One of the most criticized of our Landmark Baptist practices is that of "closed communion," which means that, in taking the Lord's supper, only the members of the local church are invited to take a part.   When I was in seminary I roomed in a house where the landlady was a very self righteous as well as a prying person in the affairs of her roomers. One day she stopped me and inquired about the church I attended, evidently seeking for something to find fault with; for when I told her about our practices, how she did berate me for our being closed communionists!   She thought that was the cruelest, most inhuman practice for a church ever to have.   At the time I knew not what to say, but it made me soon inquire further into the matter.

     In studying about the Lord's Supper we find, in Cor 11, that Paul says in the 18th verse, "For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it."   He continues in the 20th verse, "When ye come together therefore in one place, this is not to eat the Lord's Supper."   In the margin of my Bible it says here, "Ye cannot eat the Lord's Supper."   In my Chinese Bible, which I often refer to, it says, "It does not count as the Lord's Supper."    Here in these teachings from God's Word is the basis for the practice of closed communion among Landmark Baptist Churches.   Not only is the Lord's Supper restricted to the members of the local church, but it is restricted to those members who are in harmony and fellowship with one another.

     When the Lord's Supper is properly observed, the pastor may have need to let some member, out of fellowship, know that he or she cannot rightly partake of the supper; or if two members are at outs with each other, they may be required to get right, confess their faults and forgive one another before they may partake of the Lord's Supper.

     It is also on this question of fellowship that each member is to examine himself that he may not eat and drink unworthily. (I Cor 11: 27-28).   He must needs discern the Lord's body, which is that local church of which he is a member, (I Cor 12:27) and to examine himself as to his relationship with the other members.    It is a time for confessing of faults one to another, then we as a church will be able to partake of the Lord's Supper with joy and in unity such as our Lord prayed for in John 17:11, "that they may be one, as we are one."   We do not believe that after two thousand years our Lord's prayer has still not been answered, but we believe it is often answered today in our churches as their members gather together to partake of the Lord's Supper, in one accord, as it should be.

     But why did my landlady think closed communion to be such a cruel and inhuman practice?   It was because of the false teaching regarding the communion that is in the Catholic Church and which has spread to a greater or lesser degree into all the Protestant churches.   With the Catholics the "Holy Communion" is one of the seven church sacraments by which God's grace is bestowed on man.   To them it is a means of salvation, although ordinarily reserved for those who are members of their church. Into the various churches has come this same idolatrous idea regarding the Lord's Supper, so they think we are cruel and hard hearted for withholding the communion from ones outside the church.   A few Protestant churches have the Lord's Supper every Sunday, thinking that thereby their congregation will be constantly filled with enough grace to get into heaven.

     True Baptists believe and practice what the Bible teaches, mainly that Salvation is ALL OF GRACE THROUGH FAITH (Eph 2:8,9).   Therefore the Lord's Supper is no means of grace whatsoever.   You may eat a ton of sacramental bread and drink gallons of sacramental wine and you will be no nearer heaven, no nearer saved than ever before.   It is a symbol, placed in the church and for church members only.

     Those who practice open communion are merely encouraging an idolatrous faith in the ordinance in place of faith in the Savior, Jesus Christ.   Those who meet together in union meetings of various denominations often boast of how they "took the Lord's Supper together."   But surely if, as Paul says, when there are divisions in the local church they cannot eat the Lord's Supper, then a conglomeration such as that could never take a true Lord's Supper.   It may be some kind of a supper, but it is not the Lord's.   As a believer in God's Word, I do not wish to ever commit such sacrilege.

     Many years ago C. H. Spurgeon, in an article I once read, strongly decried the coming of open communion into some Baptist churches in England, and he warned that it was just a first step toward departure from the faith and from God's Word.   Today only a few faithful Baptist churches here and there do not practice open communion, and we find the many Baptist churches are now so permeated with false doctrines of all kinds and that there is little truth left in them.   Still I believe there will be a few churches that will remain faithful, a remnant, keeping that wonderful, that symbolical memorial, the Lord's Supper in the Bible way till Jesus comes.

         I do not work my soul to save,
    For that the Lord hath done;
         But I will work like any slave
    For love of God's dear Son.

Bro. Wiley Cameron remains in ICU in the Burn Unit of Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, GA.   He was involved in an electrical fire on Saturday, October 31 that left 2nd and 3rd degree burns over most of his upper body.   He remains in a doctor-induced coma and has already received a number of skin grafts with many more still to come.   The doctors can give no time frame for his recovery; they are taking it one day at a time.   We ask all our friends to please keep Bro. Cameron and the family in your prayers.   The doctor said yesterday that his case is the most severe in the Burn Unit, but he also serves the biggest God.   A local fire station in Atlanta has provided an apartment close to the hospital for Mrs. Cameron so she is able to stay there.   Also, the Cameron’s home church has set up an account at their bank if friends would like to help them with expenses. The bank is The People’s Bank, P.O. Box 4250, Eatonton, GA 31024-4250. Phone # is 706-485-1143.

     ONCE


     Once, my Saviour came and died

     To save my soul from sin;

     Once, I looked to Him to save me,

     'Twill happen ne'er again!


     Once, He died upon the cross;

     Oh! How he suffered there!

     Once, He cried, " I thirst!" in agony,

     To show me that He cared!


     Once, He saved my sinful soul;

     He became forever mine,

     When I surrendered all to Him,

     And said, "Take me Lord, I'm thine!"


     Once, for all eternity,

     He gave eternal life;

     Yet I've failed him, oh, so many times,

     Through daily cares and strife!


     Still, I know He's mine forever;

     He forgives me o'er and o'er;

     I'm saved once and forever,

     and I know I'll reach that shore!
     

     by F. C. Creel

Letters To The Editor

     Still there have been no letters to the editor.   Folks if you want to respond to something you have read in "Baptist Landmarks" please E-Mail your response to edit@BaptistLandmarks.org   Your response will be printed here.

     I would like to have a cartoon in each issue if possible.   If there is someone reading this paper who can draw cartoons that will cause us to laugh at the foolish things we sometimes do and cause us to think of how we could better serve our Savior, please E-Mail me and let me know.

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