The Lord’s Supper and Outsiders

Here is the verse we typically hear before taking communion to indicate it is only for believers.

I Cor 11:27-29 ”Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.“

In most teachings I have read or heard on the topic this view is repeated--believers only. But why?

“Because the Bible says so!”

Allow me to introduce my Imaginary Antagnoist(IA) for this post. He is a fundy.

Does the Bible say that non-believers should not take the Lord’s supper?

It is a question of audience, mechanism, and purpose.

Audience

I Corinthians was written to brothers as opposed to outsiders. I don’t know of anywhere in the Bible where Paul addresses “outsiders” and why should he? The New Testament is largely someone elses personal mail, addressed to a particular party. The bible can never mean what it never meant (thank you, Gordon Fee).That passage in 1 Corinthians is about how the church treats each other, which is Paul’s big concern.

Mechanism

How would a little square of white bread and thimble of weak grape juice (or whatever) bring judgement on an unbeliever. What are we saying here? That an unbeliever, one who if dead in unbelief, would go to hell comes under greater judgment in this life if he consumes these element in the context of a certain ceremony? Or greater judgment in the next? I recall a Far Side comic where in hell there was a room for “People who drive slow in the fast lane.” That seems as silly as having one for “Communion-takers.” If it is “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t” then why do churches make such a big deal about it?

More to come....