A Reformed Baptist View of the Lord’s Supper

The supper of the Lord Jesus was instituted by him the same night wherein he was betrayed, to be observed in his churches, unto the end of the world, for the perpetual remembrance, and shewing forth the sacrifice of himself in his death, confirmation of the faith of believers in all the benefits thereof, their spiritual nourishment, and growth in him, their further engagement in, and to all duties which they owe to him; and to be a bond and pledge of their communion with him, and with each other. (1689 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith, 30.1)

Baptists generally regard the Lord’s Supper as a visual memorial of Christ’s death. The elements of the supper represent His broken body and blood. But is that the substance of the Lord’s Supper? Is it strictly a memorial of what Christ did on our behalf? If it is just a memorial, a remembrance, why the sober warning that the Apostle Paul levies against all who partake of the Supper in an unworthy manner?

1 Corinthians 11:27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.

At first glance this looks like a severe repercussion for a mere memorial. After all, a memorial falls short of being a sacrament or a means of grace. There is nothing positive conferred by a memorial that can in any way strengthen the faith of the one who observes it. We may be inspired by its observance; much like a rousing political speech may inspire a campaign. But there is nothing intrinsic in a memorial that that is able to equip the person for what comes next; for the battle ahead. It is for this reason that the framers of the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith wrote:

(for the) confirmation of the faith of believers in all the benefits thereof, their spiritual nourishment, and growth in him, their further engagement in, and to all duties which they owe to him; and to be a bond and pledge of their communion with him, and with each other.

Confirmation of faith and its benefits
Worthy recipients of the Lord’s Supper are Christians who obey the Apostle Paul’s admonition and examine themselves first (1 Cor. 11:28). Once they have examined themselves, and repented of any known sin, they are under a positive command to partake of the Supper. With a right heart attitude, the Christian who partakes of the Lord’s Supper confirms their faith by joining in the same remembrance that was first celebrated in the upper room on the evening before our Lord’s death on the cross. In a sense, we are there with the disciples as they supped with our Lord. It is an intimate meal of close personal fellowship that is reserved only for those who have been invited. Much like baptism is a sign of our position in Christ, the Lord’s Supper is a sign, through the privilege, that is extended only to members of God’s family. One of the benefits of being a member of God’s family is chiefly eternal life. But there is more. Ephesians tells us:

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

As our faith is confirmed we are called to look at all the privileges that Christ enjoys as the heir and Son of God. Since we are joint-heirs (Rom. 8:17) with Him, they are our privileges also.
Spiritual nourishment and growth
When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness He became hungry. Sensing this, Satan tempted Him. “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread” (Mat. 4:3). Our Lord responded by saying, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). While physical food nourishes the body and helps it grow, spiritual food nourishes the soul and causes it to grow. The Lord’s Supper is spiritual food even though physical elements are used. This is what is known as a means of grace. During the Lord’s Supper we spiritually feast on Christ. The framers of the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith rightly understood this when they wrote:

Worthy receivers, outwardly partaking of the visible elements in this ordinance, do then also inwardly by faith, really and indeed, yet not carnally and corporally, but spiritually receive, and feed upon Christ crucified, and all the benefits of his death; the body and blood of Christ being then not corporally or carnally, but spiritually present to the faith of believers in that ordinance, as the elements themselves are to their outward senses. (1689 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith, 30.7)

James wrote, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (Jas. 4:8). When we partake of the Lord’s Supper we draw near to God. Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, God also draws near to us. Feeding upon Christ is to be drawn into close, intimate communion with Him. Christ sups with us and we sup with Him (Rev. 3:20). We just don’t feel closer to Christ, we are closer. Our weary soul, which is often weakened by its constant battle with sin, is renewed and strengthened when we commune with our Savior. This is what it means when we refer to the Lord’s Supper as a means of grace. The fact that God condescends to man through His Son (Phil. 2:7) is proof positive of the Father’s love and grace.    That Christ draws near to us through the Spirit, and the sacraments, is equal love and grace.
Duties which we owe to Him
While the Lord’s Supper is observed using the elements of bread and wine, there is also a lesson to be learned from the interaction and dialog Jesus had with His disciples. John 17:3-17 is the narrative of Jesus washing the disciple’s feet in the upper room. Our Lord was providing an example, not just for the disciple’s future service, but ours as well. As Christ loved and served His disciple’s, and all who believe by His death on the cross, so we are to love and serve one another in His name(Joh. 13:34, 35; Gal. 6:10).
Communion with Christ and with each other

It has already been established that we draw near to Christ, and He with us, during the Lord’s Supper. But our communion is also with each other. The Lord’s Supper is to be observed in all Christ’s churches by those who believe. It is a common bond that we have with each other. If we move to another area and join with a new church, we are able to have fellowship one with another at the table of the Lord. In 1 Cor. 10:16 the Apostle Paul states by way of a question that we are sharing in the body and blood of our Lord corporately. In 1 Cor. 11:33 he says, “So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.” Why should we wait? Why do Protestant and Reformed churches generally partake of the Lord’s Supper together? Because it is sign of corporate fellowship with God, and one another.
This brief article is not meant to be a treatise on the Lord’s Supper. It is summary article on one Reformed Baptist’s view of the Supper. It departs from traditional mainline Baptist practice.