What is the Biblical basis for withholding communion from believers who are unbaptized?
score:6
The biblical basis for restricting communion to the baptized is indeed 1 Cor 11:27-28. But, as @Richard pointed out, the interpretation of that passage isn't standardized.
Take a look, if you will, at the context of those two verses (NRSV). Paul is addressing a controversy where it seems some of the Corinthians were coming together to stuff themselves, and excluding others. That too is the consumption of the Lord's Supper in a disrespectful manner.
At any rate, at the supper that Thursday night long ago in the upper room, we have no clear words from Jesus about only serving the baptized. Were all the ones present with Jesus baptized? Who knows? He did serve all of them.
There's an early church document that isn't in the canon called the Didache XII Apostolos (the Teaching of the Twelve Apostles). See here for example. That document spells out the requirement for baptism before partaking of Communion.
"Now no one should either eat or drink from your thanksgiving meal, but those who have been baptized into the Lord's name. For about this also the Lord said, "Do not give what is holy to the dogs."
It is very likely that the reservation of Communion to the baptized is a matter of church tradition as much as it is of Scripture.
Upvote:11
It seems that regulations and opinions on this are varied. It depends (very strongly) on the denomination and what they believe.
Key Verse:
I'll put this here for later reference:
27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.
Protestantism
One belief is that the communion should be something solely for people who are saved, committed Christians.
As The Rev. Gerald Schrankler said in this thread:
If we invite non-baptized, non-Christians, to communion we degrade it from a celebration of our redemption by Christ's death and resurrection to a fellowship snack.
The background idea behind this is that Christians who are not baptized are not saved. Since they're not saved, they should not be able to partake of the communion and are in violation of 1 Corinthians 11:27.
Another Protestant View
John Wesley, however, believed that communion was a "means of grace" (source). Therefore, it shouldn't be withheld from anyone--believers or non-believers.
The idea here is that if someone wants to come to communion, we should not prevent them. It may very well be the means that leads to their salvation! Clearly that's not something we would want to withhold.
In Catholicism
Catholics actually allow others to take part in the Holy Communion, with tight restrictions.
Guidelines for the Reception of Communion
For Catholics
...A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord without prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession....
For Other Christians
...Members of the Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Polish National Catholic Church are urged to respect the discipline of their own Churches. According to Roman Catholic discipline, the Code of Canon Law does not object to the reception of communion by Christians of these Churches.
For Non-Christians
...While we cannot admit them to Holy Communion, we ask them to offer their prayers for the peace and the unity of the human family.
Summary
Ultimately, it seems that there are very widely dispersed opinions on this matter. The biblical basis as you asked, is 1 Corinthians 11:27-28. However, the interpretation of that verse has lead to varied regulations.
More post
- 📝 In Genesis, how did the first language come to be?
- 📝 How do Quakers know when to start and stop their church meetings?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church put the death of Samson in the category of suicide?
- 📝 Why is the line from Seth to Noah often called righteous?
- 📝 Patron saint of professional excellence? Professional excellence and holiness?
- 📝 Is the idea that God can erase His memory a common understanding?
- 📝 Do any denominations use the full form of INRI?
- 📝 What is the origin of Zoe (ζωή) vs Psyche (ψυχή) life in St. John?
- 📝 What is a Nazirite?
- 📝 Do people of different denominations think that the others are going to go to hell for holding false views?
- 📝 Why the word "REgenerate" according to the Calvinist?
- 📝 Was the destruction of the first Temple in 586 BC or 587 BC?
- 📝 Are there examples of God forgiving without sacrifice?
- 📝 What does the "second coming of Christ" mean?
- 📝 Saviour of all people, ESPECIALLY of those who believe
- 📝 What is the meaning of the parable in Luke 17:7-10?
- 📝 How does the doctrine of Papal Infallibility account for Peter's error?
- 📝 According to Catholicism, is it permitted for a priest to employ the Benedictio Deprecatoris prayer to stop the spread of the coronavirus?
- 📝 What is "jubilee(s)"?
- 📝 What does the abbreviation "RNIO" mean in a painting of the Virgin and Child?
- 📝 Does any denomination believe that Jesus left something in writing?
- 📝 Besides St. Casimir, are any other saints portrayed with three hands in iconography?
- 📝 How does mainstream Christianity view "Heaven is for Real"?
- 📝 Why are we Christians if Jesus was Jew?
- 📝 Biblical basis for God's egalitarian love
- 📝 What proportion of global Christians belong to denominations that accept evolution?
- 📝 What is an overview of Christian views on alien appearances and abductions?
- 📝 If Jesus' ministry was to the Jews, why did He go to Syria?
- 📝 Does God need our praise and glory?
- 📝 What are the major Catholic academic journals?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for withholding communion from believers who are unbaptized?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis or precedent for restricting women from serving in war?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for identifying the Lazarus Jesus raised from the dead and the Lazarus in the story of the rich man and Lazarus?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for testing the truthfulness of every statement made by Prophets or Apostles who have been confirmed as 'real'?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for the belief held by Jehovah's Witnesses that Jehovah and Jesus Christ are separate entities?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for saying Christians are "friends of God"?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for the belief that there are humans in heaven now?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis that people who are attracted to the same sex were not created by God that way?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for the belief that good works are the fruits of faith?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for the idea that the Bible cannot be understood without aid from God?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for the Catholic teaching that infant baptism cleanses from original sin?
- 📝 For Christians who are skeptical of the writings of the Apostolic & Ante-Nicene Fathers, what is their epistemological basis for trusting a canon?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for preachers to be paid from members' tithing?
- 📝 Within Anglicanism, what is the Biblical Basis for certainty that baptised infants who die will be saved?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for concluding that 'all moral works' done without grace are sinful?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for the belief that separation from God is in itself sin?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for the idea that "hell is locked from the inside"?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for the claim that abortion is morally acceptable (when there are no complicating factors)?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for specifically associating armageddon with fire from heaven?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for believing that Christ is the man upon the throne from Ezekiel 1:26?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for claims that certain manifestations are not of the Holy Spirit but counterfeits (e.g. Kundalini awakening)?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for the notion that the wicked are resurrected in immortal bodies just like the righteous?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for the belief that Mary and/or other saints are in heaven?
- 📝 According to believers in an eternal conscious torment/separation, what is the biblical basis for distinguishing between life and consciousness?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for spiritual encounters leading to instant deliverance from addictions?
- 📝 What are the meaning of and the biblical basis for the practice of pleading the blood of Jesus in prayer?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for believing that the Feast Days / Appointed Festivals / Holy Convocations are still morally binding for Christians today?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for the idea that spiritual gifts are no longer relevant?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for believing that the Feast Days / Appointed Festivals / Holy Convocations are NOT morally binding for Christians today?
- 📝 From a Roman Catholic or Orthodox perspective, what is the biblical basis for the priesthood?