Who can take communion?

Redemption Theology

TL;DR:

Communion is for those who belong to Jesus, remembering His sacrifice and declaring their allegiance to Him. Before taking communion, believers should examine their hearts, repent of sin, and pursue unity with His people.

what does the bible say?

Communion is the act of taking the “elements” (historically: eating bread and drinking wine) in remembrance of Jesus’ death for believers (1 Corinthians 11:24–25). It’s therefore intended only for believers, as they remember what He did for them and that He will one day return to drink with them again (Matthew 26:29). However, Scripture warns that it should not be taken “in an unworthy way” (1 Corinthians 11:27), referring to believers who sin. Since all believers sin (1 John 1:8, 10), Paul’s warning was meant for unrepentant sin, harboring a grudge against another believer (Matthew 5:23–24), or being divisive (1 Corinthians 11:18–22). It’s serious enough that Paul noted that because some had been taking it when they shouldn’t have, some were now sick. Some had even died (1 Corinthians 11:30). Therefore, one is to examine himself or herself before participating (1 Corinthians 11:28).

from the old testament

The question of who can take communion is not addressed in the Old Testament.

from the new testament

Jesus instituted communion, sometimes called “the Lord’s Supper,” at the final meal before His crucifixion (e.g., Luke 22:14–23). He gave them two elements: bread and wine. The bread represented His body, and the wine represented His blood. Today, churches vary on the exact two elements, with some opting for crackers instead of bread and juice instead of wine. The specific elements are not what’s key, but what they mean: Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19; cf. 1 Corinthians 11:24–25).
Communion, then, is the remembrance of Jesus’ death for believers so that they could be saved. It is therefore an “ordinance,” a church practice, intended to declare allegiance to Jesus and why it’s specifically for believers. In addition to remembering what He did, it also looks forward to the day Jesus will return and, on that day, “drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29).
If an unbeliever drinks it, they do so in an inherently unworthy manner, but Paul warned that believers can also drink it in that way. He said, “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 11:27). This guilt is serious. In context, Paul was rebuking the church for showing partiality by celebrating communion with the wealthy, eating and drinking a lot, while the poor had nothing to eat or drink (1 Corinthians 11:17–22). That was taking it unworthily. Other passages also suggest that believers should resolve any unresolved grudge against another believer before taking it (e.g., Matthew 5:23–24). This implies that it includes any form of unrepentant sin. Note that since all believers sin (1 John 1:8, 10), Paul cannot mean that if someone sins at all, they can’t participate. The key is the unwilling heart, such as being unwilling to repent or unwilling to love other believers.
Paul drew a direct line between the Corinthians' sin of partiality and God’s judgment, saying, “Anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died (1 Corinthians 11:29–30). Because the results can be serious, “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup” (1 Corinthians 11:28).

implications for today

Communion is serious, intended for believers. It’s for all believers, so withholding communion from believers without cause is wrong. However, historically the church has “guarded the table” by being careful that those who partake of it are genuine believers and that those who are not are not harboring unrepentant sin. They haven’t done that to be exclusionary, but they understand that taking it by someone who shouldn’t can lead to serious consequences for that individual. They do that to protect those people as much as they are protecting communion.

If you are an unbeliever, you cannot, and should not, take it. It’s declaring union with Christ, and only believers are in union with Him because His death has been applied to them (1 Corinthians 10:16–17) and His righteousness credited to them (Romans 4:5). Communion is not just a religious activity; it’s saying, “I’m His.” To take it when you are not His is a false declaration.

If you are a believer, you should take it under normal circumstances. And you should take it happily. Jesus gave it to us to remember Him (Luke 22:19), and His death has saved you! However, though all believers sin to some degree (1 John 1:8, 10), some sin willfully and refuse to repent. Those believers are not to take communion. Communion is an act of unity with believers and with Christ. An unrepentant or unloving heart is out of step with that, and taking communion in that state invites God’s judgment because it declares oneself in union while not acting as such.

Let us all examine ourselves and then “eat of the bread and drink of the cup” (1 Corinthians 11:28).

understand

Communion is for believers only: a remembrance of Jesus' death for those He saved and a declaration of allegiance to Him.
Unbelievers should never take communion.
Paul warns that taking communion unworthily can bring serious consequences, so believers should examine themselves before participating.

reflect

How does understanding communion as a declaration of allegiance to Jesus change the way you prepare for and participate in it?
How do you seek to examine yourself before taking communion?
How does God's serious treatment of the Corinthians for misusing communion change how you think about what you are doing when you take the elements?

engage

How does Paul's rebuke of the Corinthians' partiality highlight the fact that communion is about believers acting in unity?
What does the connection between self-examination and worthy participation reveal about the relationship between honest self-knowledge and genuine worship?
Because communion has a dual focus, looking back to Jesus' death and forward to His return, how should the church understand its ongoing significance?

More Resources

Christian Life

What does it mean to take communion in an unworthy manner?

Communion is a declaration of what Christ has done in giving Himself for us to be saved and it shows that we are one in Christ, equal at the foot of the cross. We take communion “unworthily” when our actions deny the very gospel we’re remembering, turning a symbol of grace into a misrepresentation of Jesus’ sacrifice.

Church

Why are there so many opinions about Holy Communion?

Disagreements about Holy Communion arise because some take Jesus’ words literally while others see them symbolically. Communion is a memorial of Christ’s sacrifice, not a means to earn grace, and salvation comes through faith in Him alone.

Church

Is Communion supposed to be open or closed?

Open Communion welcomes all believers, while closed Communion limits the table to church members. Only repentant believers should partake of Communion, though churches can decide how best to honor Christ and the sacrament.

Church

What is the significance of the Lord’s Supper?

Celebrating the Lord's Supper is deeply significant and full of meaning. The Lord's Supper, or Christian Communion, looks back to the death of our Lord and ahead to His victory over death at the resurrection, as well as His coming again to earth at the end of the age.