When is it expedient for a believer to withdraw from the Lord's Table?

BQ NO 92 -  WHAT ARE THE BIBLICAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR PARTAKING IN THE LORD'S TABLE? WHEN IS IT EXPEDIENT FOR A BELIEVER TO WITHDRAW FROM THE LORD'S TABLE?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

PART 1: QUALIFICATIONS FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE LORD'S TABLE

My study of Scripture reveals that there are three primary qualifications that Scripture prescribes for one to access the Lord's Table. One must have saving faith in Jesus Christ and must have been baptized. He should also be a member of a distinct Christian community. These are the same thresholds for basic Christian obedience.

Being a member of a Christian congregation affords us for edification and spiritual accountability in our walk with Christ.

This them implies that one must have satisfied the biblical requirements of salvation by faith in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9) and has been baptized and admitted into fellowship by their congregation.

Each Christian community have their established traditions touching on admission to the Lord's Table which are often intended to bring honor to Christ.

For instance, traditional Evangelical churches would not permit a believer to partake of the Lord's Table until he or she is affirmed by the congregation and is baptized through water immersion.

There is divided opinion among some traditions on what constitutes quintessential biblical baptism.

Some traditional churches, among them Anglicans and Catholics, insist that water baptism was not expressly commanded in Scripture. They simply place a mark on the forehead of the believer as evidence of Christian baptism.

Others require that the believer undergoes an elaborate confirmation process before being admitted into the church communion.

Pentecostal traditions  baptize by water immersion but do not recognize baptism as a prerequisite for admission into the Holy Communion.

They only insist on public confession of salvation by faith in Christ.

Both Evangelical and Pentecostal traditions are however agreed on the necessity of salvation by faith through public confession as the principal evidence of being born again which must be accompanied by biblical moral living (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Both traditions also conduct water baptism through immersion and will not recognize any other method of baptism.

My advice to believers is that we should respect our church traditions provided that they are godly and are consistent with biblical truth.

I subscribe to the Evangelical tradition and it is my personal conviction that there is no basis for a believer accessing the Lord's Table without being baptized by water immersion in the same manner that Christ was baptized in the Jordan and the Ethiopian Eunuch was baptized by Philip in a place with much water.

The believer should also have been affirmed by his or her church congregation as a bona fide member.  My view is that there is no such thing as private Christianity! No person who genuinely belongs to Christ can wilfully reject church fellowship.

Why do Evangelical churches insist on the prerequisite of water baptism before admission to the Lord's Table?

This is because the two ordinances of baptism and holy communion were commanded by Christ and we should therefore unquestioningly obey our Master (Matthew 28:19-20).

I hope I have somehow addressed the first question.

PART 2 -  WHEN IS IT EXPEDIENT FOR A BELIEVER TO WITHDRAW FROM THE LORD'S TABLE?

Now turning to the second question, I wish to state that this is a fairly difficult question. We can nonetheless identify some biblical guidelines on certain circumstances when it may be necessary for a believer to withdraw from the Holy Communion. Thankfully, such occasions are uncommon.

My view is that a believer may choose to withdraw from the Lord's Table except under the following exceptional circumstances:

1) If they are under church discipline. Once a believer has been suspended from church fellowship, they should withdraw from Holy Communion during the period of suspension until they are restored by the church. This practice is finds support in 1 Corinthians 5:1-9 regarding the immoral brother.

Paul instructed the Corinthian assembly suspend the brother. The object of the suspension is stated in 1 Corinthians 5:4-5.

He was later restored in 2 Corinthians 2:5-11.

Once the immoral brother was removed from church fellowship, this automatically disqualified him from participating in the Holy Communion celebration. Other restrictions may apply including suspension from ministry leadership positions.

Again this withdrawal is a sign of humility and spiritual submission that is intended to bring honor to Christ and His finished works of the cross.

2) Where the believer is the subject of the proceedings of a church tribunal which is inquiring on a matter touching on their moral conduct.

This is not to suggest that the believer is guilty of misconduct at this point but the withdrawal serves to free their conscience and to preserve the Christian witness and to warn others (cf. 1 Timothy 5:19).

Once the tribunal proceedings are concluded and a verdict is rendered, and the believer is absolved, then he should be free to celebrate Holy Communion.

3) Where the believer determines under a private and personal conviction that it would be inappropriate to approach the Lord's Table on account of a personal conflict that is within their exclusive knowledge and for which their consciences are not reconciled.

The Bible says in Romans 14:22-23 "....happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith, for whatever is not of faith is sin". This passage related to food offered to idols which Paul taught that believers were free to partake unless they have some condemnation on the same.

Scripture also requires us to search our hearts and be reconciled with God so that our consciences do not condemn us (1 John 3:20-21)

Some personal conflicts may require pastoral counseling.

Whatever the circumstances, the Lord's Table must be approached with honor and reverence to Christ in whose memory the celebration is conducted.

This is not to suggest that only sinless or perfect Christians should participate in the Holy communion! The Bible expressly confirms that none of us is without sin (1 John 1:8-10).

We approach the presence of God purely at His invitation and by His grace.

The Bible however warns that we should not partake of the Lord's Table irreverently or in dishonorable manner because this may carry grave consequences for those who knowingly do so (1 Corinthians 11:23-27).

This is why churches have a calendar for the Holy Communion and each believer is expected to prepare themselves ahead of each celebration.

We ought therefore to examine ourselves and if there is any unconfessed sin or unresolved conflicts with our Brethren or any disobedience to God for which the Holy Spirit manifestly convicts us, then we should address them instead of waiting until the 11th hour and we walk away when the Table is being served!

The story is told of one pastor who was about to conduct the celebration of the Holy Communion and he recalled a conflict he had with his wife that morning.

The pastor sought forgiveness from her at the pews and went on to preside over the celebration of the Lord's Table with a clear conscience.

My view is that when believers choose to walk away from the gathering of the Holy Communion this does not advance our Christian witness.

When one persistently withdraws from Holy Communion yet they are not under discipline, this may be a pointer to some spiritual problems that need to be confronted.

The Holy Communion is in my view, the highest point of unity between believers and our Lord. It is a moment in which we recall His sacrificial works by which He mercifully reached out to us and rescued us. It is the celebration of our unity in Christ as one body of people who have been redeemed by Christ and who eternally belong to Him (Ephesians 4:30).

The Holy Communion mirrors the eternal Union that we shall enjoy in the presence of Christ in Revelation 21. It is a mirror of heaven on earth, so to speak.

I hope I have somewhat addressed the second question as well.

I welcome any further comments or requests for clarification. I also welcome alternative answers and opinions from pastors in this forum.



© Ezekiel Kimosop Teaching Series 2019