“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
1 Cor 11:26
Jesus Invited Judas, Peter, and the Other Disciples:
One of the key moments we look to for understanding the Lord’s Supper is Jesus’ institution of it on the night of His betrayal. At that table sat Judas, who would betray Him; Peter, who would deny Him three times; and the other disciples, who at that point did not yet fully understand the Gospel or receive the Holy Spirit (John 7:39; 20:22).
Yet, Jesus invited them all. He did not restrict participation only to those whose faith was fully formed or who had already been “regenerated.” Instead, He used the meal as an opportunity to proclaim the reality of the New Covenant in His blood (Luke 22:20), offering even Judas a chance to recognize what was being given.
If Jesus Himself extended this invitation to both the faithful and the faithless, it compels us to consider whether we should bar someone from the table whom Jesus might be calling to Himself in that very moment.
The Lord’s Supper Is an Invitation, Not Just a Confirmation:
Many view communion as an exclusive act reserved only for the redeemed—a confirmation of faith rather than an invitation to faith. But I believe it is both. While Paul warns against partaking in an unworthy manner (1 Cor. 11:27-30), he does not say that only those who are already saved may partake—rather, he calls everyone present to self-examination and repentance before partaking.
1 Corinthians 11:28 – “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.”
This means the Lord’s Supper serves as an ongoing call to faithfulness, not just for believers but also for those who have yet to fully trust in Christ. If a non-believer is present and willing to partake, they are also being called to examine themselves and recognize their need for Jesus.
Rather than a members-only meal, the Lord’s Supper should be a Gospel proclamation—an opportunity for anyone who partakes to be confronted with the grace, sacrifice, and call of Christ.
The Lord’s Supper as a Visible Gospel Proclamation:
Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” But what are we remembering?
• Not our righteousness, but His.
• Not our works, but His finished work on the cross.
• Not our exclusive membership in a religious community, but His invitation to all to come and find rest in Him (Matthew 11:28).
Every time the Lord’s Supper is observed, it is a proclamation of the Gospel:
1 Corinthians 11:26 – “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
If the Lord’s Table is a proclamation, then it is an evangelistic moment as well as a reminder for the redeemed. The very act of taking the bread and the cup is a physical declaration of Christ’s invitation to sinners. If a non-believer is present, what better opportunity for them to encounter the reality of the cross?
A Meal That Points to the Ultimate Feast:
The Lord’s Supper foreshadows the Marriage Supper of the Lamb(Revelation 19:9), where Christ will welcome all who have trusted in Him. The Gospel is always an invitation. Jesus consistently ate with sinners (Luke 15:1-2), using meals as opportunities for grace, repentance, and transformation.
If the Lord’s Table is a foretaste of the heavenly feast, it should reflect the heart of Christ, who says:
Luke 14:23 – “Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.”
A Call for All to Examine and Come to Christ:
To be clear, I do believe that partaking of the Lord’s Supper without repentance is spiritually dangerous (1 Cor. 11:29). But rather than barring non-believers, I believe the biblical approach is to clearly explain what the Lord’s Supper means, urging everyone present to examine their hearts and respond rightly.
Instead of saying, “If you’re not a Christian, do not partake,” we can say,
“This is a reminder that Christ gave His life for you. If you have not yet trusted in Him, I urge you to reflect on this great gift and surrender to Him. This is a moment to recognize your need for the Savior. If you are willing, partake as a step of faith in Jesus’ redeeming love.”
This keeps the Lord’s Supper both sacred and invitational—reverencing Christ while also recognizing its power as a Gospel moment.
I believe the Lord’s Supper is not only a reminder for the redeemed but also a divine invitation to the lost—a table of grace, not exclusion.
Rather than viewing it as a religious rite limited to believers, I see it as an open call to behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world(John 1:29). When non-believers are present, I pray that they would see in the broken bread and poured-out cup the invitation of Jesus:
“Come, for everything is now ready.” (Luke 14:17)
The practice of closed communion—where only baptized believers (or in some cases, only church members) are permitted to partake in the Lord’s Supper—is often defended with biblical reasoning. However, the biblical support for strictly restricting participation is not as strong as many proponents assume. Instead, Scripture emphasizes self-examination, reverence, and the Lord’s Supper as a proclamation of the Gospel rather than an exclusive ritual for a defined in-group.
Below is an examination of the most common arguments for closed communion and, what I believe is, a biblical response to each.
1. The “Unworthy Manner” Argument (1 Corinthians 11:27-30)
Closed-Communion Argument:
Paul warns in 1 Corinthians 11:27-30 that those who eat and drink “in an unworthy manner” are guilty of profaning Christ’s body and blood. Some argue that non-believers are always unworthy and therefore should be barred from participation.
