come and who profess to be the Lord’s servants.

But that is the very

reason why we would be very careful, and even exclusive. If it were
our own table, we would admit many whom we cannot now admit.
If the church were our own arrangement, we would accept many on
the score of kindness, sympathy, and favor, whom we cannot now
accept. But it is indeed the Lord’s church, and the Lord’s table, and
as those to whom the truth and the ordinances are committed, we are
in duty bound to keep the church as pure as may be possible, and
admit to the Lord’s table those only whom we would admit to the
OPEN OR CLOSED
Lord’s church. We might with equal propriety argue that baptism is
the Lord’s ordinance, and we have no right to deny it to any applicant
who professes a desire to follow the Lord. And the church is the
COMMUNION?
Lord’s church, and we have no right to deny admittance to any who
profess to be the Lord’s servants. But to follow out this rule would
soon make the table a common table, and bring the church and its
ordinance into contempt. We cannot believe that any person will put
forth claims which lead to such results, if he will use reason, and
examine the Scriptures as to our obligations to the Lord and to his
house.
by A. C. Sas

Published by
Silent Messenger Publications
Silent Messenger Publications
P. O. Box 7240, Roanoke, VA 24019, U.S.A.
P. O. Box 7240, Roanoke, VA 24019, U.S.A.
 WHO HAS RIGHT TO THE COMMUNION SERVICE?
A very controverted issue among Sabbath-keepers is the ques-
tion of participation in the communion service — the Lord’s Supper.
The fallen churches do not make any distinction between their
members and the members of other churches when it comes to
participation in this service. They have no set principle on this point.
Whenever a member of another church is present, even if he is not
a member, and wishes to take part in the Ordinance he is allowed to
do so, and very often he is even invited to take part in this service.
Whether the non-member person present is a Protestant, Pentecos-
tal, Catholic, Spiritualist, or whatever, if he wishes to participate in
the communion together with the members of the church he is
welcomed to eat the bread and drink the wine.
This practise and policy, sad to say, is also practised by many
Sabbath-keeping churches. When the Ordinance is celebrated and
visitors are present, they are invited to take part in the communion
service, no matter what their belief is. We know of cases where non-
members, and even a Catholic priest partook of the communion
service. This permission is granted because of an isolated statement
in the Spirit of Prophecy which we will consider later.
THE PASSOVER:
The Passover ceremony was instituted in the time of the
deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt. The Lord com-
manded Moses to instruct the children of Israel the way they should
celebrate it. Every detail pertaining to the Passover ceremony should
be strictly kept. We read:
“Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel saying, in the tenth
day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according
to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: and if the household
be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house
take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to
his eating shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be
without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the
sheep, or from the goats: and ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth
day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation
2 15
think this proposition cannot be controverted. True, it may be
contrary to the feelings of many well-intentioned Christians; but
feelings are no argument, no test of duty. It cannot be denied that
every Scripture ordinance has been changed or entirely ignored
under the guise of pious feelings. There is no security in these
matters except in strict conformity to divine instructions.
An individual is not a member by vote of the church, without
baptism; neither is he a member by baptism without a vote of the
church. And to baptize a person with the understanding that he shall
be voted into the church at some future time, is irregular. Baptism
being an initiatory rite, must be under the control of that authority
which accepts and rejects members, and not under the control of a
minister, the pastor, or the officers of the church. The church alone
can authorize the elder or pastor to administer baptism.
These remarks on baptism are made in this connection only
because it is prerequisite to partaking of the Lord’s Supper. That it
is so has been the opinion of the church in all ages. Some opinions
which are now popular have become so by a struggle; but as far as
we know there has never been a question raised on this point. It is
not possible to draw a contrary view from the Scriptures.
But this directly involves the subject of communion with all
denominations. Many charitably-disposed brethren, in the kindness
of their hearts, consider themselves under obligation to admit to our
communion, or to go to the communion of those who appear to be
honest, pious people. It is then pertinent to inquire of such, Would
you admit those same people, on the ground of their piety, to
membership in your church? To be consistent with the Scriptures,
and with their own faith of the Scriptures, they would have to reply,
We could not admit them to our church as members unless they
should first be baptized, and should conform to the requirements of
our church. But then the inquiry further arises, Is it consistent to
admit to the privileges of church members, those who have not the
qualifications to become church members? If you cannot fellowship
them as members, how can you fellowship them not being members?
