Q. 170. How do they that worthily communicate in the Lord's Supper feed upon the body and blood of Christ therein?
A. As the body and blood of Christ are not corporally or carnally present in, with, or under the bread and wine in the Lord's Supper; and yet are spiritually present to the faith of the receiver, no less truly and really than the elements themselves are to their outward senses; so they that worthily communicate in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, do therein feed upon the body and blood of Christ, not after a corporal or carnal, but in a spiritual manner; yet truly and really, while by faith they receive and apply unto themselves Christ crucified, and all the benefits of his death.
-Westminster Larger Catechism.
4. Previous preparation, by self-examination, repentance of sin, meditation upon God's grace, and resolution of new obedience is required of those who make this profession of their union with Christ and love to Him.
5. The Lord's Supper is to be administered only to those who are accepted by the session dispensing the sacrament.
6. We deny that the individual is sole judge of his fitness to partake of the sacrament.
7. We reject the practice of offering the sacrament of Communion to anyone who is not a member of the visible church.
-RP Testimony 29.4-7. |