Biblical Response:
Paul is not saying that only a certain group is allowed to partake—he is instructing all who partake to examine themselves first (1 Cor. 11:28). The passage does not establish an external restriction by church leaders, but rather an internal responsibility for each participant to come in a worthy manner.
If Paul had meant to prohibit unbelievers outright, he could have clearly said so. Instead, he gives a universal command to examine oneself before partaking. This implies that the Lord’s Supper serves as a call to repentance and faith, not merely as a members-only ordinance.
Key Question: If Paul calls for self-examination, should we not allow unbelievers to hear and respond to that call?
2. The Covenant Community Argument
Closed-Communion Argument:
Some argue that the Lord’s Supper is for God’s covenant people—just as the Passover was only for Israelites (Exodus 12:43-49). Since baptism is the entrance into the New Covenant community, only baptized believers should participate in communion.
Biblical Response:
While it is true that the Lord’s Supper has covenantal significance, it is a covenant established by Christ’s blood, not by church membership or baptism (Luke 22:20). In fact, at the original Lord’s Supper, none of the disciples had been baptized as Christians, nor had they yet fully grasped salvation!
Moreover, while Passover was restricted to Israelites, Gentiles could partake if they embraced Israel’s faith (Exodus 12:48). Similarly, the Lord’s Supper serves as an invitation into the New Covenant, making it a moment for unbelievers to recognize their need for Christ.
Key Question: If the Lord’s Supper is a covenantal meal, should it not also be an opportunity for those outside the covenant to be confronted with Christ’s invitation to enter it?
3. The Church Discipline Argument (1 Corinthians 5:11)
Closed-Communion Argument:
Paul instructs the church not to associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is living in sin (1 Cor. 5:11). Since unrepentant sinners are barred from table fellowship, non-believers should also be restricted from communion.
Biblical Response:
This passage refers to church discipline, not general communion restrictions. Paul is warning against believers who persist in sin while still claiming Christ, not unbelievers who have never made a profession of faith. The greater concern is hypocrisy within the church rather than evangelistic exclusion.
Church discipline (removing a sinning believer from communion) does not equate to barring all unbelievers from communion. In fact, Jesus often ate with sinners as a means of calling them to repentance (Luke 5:30-32).
Key Question: If church discipline is about addressing believers in unrepentant sin, should it be used as a basis for excluding non-believers who may be encountering the Gospel through communion?
4. The Sacredness & Order of Worship Argument
Closed-Communion Argument:
Paul instructs the church in Corinth about orderly worship (1 Cor. 14:40), implying that only those properly initiated into the faith should participate in sacred acts like communion.
Biblical Response:
Paul’s concern for order was about avoiding chaos, not restricting participation. If the Lord’s Supper were meant to be strictly closed, we would expect a clear command for churches to police who can partake. Instead, the emphasis is on self-examination and proclaiming the Lord’s death to all present (1 Cor. 11:26).
Additionally, baptism is required before communion in some traditions but not explicitly in Scripture. Many argue that requiring baptism first is a tradition, not a biblical mandate.
Key Question: If Scripture does not give explicit exclusionary rules about who can partake, should we go beyond what is written (1 Cor. 4:6)?
5. The Lord’s Supper as Evangelism
One of the strongest biblical arguments against closed communion is that the Lord’s Supper is a visible proclamation of the Gospel:
1 Corinthians 11:26 – “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
This means that the Lord’s Supper is not only a means of remembrance but also a form of Gospel proclamation. If communion is a way of declaring Christ’s atoning work, then should we not want non-believers to witness and experience it firsthand?
Many of the earliest church fathers spoke of the Lord’s Supper as a way to call people to Christ, rather than just a privilege of the baptized.
While reverence, self-examination, and faith are essential in partaking of the Lord’s Supper, Scripture does not clearly mandate that only baptized believers can partake. Instead, it calls for each person to examine themselves (1 Cor. 11:28), which implies an invitation to reflection, repentance, and belief.
A more biblically grounded approach may be “examined communion” rather than strictly “closed communion.” This means:
1. Clearly explaining what communion represents.
2. Urging all present to examine their hearts before partaking.
3. Encouraging non-believers to see communion as an invitation to faith in Christ.
Rather than policing the table, we should present Christ’s invitation—letting people encounter the Gospel in this sacred moment, just as Jesus did when He first instituted the meal.
The Lord’s Supper table is open to everyone at BigIslandChristianChurch.com I hope you can come and celebrate with us someday soon!
Blessings & love,
-Kevin M. Kelley
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