Covenanter Witness Vol. 55 - Rparchives.org

profession,"yourselves"selves,"reprobate."practice."commandments."sions."you"On Close Communion"The Reformed Presbyterian standard of admission to the sacrament is that commonly referred toas 'Close Communion.' "THE QUESTION OF OBEDIENCEby Remo I. Robb, D.D.In response to a paper submitted by the SantaAna session, the Synod of 1955 decided to open thecolumns of the Witness to a limited discussion of'Close Communion' during the year, and that eachside be permitted one page of the Witness per month.In our Testimony, Chap. XXV, section 3, weread :"The Lord's Supper . . is administered onlyby a lawful minister of the word, to such baptized persons, as making- a credible professionof their faith, have a correspondingWhat is this "credible profession of faith" ? Towhom is it to be credible?In the Directory for Worship, Chap. Ill, section4 it is written: "Baptism is to be administered tothose who make a credible profession of their faithchildren."in Christ, and to theirIn the Testimony, Chap. XXV,section 2, thestatement is "Baptism is administered by a Christianminister . . tosuch adult persons as profess theirHim."faith in Christ, and obedience toA "crediblethen, is a "profession offaith in Christ" and "a promise of obedience to Him."The Confession of Faith (Chap. XXVII, sec. 1,and XXIX, sec. 3) agrees that obedience is involvedin the worthy receiving of the Lord"s Supper.The papers presented to Synod over the years,are excellent in their expression of what we ought tobelieve, but they are utterly silent about the obedience men should promise upon partakingof theLord's Supper. And yet obedience is as truly a requirement for admission as is the profession of faith.James links sound profession and obedience asa plan for life (James 1 :21, 22), and other Scriptureslink obedience to the sacraments. Note Matt. 28:19,20 and Romans 6:4, both in connection with baptism.And 2 Corinthians 13:5,which like 1 Corinthians 11begins "Examineand then goes on tosay "Prove your own that is, test out yourfaith by what you do, and determine if you are genuine orA profession of faith in Christ is a professionof love for Christ. His own command charges us withobedience, "If ye love me, keep myThis obedience, you see, is not a legalistic attitude.This is an obedience of love for Christ, not of law bythe Church.But what shall be the standard of obedience?Shall there be many ? How can our Church accept asa standard for others that which it does not allow forits own members? Shall Ave deal "more kindly"toward others than we do toward our own?Our children are members of the Church, butthey have been examined by the session (ChurchGovernment, Chap. II, para. 9). To withhold sacramental privileges until a profession is given is not a180matter of discipline, as some have inferred. It is simply a fulfillment of the Church obligation to lay uponits members a promise of obedience to that which itbelieves is the teaching of the Word of God.Does the Church do wrong in asking of its children a promise of obedience to the great truths itmaintains ? And is it just to our children, under thesepledges, to minister the most cherished Christianbenefits to others, who have taken them and then renounced them, or who never have taken them at all ?That is not the way it was done in Bible times.which preceded theIn connection with the Passover,Lord's Supper, the command was "One law shall beto him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger thatsojourneth among Exo. 12:49.This idea of a single standard of obedience runsall through the Bible. Be sure to read Lev. 24:22;Num. 15:14, 16.But, says someone, this has nothing to do withthe Sacrament. In reply, it has to do with the promise of obedience which is a part of the "credible profession"necessary to a proper receiving of the Sacrament.Where does this then leave us? Does this standard of obedience, to which no other Christian denomination holds in its entirety, mean that nobodybut members of the Covenanter Church are worthyto receive the Lord's Supper? What a ridiculous andPharisaic notion ! ! ! ! How can anyone in his rightmind say that the great Christian characters of thepast and present were unworthy communicants because they were not Covenanters? Our Lord condemned such superiority and self-righteousness in nouncertain terms.These Christians, and all who profess His Name,made what to their churches are "credible profesThe different denominations, or sects, require of their communicants such a profession offaith as they believe is required. That different denominations hold different views of what is requiredis not to be wondered at. Professions made accordingto denominational standards are "credible" in thosedenominations, but not necessarily so in others.The sacraments are the highest privileges ofchurch membership. Above and beyond all other privileges and responsibilities lie those sacred momentswhen, as witnesses or as participants, we step withinthe inner spiritual circle and take the symbols of Hissacrifice and inwardly rest on Him alone for oureternal salvation.For the order of the House of the Lord, it stillseems best that Christians of every denominationshould receive that highest benefit of church membership within the bounds of the church where theymade their profession of faith and gave their promise of obedience. Paul seems to think this way, too.In the chapter of the Words ofInstitution, he wrote"For there must be also heresies (that is, sects ordenominations) among you . . When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat theLord's Supper/' 1 Cor. 11:19, 20.I believe that the Synod should continue, as thelaw of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, the practice of Close Communion.COVENANTER WITNESS