In order to make our investigation practical, it will be proper to
answer queries and objections which have actually been raised on
the subject. Thus it is said, It is the Lord’s Supper—the Lord’s
table—not ours, and wehave no right to exclude any who wish to
truth - before he should be accepted to church membership. But
while these are among the requisites to membership, they do not
impart to any individual the privileges which belong exclusively to
church members. We speak now especially of that which we
consider the third gospel ordinance—the Lord’s Supper. Many
seem to suppose that, whatever may be their church relations, or if
they have no relation to any church, they are entitled to the privilege
of “communion” by virtue of their conversion; by reason of what they
“feel” or have “experienced,” rather than by virtue of their confomity
to the rules and regulations laid down for the guidance of the church
and of church members. Against their claim we enter our hearty
protest.
We deeply regret that such loose views have so largely been
accepted throughout the land. It is to be lamented that the obligations
of church membership are so lightly regarded as they are by
multitudes of professed Christians; but we can expect nothing else
where individuals claim and are often allowed to receive, the benefits
and privileges of church membership without taking upon themselves
its obligations or showing a willingness to bear its responsibilities.
They profess to be followers of Christ, but they lightly regard his
teachings in regard to his church - his body. To such his words
appeal: “And why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which
I say?”
And we go further. We may admit that these individuals claim
in regard to their conversion; we may admit that they are truly
converted, and are accepted of God as believers in his Son, and yet
not admit that they are entitled to the privileges of church members,
unless they formally and properly become church members. This we
cannot admit without breaking down every rule of church govern-
ment and denying that the church has any control of its membership,
or that it has any right of discipline and of determination as to who
are and who are not members.
Let it then be distinctly understood that evidence of good
Christian character is not, of itself, evidence of a right to the
privileges of sacramental communion. Were this to be received as
sole or sufficient evidence of such right, it would become the means
of breaking down all church authority, and of destroying all the
safeguards which the Lord has seen fit to set around His church. We
14
of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood,
and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the
houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that
night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs
they shall eat it. Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but
roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance
thereof. And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and
that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.
And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your
feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the
Lord’s passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night,
and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and
beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am
the Lord. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses
where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the
plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of
Egypt. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall
keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep
it a feast by an ordinance for ever.” Exodus 12:3-14.
The Passover feast was an ordinance for the Jewish people, a
memorial of salvation, and a commemoration of their deliverance
from the bondage of Egypt. By this ceremony they would remember
how the destroying angel spared the lives of their firstborn. The
Passover feast was not a pleasant o joyous party. They had to kill
a lamb and eat the flesh, and sprinkle the blood of the innocent animal
on the door-posts, and the flesh eaten with bitter herbs, in haste,
having their loins girded, and in readiness to depart.
No Egyptian was allowed to take part in the blessings of the
symbol of this means of salvation. However, many of them who felt
unsafe, desired shelter in the homes of the Israelites. They sought
protection in the homes of God’s people, but they could not take part
in the Passover feast. If they wished to do so it was necessary for
them to be circumcised first. The Bible tells us:
“And the Lord said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance
of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof: but every man’s
servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him,
then shall he eat thereof. A foreigner and an hired servant shall not
eat thereof. In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth
3
ought of the flesh abroad out of the house, neither shall ye break a
bone thereof. All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. And when
a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the
Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and
keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no
uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. One law shall be to him that
is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.”
Exodus 12:43-49.
Let us consider a few important points of the Passover.
a) “There shall no stranger eat thereof”;
b) “A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof”;
c) “No uncircumcised person shall eat thereof”;
d) The flesh of the lamb should not be carried abroad, “out of
the house”;
e) If any wished to take part in it he must “be
circumcised” first;
f) The “congregation of Israel” (not outsiders) should keep it;
g) The same law applied to the “homeborn” and to the
“stranger”. It was necessary for both to be circumcised, and
obey the principles established by God, before partaking of
the Passover.
