This We Believe

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
(Romans 3:23-24)

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 6:23)

There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.
(Acts 4:12)

No one can say, Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.
(I Corinthians 12:3)

Indeed, it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.
(Ephesians 2:8-9)

All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, and for training in righteousness.
(II Timothy 3:16)

Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in God’s command and combined with God’s word.

Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Matthew: Therefore go and gather disciples from all nations by baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19)

It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.

Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Mark: Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:16)

Certainly not just water, but the word of God in and with the water does these things, along with the faith which trusts this word of God in the water. For without God’s word the water is plain water and no Baptism. But with the word of God it is a Baptism, that is, a life-giving water, rich in grace, and a washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul says in Titus, chapter three: He saved us through the washing of rebirth and the renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs in keeping with the hope of eternal life. This saying is trustworthy. (Titus 3:5–8)

It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

St. Paul writes in Romans chapter six: We were therefore buried with him by this baptism into his death, so that just as he was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too would also walk in a new life. (Romans 6:4)

It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself for us Christians to eat and to drink.

The holy Evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke, and St. Paul write: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.

In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.

These words, Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins, show us that in the Sacrament forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given us through these words. For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.

Certainly not just eating and drinking do these things, but the words written here: Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. These words, along with the bodily eating and drinking, are the main thing in the Sacrament. Whoever believes these words has exactly what they say: forgiveness of sins.

Fasting and bodily preparation are certainly fine outward training. But that person is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words: Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.

But anyone who does not believe these words or doubts them is unworthy and unprepared, for the words for you require all hearts to believe.

Since Holy Communion is not only a means of grace, assuring us of the forgiveness of our sins and of our fellowship with God, but is also a testimony to our fellowship with one another, we practice close communion.

At times people have questioned this practice. Why do you Lutherans practice close communion? Isn’t communion the Lord’s Table? Who are you to judge? Isn’t attendance at his table a matter between the individual and the Lord? I have been a Lutheran all of my life. Why may I not attend at your church?

Practicing close communion is not a judgment of an individual’s faith, but a loving concern for God’s Word and for people whom Christ has redeemed. With this in mind, we hope to demonstrate that loving concern both for God’s Word and for souls redeemed by Christ.

We will better understand what is meant by close communion if we look at communion itself. What does the Bible say about communion? Our Lord Jesus Christ gave it to his disciples, saying, Take and eat; this is my body (Matthew 26:26).

Communion is the Lord’s Supper, not ours. He gave his body and his blood in and with the bread and wine to his disciples. The first Lord’s Supper was close communion and so were those that followed in early New Testament times.

God’s Word says: A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup (1 Corinthians 11:28). Thus he must know God’s law and must use it as a mirror so that he fully knows his sinful condition.
God’s Word says: For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself (1 Corinthians 11:29). Thus he must know the gospel and must know and believe that the body and blood are truly present in the sacrament.
God’s Word says: Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf (1 Corinthians 10:17).

Throughout New Testament times, the connection between doctrine and the Lord’s Supper, between church fellowship and altar fellowship, has been inseparable. On this God’s Word says: They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread [communion], and to prayer (Acts 2:42). Finally, the Word of God says: Watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way contrary to the doctrine you have learned. Keep away from them (Romans 16:17).

In loving concern for God’s Word, then, we practice close communion, participating in this wonderful supper with those who:

• know how to examine themselves
• recognize the real presence of Christ’s body and blood
• are close to us, that is, one in doctrine.

Since we cannot read or judge hearts, we must make our decisions on the basis of the individual’s confession. Thus we repeat, we are not judging the individual’s faith, but we do and we must judge the confession of the church body to which he belongs.

We also have a loving concern for our neighbors—those redeemed by Christ.

God’s Word says: Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself (1 Corinthians 11:27-29). We do not wish by our carelessness to cause anyone to become guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. That happens when he does not recognize the body and blood of the Lord and cannot examine himself or herself.

In the case of a Lutheran from a synod which is not in fellowship with us, we dare not give the impression that we are one when in fact we are not one. Communing together says: We are one.

Close communion speaks in love and acts in loving concern. May this practice strengthen the body of Christ and glorify our Savior.

Please feel free to contact our pastor for further information from God’s sacred, saving Word.