Avoiding our sinful fellow believers...

"Though Jesus knew Judas from the beginning, He washed his feet. And the betrayer was privileged to unite with Christ in partaking of the sacrament. A long-suffering Saviour held out every inducement for the sinner to receive Him, to repent, and to be cleansed from the defilement of sin. This example is for us. When we suppose one to be in error and sin, we are not to divorce ourselves from him. By no careless separation are we to leave him a prey to temptation, or drive him upon Satan's battleground. This is not Christ's method. It was because the disciples were erring and faulty that He washed their feet, and all but one of the twelve were thus brought to repentance." {DA 655.4}

I've been reading the chapter "In Remembrance of Me" for morning worship with Gideon this week in preparation of communion this coming Sabbath (and Gideon's first time at communion). This paragraph really reinforced something that the Holy Spirit has been working with me on.

How easy it is to abandon people when we see them in sin or struggling with character issues/flaws. I daily have to ask Christ to help me remember my only duty is to love others and not to judge. And we should love others no matter what their current standing is with Christ. Doesn't he love us just as freely? Aren't we all sinners and don't we all fall short?

Okay that was my morning "moment".

Anyone else having good studies this week?

You're gonne let a 4 year old partake in communion? You should ask your pastor first, most discourage his because they're too young to really understand and appreciate the service.

He understood and appreciated the service as well as anyone else. It's not baptism. We studied and discussed and prayed with him. Jesus died for our children also. I could quote about half of the chapter to you... but here's what I thought was key:

"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." 1 Cor. 11:28, 27, 29. DA 656

Yes but at this point in his life, its not important for him to take part in the communion supper... You as the parent are responsible for his salvation. He is not accountable at his age. And that is part of what communion is about. Its the cleansing of sin, its the renewing of our commitment to God, Gideon hasnt reached the age where this is neccessary, you and Gavin as his parents are accountable for him.....just a thought....

You are doing the right thing Jess. Teaching our children the doctrines of our faith, from the cradle, is the right thing to do. Are you going over the ordinance of humiliation with him also? Parents are the best judges of what is going on in a childs heart. although Anna is right about the age of accountability, no one knows for certain what that is for each child. Teaching them at an early age to search their hearts for sin and then forsake it, and then taking the Lords Supper is a way to deepen the impression of forsaking sin and teaching Gid how important this rite of service is.

Keep up the good work.

I agree with Lynelle. Once you have explained this to your child & they have an understanding as to what the service is about I think it is a discouragement you may later regret to deny them communion. Jesus said "suffer the little children to come unto me" & he didn't say when they were of an age.

"The Lord's Supper is a participation in the emblems of the body and blood of Jesus as an expression of faith in Him, our Lord and Saviour. In this experience of communion Christ is present to meet and strengthen His people. As we partake, we joyfully proclaim the Lord's death until He comes again. Preparation for the Supper includes self-examination, repentance, and confession. The Master ordained the service of foot washing to signify renewed cleansing, to express a willingness to serve one another in Christlike humility, and to unite our hearts in love. The communion service is open to all believing Christians. " - SDA Fundamentals


So Preparation for the Supper includes self-examination, repentance, and confession. So your saying that a young child is capable of doing this? I agree that we should indeed teach them the purpose of communion and why we participate in it. But teaching the meaning and participating are two different things. I have to agree with Anna on this one.

Brian wrote:

So your saying that a young child is capable of doing this?.

They should do it everyday with their parents guidence. If a child is old enough to know that he is sinning he's old enough to confess and repent.

I'm just going to say this for the sake of it being thrown out. We were thinking about doing communion with Cate this last time and the Pastor discouraged us against it. He did say she should participate in a portion of the service, and was quite happy when she volunteered to wash Linden's feet.
I decided against the remainder of the service at the last minute because I wasn't sure that she could fully grasp the importance of the sacrifice that was involved, and I decided not to do it despite her plea that "the blood of Jesus is for everyone".

I will, however, say this: I, and Gary seconded this, believe that it is a choice for the parents, individually, to make. We are the ones (along with God) that know where our children are in their spiritual walk.