The Passover was not only a commemorative ceremony but was
also symbolic. The lamb without blemish represented the spotless
Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul says:
“For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:” 1 Corinthians
5:7 (last part).
THE LORD’S SUPPER
The Lord’s supper took the place of the Passover feast. This
ordinance was instituted on the very night when Jesus had a private
meeting with the twelve disciples, and for the last time ate the
Passover lamb with them. Then this ceremony took the place of the
Passover. The Spirit of Prophecy explains this:
“When the Saviour yielded up his life on Calvary, the significance
of the Passover ceased, and the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper was
instituted as a memorial of the same event of which the Passover had
been a type.” PP 539.
4 13
who are entitled to the privilege of communion. We say then (1) No
one can be a member of the church until he has been accepted by a
vote of the church. (2) No one can be a member of the church until
he has been baptized.
As we are treating of the visible church, or the church as an
organized body, we are speaking of those qualifications which may
always be ascertained to be a certainty. We hold as a matter of
course that the church should not accept any one to its membership
without suitable evidence of his fitness for the position. Repentance
and faith are almost universally recognized as requisites to Christian
character. But beyond this brief statement—too brief to indicate the
position of the church or of the candidate—each denomination of
professed Christians has some definite declaration of its faith; some
peculiar expression of faith and practice, which it requires that all its
members shall endorse and receive. Were this not the case they
could not possibly satisfy even their own minds that there is any
reason for their denominational existence. Which is to say that
different denominations attach different ideas to the words repen-
tance and faith, and these definitions with their results become the
peculiar basis of their organizations. With some, repentance is but
a vague indeterminate word, but there is not nearly that difference
of opinion in regard to repentance that there is in regard to what
constitutes faith —the faith of the gospel.
Our rule of testing the qualifications of members is briefly stated
in the concluding part of the message of Rev. 14:9-12. “Here are
they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”
These terms express the whole sum of every possible duty of fallen
man; the commandments of God, the moral law “summarily con-
tained in the ten commandments” (Webster), the duty of man under
all circumstances, but now broken and therefore convicting all the
world of sin. And the faith of Jesus, comprising all that is peculiar
to the gospel of Christ as a remedy for sin; as the means of pardon,
or restoration to obedience, and imparting a hope of eternal life
through Christ our Lord. In a word, we have in these the sum total
of all pure morality and all true religion.
It is our firm belief that a person ought to have in his life and
purpose a well defined religious experience—a conviction of sin by
the aid of the Holy Spirit, and a fixed determination to walk in the
 THE ORIGINAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS
THE LORD’S SUPPER
The following article, dealing with the subject under consider-
ation, appeared in the Signs of the Times August 6, 1885, and clearly
sets forth the position taken by the pioneers of the Advent move-
ment.
THE CHURCH
It has been remarked that it is quite uniformly believed that
baptism is an initiatory rite. It is therefore not a church ordinance in
the same sense that the Lord’s Supper is a church ordinance. The
supper is for those only who are fully church members, and it is to
be celebrated repeatedly; of this it is said: “As often as ye eat this
bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till He come.”
Baptism being initiatory, is a means of constituting a person a
member of the church, but it does not necessarily constitute a person
a church member. This is accomplished only by the action of the
church. From what has already been said it is evident that the church
has control of its own membership. It must exercise discipline; it
must withdraw from those who walk disorderly; he that will not hear
the church is to be unto them as a heathen man or a publican. Of
course it is to determine who may become members. When Paul
‘assayed to join himself to the disciples’ at Jerusalem, they would not
receive him until he was recommended by Barnabas. And Paul’s
order given to the church of Rome is evidence that they exercised
due care over their membership, or to whom they received in their
fellowship. Rom. 14:1. “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye”.
“Admit the weak brother to Christian fellowship.”—Bible Com.
