Premise:
(Rom. 16:17 KJV) Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
(Tit. 3:10-11 KJV) 10: A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; 11: Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.
The Scripture Text: (1 Cor. 5:4-7, 9, 10 KJV)
- 4: In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
- 5: To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
- 6: Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
- 7: Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
- 9: I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
- 10: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
Normally one would not think that church discipline is a unique Landmark doctrine. Common sense would dictate that rebellious, disobedient church members are to be dismissed from the body of the church. But this rarely happens. Why? It is because there is no sense of them as being a legitimate, proper church, i.e. being the visible body of Christ. In reality most non-cult modern churches view themselves as being more of a social gathering than as a religious order, and as such they have no rightful authority to judge others individually or their conduct. It would appear that they actually don’t see themselves as having enrolled members but just attendees.
However, the clear commands of this “discipline doctrine” is to keep the body of Christ pure. Church discipline is for the health of the Church. If iniquity is allowed and not purged from the church it will eventually destroy the church. We are to set out (set apart), to avoid, and mark those who are of disorderly conduct. This is imposing Church Discipline for the purpose of correction.(1 Cor. 5:8-13 KJV)
The second part is that of Closed Communion. (1 Cor. 5:8-13 KJV)
- 8: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
- 11: But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
- 12: For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
- 13: But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
Paul adds to the doctrine of discipline, teaching that we, as a church, are not to eat the feast with contentious, unruly persons. In verse 13 Paul explicitly commands “with such an one no not to eat.” Now it is suggested that what Paul meant was that we are not to eat common meals with these persons. There are two rebuttals to this suggestion. First, Paul calls it “the Feast.” This not a common meal. Second, consider this, if we cannot have a common meal, i.e. lunch or dinner with them how in the world can we eat the Lord’s Supper with them. Third, the instruction is not that of an individual eating, but the context is that it is the entire church not to eat, in this case the church at Corinth. Anyone outside a local church has no right to the Lord’s table inside the Lord’s Church.
Paul says we are to judge them that are within. We cannot judge them that are without, for they are not a part of us. If a stranger comes to a church taking Communion, that church cannot possibly judge him. In essence that person is unknown. He or she, may be saved or not. Salvation is not what gives the right to a church taking Communion. It is only the first qualification, baptism being the second. A person must also be living a righteous, godly life as well as being saved to be qualified.
We are guided by Paul’s words: “For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?”
Hence our churches only offer communion to their members and not to strangers who are not under their authority to disciplined. Consequently, Landmarkers practice Closed Communion.
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