The Second Aspect of Preparation: An Examination of Self
The second requisite for preparation is self-examination, that is, the determination as to whether one is permitted and able to come to the table in order to eat and drink spiritually. To that end we shall consider 1) that self-examination is necessary; 2) that the unconverted are not permitted to come to the table; 3) that the converted may not stay away from the table; and 4) the manner in which weak believers must encourage themselves.
Self-examination prior to attending the Lord’s Supper is a very necessary work, for it is, first of all, an express command. “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup” (1 Cor. 11:28).
Secondly, this supper is not intended for everyone; a stranger, an uncircumcised person, and one who was unclean were not permitted to eat the Passover (Exo. 12). “But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare My statutes, or that thou shouldest take My covenant in thy mouth?” (Psa. 50:16). Christ invites friends (Song of Sol. 5:1), and those who hunger and thirst (Isa. 55:1).
Thirdly, it is a dreadful sin to eat and drink unworthily. “Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord” (1 Cor. 11:29). A dreadful judgment hangs over the head of such persons. “For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body” (1 Cor. 11:29).
Fourthly, many have a wrong perception of themselves; they measure themselves by themselves. They deem themselves to be fit, for they have no disagreement with their neighbor, are baptized, diligently go to hear God’s Word, live in such a manner that no one can say anything about them, and believe that Christ is the Savior—one must thus not doubt that he will also be saved and that Christ is also his Savior. Therefore all is truly well—Christ invites and commands us, and I then wish to be obedient to the Lord in this respect. Others add to this the fact that, prior to that time, they refrain from indulging in their bosom sins, read pious books, and pray more frequently. One thus puts himself into a pious mold and peacefully attends, eating and drinking judgment to himself.
Fifthly, many are not capable of examining themselves. They are not familiar with the marks which all must have who will attend the Lord’s Supper; they are not acquainted with themselves, nor do they know that a person must examine himself. They thus attend without self-examination and bring God’s wrath upon them.
Sixthly, many do not want to examine themselves, for they know that it would not turn out well. They would then become anxious and doubt their salvation. They perhaps would not dare to go to the Lord’s Supper—but what would people then say of them? Therefore they keep the lid on the pot and peacefully live on in their sins, aggravating all this by eating and drinking unworthily. Is it therefore not very necessary that everyone perceive what his condition is?
Seventhly, if you engage yourself in the duty of self-examination, using God’s Word as a touchstone, an earnestness and concern will begin to manifest themselves. If you perceive yourself to be unconverted, or if you doubt your conversion, you will begin to seek, pray, weep, and flee unto Jesus. If you may perceive true grace within yourself, this will engender joy and liberty to partake by faith. It is therefore evident from all this how necessary and beneficial it is to examine oneself.
An unconverted person may not attend. A stranger, one who was uncircumcised, or an unclean person, was not permitted to eat the Passover; likewise they may also not eat the bread and drink this cup. For the unconverted there is not a single promise, and thus there is also no sealing function. The unconverted are dead in sins and trespasses; however, dead persons cannot eat; faith is the mouth and the hand of the soul. The unconverted have no faith and thus they cannot eat of that bread which has been prepared for believers only. If they nevertheless do so, they must know that they make a mockery of Christ, make themselves guilty of the body and blood of Christ. With the Jews, they, so to speak, crucify Him anew.
Question: Who are the unconverted?
Answer: (1) They are ignorant persons who do not even have an intellectual knowledge of Christ’s person, natures, suretyship, humiliation, and exaltation, nor of the necessity of the atonement and the efficacy of Christ’s death. They are those who as yet have no knowledge of the essence of faith, regeneration, spiritual life, God’s righteousness, and the sinner’s state of condemnation; they neither understand the essence of the Lord’s Supper, know not how to unite the sign with the matter signified, nor understand its sealing function.
(2) They are not humbled by their sins and can live peacefully without seeking for reconciliation in Christ. They neither long for a conscious knowledge that their sins are forgiven, nor do they long for comfort, the assurance of salvation, sanctification, and a life in the presence of God. They live carelessly and peacefully without being partakers of these matters.
(3) They have no exercise of faith, nor are they engaged in choosing Christ to be their Surety, in longing for Him, yearning for Him, fleeing to Him with prayers and supplications, receiving Him unto justification and sanctification, surrendering to Him, making Him the heart’s desire, and living in union with Him.