“The design here is to induce Christians to receive to their fellowship
those who had scruples about the propriety of certain things,” etc.—
Barnes. “He exhorted the pastors and members of the church at
Rome, to receive among them as a brother, the weak believer.”—
Scott. “Receive to your fellowship.”—Clarke. “Give him your hand
as the old Syriac version renders it; count him one of you.”—Dean
Stanly.
As the Lord’s Supper belongs to church members only, it
becomes important that we understand who are church members, or
12
“Christ was standing at the point of transition between two
economies and their two great festivals. He, the spotless Lamb of
God, was about to present Himself as a sin offering, and He would
thus bring to an end the system of types and ceremonies that for four
thousand years had pointed to His death. As He ate the Passover
with His disciples, He instituted in its place the service that was to
be the memorial of His great sacrifice. The national festival of the
Jews was to pass away forever. The service which Christ estab-
lished was to be observed by His followers in all lands and through
all ages.” DA 652.
Today the ceremony of the Lord’s Supper is celebrated as a
memorial of salvation. The Jewish people showed their faith in the
coming Saviour by partaking of the Passover lamb, and we show our
faith in the same Saviour that has already come, by taking part in the
Lord’s supper. In both festivals the importance of the body and the
blood is the same, and points to Jesus Christ, our Saviour. The
principles involved in the keeping of these ceremonies are the same.
Those only who are circumised can take part in them. The ceremony
of circumcision had a special importance and significance:
“By the act of circumcision they solemnly agreed to fulfil on their
part the conditions of the covenant made with Abraham, to be
separate from all nations and to be perfect. If the descendants of
Abraham had kept separate from other nations, they would not have
been seduced into idolatry.” SR 147.
Notice that by being circumcised one would be separated from
all other nations. Baptism—the spiritual circumcision that makes it
possible for one to enter into the community of God’s people—has
the same significance: to be separated from all other people.
“Christ has made baptism the sign of entrance to His spiritual
kingdom. He has made this a positive condition with which all must
comply who wish to be acknowledged as under the authority of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. . . .
“Baptism is a most solemn renunciation of the world. Those who
are baptized in the threefold name of the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit, at the very entrance of their Christian life declare
publicly that they have forsaken the service of Satan and have
become members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King.”
6T 91.
5
 Some may argue that members of other churches are baptized
and therefore can take part in the Lord’s supper in any Christian
church. They may even think that the various factions of Sabbath-
keepers, who believe in the threefold angel’s message could partici-
pate in the Lord’s supper of any Sabbath-keeping church.
The Bible explains clearly the relationship that the members of
the church of Christ should have among themselves. The visible
church of God on earth is a body which the apostle Paul compares
to a physical, human body. Those who are baptized on the basis of
the truth are baptized into one body:
“For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the
members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is
Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether
we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been
all made to drink into one Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:12, 13.
We believe that God has His visible, organized church, which is
the body of Christ. Its members, are the individual members of His
church. The body of Christ has nothing to do with the other bodies
or corporations, and no communion should exist between them. The
members of the body of Christ cannot be in communion with the
members of another body. Just as one of our physical members
cannot belong to another body or receive nourishment or life from
another body; so is Christ in communion with the members of His
church. (See 2 Corinthians 6:15).
In the experience of the early Seventh-day Adventist church
which we all believe started as prophecy has foretold, they used to
have the communion service privately, on their own, and thus
followed the example of Jesus. We read of their experience:
“Then I was pointed back to the time that Jesus took his disciples away
alone, into an upper room, and first washed their feet, and then gave them
to eat of the broken bread, to represent his broken body, and juice of the vine
to represent his spilled blood. I saw that all should move understandingly, and
follow the example of Jesus in these things, and when attending to these
ordinances, should be as separate from unbelievers as possible.” Present
Truth, Vol. 1, No. 11, November 1850, pp. 86, 87.
That the ordinance of the Lord’s supper is an institution of which
only the fellowshiped members of the body can participate is clearly
understood from the following Testimony:
6 11
If this very rare event took place, and even if it was with the
consent of Sister White, it is an isolated, unique case, an exception
to the rule. The ordinance of the Lord’s supper, or the communion
service, should not be regulated by an exception but by the rule,
according to 6T 91.
