If you are a young, single, seminoid dude who loves theoretical
theological debates on blogs, I’d like to share a tidbit of coaching
corner sagacity a mentor of mine graciously offered me: It’s ok to have
the topic of pedo-communion on your radar screen, just don’t follow it
off course. Focus your energy on completing your education, getting a
job, staying pure, and finding a godly lady who will consent to marry
you. At some point after that God will give you nine months’ warning to
sort out your views on which age children can partake in the Lord’s
Supper. Til then, get back to work.
But for parents of precocious pre-pubescent Protestants, your
church will expect you to have given this some forethought before
letting your kid’s appetite near the Lord’s Table.
Footnote:
Protestants call it a table, not an altar, we call it the supper, not
the Mass, an ordinance, not a sacrament, and the bread, not the
eucharist. Why this distinction? Because we are not re-sacrificing
anyone. Anyway, I digress.
First, some churches practice “closed communion” which means that
only members can take communion. In this case it is simple: according to
the church’s membership process and definition, is the child a member
or not? Case closed.
Other churches practice “open communion” which means that anyone who
professes to be a believer in good standing with their local church may
participate in communion with your church.
Verses used to support this include 1 Corinthians 11:28-29
where Paul adjured each one to examine himself and determine his own
worthiness to partake of the Lord’s Supper. Well and good, but when it
comes to children, are we really to leave it up to the individual child
to determine his/her spiritual fitness? Continue at Clint Archer
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