The Lord’s Supper and the Three Things Necessary (3)

Rev. J.J. Van Eckeveld, Zeist, the Netherlands

As poor ones coming to the benevolent Giver

In our previous article when considering the Lord’s Supper and the part of deliverance, we came to the question whether the Lord’s Supper is only for those who have a complete faith, or in other words, those who are assured of their portion in Christ. We saw how Calvin strongly rejected the opinion of those who claim that the Lord’s Supper is only for those who have an assured faith. In his Institutes of the Christian Religion (vol. 4, part 19, chap. 17, section 42), Calvin speaks very tenderly about those whom Christ would have at His table: “...Wherefore, the best and only worthiness which we can bring to God, is to offer Him our own vileness, and, if I may so speak, unworthiness that His mercy may make us worthy.... We shall rather consider that we, who are poor, are coming to a benevolent Giver, sick to a Physician, sinful to the Author of righteousness, in fine, dead to Him that gives life; that worthiness, which is commanded by God, consists especially in faith, which places all things in Christ, and nothing in ourselves....”

The Lord’s Supper is not instituted for perfect ones but for weak and powerless ones. God’s children have such a weak faith that they must always pray that the Lord will help their unbelief. Although we are in the midst of weaknesses, this awareness may not hinder us from approaching the table when we unfeignedly feel within ourselves that we hope for our salvation in Christ and desire to live in accordance with the gospel.

To seek our salvation outside of ourselves

William Teelinck describes faith as a personal assurance concerning Jesus’ willingness to save the sinner and the most important fruit of faith as a leaning upon Christ and His promises that all our sins are forgiven. At the same time, he further clarifies his explanation of assurance by adding the words “or the desire of the same.” Those who do not feel this assurance in themselves but who do long for it are welcome guests at the table. A person should, however, be sure that this is an upright desire which must be seen in a hating and fleeing from sin.

Teelinck recognizes several distinct stages in faith, or steps in grace. In this manner he makes a distinction between children, young people, and fathers. He knows that in the beginning of the life of grace the assurance is not yet present. How does he relate this to the partaking of the Lord’s Supper? With emphasis he states that the Lord’s Supper is only for true believers. At the same time, he states that this does not have to be an assured believer. The lowest step of faith is, according to Teelinck, that we seek our salvation in Christ and desire our soul’s welfare from Him.

Brakel writes extensively about the attractiveness of the Holy Supper in order thereby to awaken a longing in God’s children. He opposes the idea of those who feel unholy abstaining from the table, such as he observed by the Labadists. With an eye upon self-examination, he points to the fact that this is a very necessary work. The Lord’s Supper is not for everyone, and it is a great sin to eat and to drink unworthily. He, therefore, emphasizes very firmly that unconverted ones may not approach the table. An unconverted person is also someone who has a wrong impression of himself and lives at ease in his own piety but in the meantime eats and drinks judgment to himself.

With the same emphasis in which Brakel states that the unconverted may not partake, he also says that converted ones may not abstain. He points in this regard to the fact that people stay away from the table because in their self-examination they cannot arrive at a knowledge of their state nor conclude whether they are converted; as Brakel writes, they “dare not draw the conclusion: I believe and am converted.” Brakel then says that the assurance of their state is not a necessity. It is enough if a person is convinced of the refuge-taking deeds of faith and of conversion. Such a true believer will find within himself a longing for Jesus and a desire to be united with Him in faith. He will feel an aversion to sin, a desire toward sanctification, and strife between flesh and spirit. Further, as we read in Brakel’s The Christian’s Reasonable Service (vol. 2, section 41, p. 581), “...the spirit—that which has been regenerated, his spiritual life within him—continually draws him away from sin unto God.... If someone perceives that these frames and exercises are truly to be found within him, he will be able to come to the table, even if he lacks clear assurance....”

A true faith

In his book De Godvruchtige Avondmaalganger (The Godly Lord’s Supper Attendee), Petrus Immens emphatically states that in coming to the Lord’s Supper a true faith is required. What is that faith? It is not an intellectual knowledge, not an empty contemplation, for by these no one is ever saved. He who truly believes has these truths impressed upon his heart with affection, he sees his misery with a sense of emotion and shame, and he views Christ as the only way to salvation and with a longing desire to have his portion in Him.

With the knowledge of faith, a tender experiential assent should then manifest itself. From this essential act of faith flows forth a hearty fleeing from self and taking refuge to Christ and His all-sufficient benefits. Immens states that the Holy Spirit then gives the sinner two eyes. With the one eye he sees his misery, which causes him to be broken down before God and despair of himself, but in this way he is prepared to look with the other eye upon the Savior Jesus which also works in him a desire toward Him. That brings the soul to look away from self, to renounce all self-righteousness, and to flee to the Lord and His all-sufficient merits, testifying thereby that he wishes to be found in Him. The Bible calls that seeking the Lord, seeking for Christ, taking hold of Him, and hungering and thirsting to receive Him.

It is very clear that Immens does not reserve the Lord’s Supper only for assured ones. To troubled ones who question if it is in truth, he points to all that has gone on in their soul and asks if they dare to deny that they observe their lost state with sorrow, that they know of the necessity and preciousness of the Lord Jesus, and that there is a love in their heart towards God and His people. Who, asks Immens, has worked that in your heart? Certainly it was God. He then encourages them to partake of the Lord’s Supper.

Immens does speak of the benefits of the assurance of faith. The essence of the assurance is “that a soul when comparing her heart with the essential marks of God’s Word dares to conclude, that she is a child of God, and therefore an heir of salvation.”

One must not only have a comprehension or an outward knowledge of the steps of grace but must also experience them personally (inwardly). Sometimes that takes place very quietly, but in others it can be accompanied with considerable emotion. It is most profound when it occurs by the direct testimony of the Spirit whereby the soul is overcome with the love of God; then the soul receives a seal and a pledge that she is a child of God, and she may, at times, with an uncovered countenance, see God’s glory and be overcome by it. Immens also states that “nowhere is salvation attached to assurance, as a greater or more advanced act of faith, but to lesser acts such as hungering, thirsting, walking, fleeing, and taking refuge to Christ.” From this it is clear who it is that Immens considers as worthy partakers of the Holy Supper. □

— To be continued —

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