According to the new order of things (free communion) we could
permit our non-member children to take part in the communion
service. The children of our Brethren who are brought up in the truth,
but have not yet reached the proper age of being baptized have more
right to the ordinance than an unbeliever, a Protestant, a Catholic, a
Pentecostal, a Spiritualist, etc. How can we have communion with
the members of the church of Satan (See TM 16)? Our children are
not allowed to partake of the Lord’s supper before they are baptized
into the body of Christ, the church, and this is because the ordinance
is only for those that are members of the church, like the Passover
feast in the Old Testament times.
“What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one
body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto
the Lord is one spirit.” 1 Corinthians 6:16, 17.
“I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. The cup of blessing
which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?: The
bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
For we being many are one bread, and one body; for we are all
partakers of that one bread.” 1 Corinthians 10:15-17.
“And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath
he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the
temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as
God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their
God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among
them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean
thing; and I will receive you.” 2 Corinthians 6:15-17.
 It has happened many times in our experience that some who
were not truly converted, but were members of the church, have
taken part in the communion service. They took of the bread and the
wine to their own damnation. But the Ordinance of the Lord’s
Supper should not be taken outside the house, the church. It must be
kept within the church.
One experience in the history of the Adventist people occurred
in 1893:
“Sabbath morning, when the church at ... celebrated the ordi-
nances, Brother ... was present. He was invited to unite in the
ordinance of feet washing, but said he preferred to witness it. He
asked if participation in this ordinance was required before one could
partake of communion, and was assured by our brethren that it was
not obligatory, and that he would be welcome to the table of the Lord.
This Sabbath was a most precious day to his soul; he said that he had
never had a happier day in his life.
“He afterward desired an interview with me, and we had a
pleasant visit. His conversation was very interesting, and we had a
precious season of prayer together. I believe that he is a servant of
God. I gave him my books Great Controversy, Patriarchs and
Prophets, and Steps to Christ. He seemed much pleased, said he
wanted all the light he could get in order to meet the opponents of our
faith. He was baptized before leaving for his home, and will return
to present the truth to his own congregation.” Ev 276, 277.
In this experience a few important remarks should be made:
a) The Brethren (not Sister White) invited the visitor to unite
with them in the feet-washing ceremony;
b) The Brethren told him that feet-washing was not obligatory
whereas in DA 651 this ceremony that precedes the Lord’s
supper is called “the preparatory service”.
c) The narration of this experience does not affirm that the
visitor took part in the Lord’s supper, but that the Brethren
told him that he would be welcome to the table of the Lord.
He might have taken part, but it is not clearly stated.
d) Sister White just mentions an exceptional event without
commenting whether the Brethren did right or wrong. In the
paragraph she neither condemns, nor endorses such
proceedings.
10
“The ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper are two
monumental pillars, one without and one within the church. Upon
these ordinances Christ has inscribed the name of the true God.” 6T 91.
There is nothing clearer! The Lord’s supper is an ordinance
within the church, the established, organized body of believers, the
body of Christ. The church should be a visible, organized church, as
the following will reveal.
“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock
I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against
it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Matthew 16:18, 19.
“The Saviour did not commit the work of the gospel to Peter
individually. At a later time, repeating the words that were spoken to
Peter, He applied them directly to the church. And the same in
substance was spoken also to the twelve as representatives of the
body of believers.” DA 414.
“Thus Jesus gave sanction to the authority of His organized
church, and placed Saul in connection with His appointed agencies
on earth. Christ had now a church as His representative on earth, and
to it belonged the work of directing the repentant sinner in the way
of life.
“Many have an idea that they are responsible to Christ alone for
their light and experience, independent of His recognized followers
on earth. Jesus is the friend of sinners, and His heart is touched with
their woe. He has all power, both in heaven and on earth; but He
respects the means that He has ordained for the enlightenment and
salvation of men; He directs sinners to the church, which He has
made a channel of light to the world.” AA 122.
There are a few quotations from the Testimonies which are
interpreted in a way that suggests that there can exist communion
between church members and outsiders. If they could have com-
munion together, they should not be separated but united in one body.