(4) Their life is entirely in this world. They desire, long for, seek, concern themselves with, love, delight in, and are anxious about earthly things only; that is, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. This can be true whether one lives a civil life in an external sense and is religious, or one, either openly or secretly, indulges in blatant sin.
They who are thus, are unconverted; they must realize this. Such we warn most earnestly that they ought not to be emboldened to come to the holy table, and we declare to them that they are neither partakers of Christ nor of His benefits. The Lord’s Supper is not for them, and if they nevertheless attend, we pronounce the wrath of God upon them.
NOTE: Biblically, the Lord's Supper is a celebration for converted and immersed members of a particular Baptist church; some of what is below is, therefore, not Scriptural.
Converted persons (if they are healthy and have the opportunity to partake) may not refrain from partaking, for it 1) is contrary to the friendly invitation of Christ; 2) is detrimental to their own comfort; 3) impedes their growth; 4) contradicts their confession of Christ; and 5) is detrimental to the communion of saints, running counter to all the good things which we have enumerated above. When believers make themselves unworthy of the Lord’s Supper by giving offense, living in strife and hatred, or cleaving to a given sin to such an extent that prior to the event they do not wish to make a full resolution to part therewith, they sin in a double measure and ought to humble themselves deeply before the Lord. Let such remain in the sanctuary during the administration of the Lord’s Supper, stand afar off, and observe the partaking of the Lord’s Supper by believers. Let them thus mourn by themselves and think, “I may not be among them.”
Question: What must a person do who, in examining himself, can neither arrive at the knowledge of his state nor conclude whether he is converted? Certainly, such a person may refrain from partaking, may he not?
Answer: One ought never to consider it a privilege if he does not partake; rather, it must cause great sorrow if he is not permitted to come forward, and must refrain from partaking. It is entirely wrong to seek for reasons to refrain from partaking, and thus to pacify the conscience. It is not a requisite for partaking that a person have a complete, steadfast, and active assurance which renders him free from concern as to whether he is in the state of grace—an assurance by which he reflexively appropriates grace. Rather, it is sufficient for one to be assured of the extrinsic acts of faith and repentance, even if one dare not draw the conclusion: I believe and am converted.
(1) A true believer will perceive within himself that with all his heart—albeit the one time more perceptibly than at other times—he yearns for the Lord Jesus in order to be justified by His blood, to be clothed with His holiness as merited by His fulfillment of the law, and to be renewed and sanctified by His Spirit. He will perceive that he yearns for, longs for, cries after, flees to, waits upon, and surrenders himself to Him. He wrestles against unbelief in order that he may bring Jesus into his heart, and to be assured that he believes in Him and is a partaker of Him and His benefits.
(2) He will perceive that he cannot be satisfied with believing that he has received grace. He desires with all his heart the possession, the enjoyment, and the relish of the benefits of the covenant. He will perceive that he is enamored with being truly united to God, with a life in which there is an impression of the Lord’s presence, with peace of conscience, and with the love and fear of the Lord. When he misses this, he is troubled, and if he has lost this, he cannot rest until he receives it by renewal; for this is his life, delight, and felicity.
(3) He will perceive within himself a hatred and distaste for sin, a grief when he sins, a repeated rising again and a fleeing to the blood of Jesus unto reconciliation, and a delight and love to live a life which is pleasing to the Lord. He perceives within himself a warfare between the flesh and the spirit. The lusts of the world continually draw him to the world and away from God, whereas the spirit—that which has been regenerated, his spiritual life within him—continually draws him away from sin unto God. He also perceives, to his grief, that the flesh at times has the upper hand in this battle, whereas at other times, to his joy, the spirit prevails.
If someone perceives that these frames and exercises are truly to be found within him, he will be able to come to the table, even if he lacks clear assurance. Many believers lack this assurance either due to ignorance of the Word, weakness of their historical faith, fear of deceiving themselves, or they may see so much sin coexisting with grace. Such may not refrain from partaking, but rather are obligated to come forward with the multitude which keeps holyday, so that by using the signs, the promises—which are made to such as have just been mentioned—may be sealed to them.
The excerpt above is from Wilhelmus a Brakel's 4 volume systematic theology called The Christian's Reasonable Service, which has been made available in an indexed form online.
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