Across January we’ve been looking at some doctrinal sermons, including the doctrine of the sacraments (Baptism and the Lord’s Supper). When we partake of the Lord’s Supper here at Earlwood Anglican, we offer it to all (i) baptised believers, who (ii) are leading a life of repentance, and (iii) are in love and charity with their neighbours. Our sermon passage today (1 Cor 11) outlines why (i) being a Christian, (ii) repentance and (iii) fellowship are important for the Lord’s Supper. But why is baptism needed?
Well as we saw last week, baptism is commanded by Jesus in Matt 28:19-20. If a Christian refuses to get baptised, they are living in open disobedience to God’s word. So as 1 Cor 11:28 suggests, such a person is disqualified from partaking of the Lord’s Supper, because they are not living a life of true repentance. There is simply no excuse for a confessing Christian to disobey Jesus’ command to be baptised.
Yet a bigger issue is at stake. To refuse baptism is to refuse the sacrament that Jesus inaugurated to tell the world you belong to Jesus (i.e. baptism is the sign of discipleship). So an even bigger question than obedience is, why don’t you want the world to know you belong to Jesus? Furthermore, if you’re hiding the fact that you’re a disciple of Jesus, then why would you want to ‘proclaim the Lord’s death’ (1 Cor 11:26)?
In the OT, only those who were circumcised (the OT sign of discipleship) were allowed to partake of the Passover (the OT sign recalling God’s salvation). Surely it should be the same for the NT. If one has rejected the sacrament that points to you being a disciple of Jesus (Baptism), why should you take the sacrament that proclaims Jesus’ death (Lord’s Supper)?
