with propriety, to commemorate theLord's means of grace.(2) Communion was not divinely ordained merelyon the basis of a collection, a*-gathering, of certainbelievers or organizations. Its foundation is in the bosomof Christ's visible body, the corporately confessing church.Therefore an optional group with only limited idealscannot rightly claim to administer Biblical communion.(3) Communion was governed by divine law andcorporate discipline. However, no mere association ofmen can Biblically discipline those with whom they havenot to do. (Confession. XX, ii.iii; Testimony. XXIII, 4).Yet Biblical communion requires discipline to be anintegral part of the sacrament. Hence no voluntary groupwhich may, by option, be attended and supported orrefused could sponsor a Gospel communion.(4) Communion consists of participation in thedoctrine and practice of the believing body of Christ. Theconfession of THE faith, and submission to His obedientpractice is an absolutely necessary element of communion.Hence no group with a deliberately truncateddoctrine, and limited Biblical obedience to the wholecounsel of God can be acknowledged as dispensing a Godpleasingcommunion.While the world in general, and a sector oi individualChristians may laud, and participate in, theI'rbana '"0 communion, those who with consecrationhave searched out the mind of Christ revealed in Scriptureand whose vow before God and believers will never bedeferred from payment (Confession XXV.iii; XXVII,i;XXIX.iv,viii: Testimony. XX\ 3,41 cannot praise orsanction the misconception (hopefully not guile I or activeproselv ti/ing which runs counter to the Biblical revelationof communion.i