It is a most serious matter to have communion with those who are in
error. The Spirit of Prophecy tells us that we should not even attend
the meetings of the fallen churches, those who daily teach new
errors:
7
 “I was shown the necessity of those who believe that we are
having the last message of mercy, being separate from those who are
daily imbibing new errors. I saw that neither young nor old should
attend their meetings; for it is wrong to thus encourage them while
they teach error that is a deadly poison to the soul, and teach for
doctrines the commandments of men. The influence of such
gatherings is not good. If God has delivered us from such darkness
and error, we should stand fast in the liberty wherewith He has set
us free, and rejoice in the truth. God is displeased with us when we
go to listen to error, without being obliged to go; for unless He sends
us to those meetings where error is forced home to the people by the
power of the will, He will not keep us. The angels cease their
watchful care over us, and we are left to the buffetings of the enemy,
to be darkened and weakened by him and the power of his evil
angels; and the light around us becomes contaminated with the
darkness.” EW 124, 125.
The following paragraphs are used to defend the practise of sharing
the bread and the wine with any person present at the meeting:
“Christ’s example forbids exclusiveness at the Lord’s Supper. It is
true that open sin excludes the guilty. This the Holy Spirit plainly teaches.
1 Cor. 5:11. But beyond this none are to pass judgment. God has not left
it with men to say who shall present themselves on these occasions. For
who can read the heart? Who can distinguish the tares from the wheat?
'Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink
of that cup.’ For 'whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of
the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.’
'He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation
to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.’
“When believers assemble to celebrate the ordinances, there are
present messengers unseen by human eyes. There may be a Juds in the
company, and if so, messengers from the prince of darkness are there,
for they attend all who refuse to be controlled by the Holy Spirit.
Heavenly angels also are present. These unseen visitants are present on
every occasion. There may come into the company persons who are not
in heart servants of truth and holiness, but who may wish to take part in
the service. They should not be forbidden. There are witnesses present
who were present when Jesus washed the feet of the disciples and of
Judas. More than human eyes beheld the scene.” DA 656.
8 9
The Spirit of Prophecy comments on the experience that Jesus
had with the twelve disciples and especially how Judas was allowed
to take part in the ordinance. Judas was a member, rather, a minister
of the organized church. He was one of the twelve. Though he was
not true in his heart, the other disciples did not know it. Only Jesus
could read the heart, and He allowed him to have communion with
the other disciples, because they were ignorant of his plan to betray
His Master. They did not understand his true character until he
carried out his plan. He was a tare, but it could not be rooted out
because the fruit was not yet revealed.
The above Testimony does not say that unbelievers, or non-
members can take part in the communion service, but that “persons
who are not in heart servants of truth and holiness”, like Judas, may
be present and they should not be forbidden. The apostle Paul also
mentions that every believer should examine himself and so take of
the bread and of the wine, because if he eats the bread or drinks the
wine unworthily, he becomes guilty of the body and the blood of
Christ. But it is altogether different to have communion with
someone who believes differently, acts differently, maintains a spirit
of independence, or belongs to another church. If a person wishes to
receive the benefit of the communion service he should believe the
same as the whole body of Christ believes, live according to the same
principles, and be baptized and fellowshiped into the same body, and
then he has the same privilege to partake in the Ordinance service.
If a person believes differently, we do not condemn him; we
respect his conscience. But in this case, if he ever will be saved, he
should be saved without the communion of the church. This is what
the Spirit of Prophecy says about a person which could not be
fellowshiped in the church:
“It is impossible for E to be fellowshiped by the church of God. He
has placed himself where he cannot be helped by the church, where he
can have no communion with nor voice in the church. He has placed
himself there in the face of light and truth. He has stubbornly chosen his
own course, and refused to listen to reproof. He has followed the
inclinations of his corrupt heart, has violated the holy law of God, and has
disgraced the cause of present truth. If he repents ever so heartily, the
church must let his case alone. If he goes to heaven, it must be alone,
without the fellowship of the church.” 1T 215.