Concerning the breaking of bread, we have become one and agree thus: all those who desire to break the one bread in remembrance of the broken body of Christ and all those who wish to drink of one drink in remembrance of the shed blood of Christ, they must beforehand be united in the one body of Christ, that is the congregation of God, whose head is Christ, and that by baptism. For as Paul indicates (1 Cor. 10:21), we cannot be partakers at the same time of the table of the Lord and the table of devils.
Nor can we at the same time partake and drink of the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. That is: all those who follow the devil and the world, have no part with those who have been called out of the world unto God. All those who lie in evil have no part in the good. So it shall and must be, that whoever does not share the calling of the one God to one faith, to one baptism, to one spirit, to one body together with all the children of God, may not be made one loaf together with them, as must be true if one wishes truly to break bread according to the command of Christ.
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I know many churches use 1 Cor. 10:21, to limit communion to only members of their church or if your a visitor they will say that you must have communing privileges in your home church. This creates a rather exclusive religious vibe, like we’re afraid of what God will do to us if you (a strange outsider) are not honest and partake, yet still it does unify that body. I also understand how they get to this conclusion…I’ve been there. I am just merely curious as to your interpretation…
I agree Dean, but I also think that we have to have a holistic view of the body. Of course, it encompasses anyone who, as Shawn said, remembers “the broken body of Christ…” etc. It doesn’t make any sense to me to limit it to only your home church. How can you get to that conclusion?
Well, I guess looking back…simply a rather narrow/small/exclusive view of church and the body thereof. It’s very sad, end of story.