May one who doubteth of his being in Christ, or of his due preparation, come to the Lord's supper?

One who doubteth of his being in Christ, or of his due preparation to the sacrament of the Lord’s supper, may have true interest in Christ, though he be not yet assured thereof;[1] and in God’s account hath it, if he be duly affected with the apprehension of the want of it,[2] and unfeignedly desires to be found in Christ,[3] and to depart from iniquity:[4] in which case (because promises are made, and this sacrament is appointed, for the relief even of weak and doubting Christians)[5] he is to bewail his unbelief,[6] and labor to have his doubts resolved;[7] and, so doing, he may and ought to come to the Lord’s supper, that he may be further strengthened.[8]

1. Isa. 1:10

   Hear the word of the Lord,
   you rulers of Sodom!
   Give ear to the teaching of our God,
   you people of Gomorrah!

   I John 5:13

   I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.

   Psa. 77:1-12

   I cry aloud to God,
   aloud to God, and he will hear me.
   2In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
   in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
   my soul refuses to be comforted.
   3When I remember God, I moan;
   when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah

   4You hold my eyelids open;
   I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
   5I consider the days of old,
   the years long ago.
   6I said, “Let me remember my song in the night;
   let me meditate in my heart.”
   Then my spirit made a diligent search:
   7“Will the Lord spurn forever,
   and never again be favorable?
   8Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
   Are his promises at an end for all time?
   9Has God forgotten to be gracious?
   Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah

   10Then I said, “I will appeal to this,
   to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”

   11I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
   yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
   12I will ponder all your work,
   and meditate on your mighty deeds.

   Psalm 88

   O Lord, God of my salvation;
   I cry out day and night before you.
   2Let my prayer come before you;
   incline your ear to my cry!

   3For my soul is full of troubles,
   and my life draws near to Sheol.
   4I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
   I am a man who has no strength,
   5like one set loose among the dead,
   like the slain that lie in the grave,
   like those whom you remember no more,
   for they are cut off from your hand.
   6You have put me in the depths of the pit,
   in the regions dark and deep.
   7Your wrath lies heavy upon me,
   and you overwhelm me with all your waves. Selah

   8You have caused my companions to shun me;
   you have made me a horror to them.
   I am shut in so that I cannot escape;
   9my eye grows dim through sorrow.
   Every day I call upon you, O Lord;
   I spread out my hands to you.
   10Do you work wonders for the dead?
   Do the departed rise up to praise you? Selah
   11Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,
   or your faithfulness in Abaddon?
   12Are your wonders known in the darkness,
   or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

   13But I, O Lord, cry to you;
   in the morning my prayer comes before you.
   14O Lord, why do you cast my soul away?
   Why do you hide your face from me?
   15Afflicted and close to death from my youth up,
   I suffer your terrors; I am helpless.
   16Your wrath has swept over me;
   your dreadful assaults destroy me.
   17They surround me like a flood all day long;
   they close in on me together.
   18You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me;
   my companions have become darkness.

   Jonah 2:4, 7

   Then I said, ‘I am driven away
   from your sight;
   yet I shall again look
   upon your holy temple.’

    When my life was fainting away,
   I remembered the Lord,
   and my prayer came to you,
   into your holy temple.

2. Isa. 54:7-10

   For a brief moment I deserted you,
   but with great compassion I will gather you.
   8In overflowing anger for a moment
   I hid my face from you,
   but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”
   says the Lord, your Redeemer.

   9“This is like the days of Noah to me:
   as I swore that the waters of Noah
   should no more go over the earth,
   so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you,
   and will not rebuke you.
   10For the mountains may depart
   and the hills be removed,
   but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
   and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,”
   says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

   Matt. 5:3-4

   “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

   “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

   Psa. 31:22

   I had said in my alarm,
   “I am cut off from your sight.”
   But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy
   when I cried to you for help.

   Psa. 73:13, 22-23

   All in vain have I kept my heart clean
   and washed my hands in innocence.

   22I was brutish and ignorant;
   I was like a beast toward you.

   23Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
   you hold my right hand.

3. Phil 3:8-9

    Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith….

   Psa. 10:17

   O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
   you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear….

   Psa. 42:1-2, 5, 11

    As a deer pants for flowing streams,
   so pants my soul for you, O God.
    My soul thirsts for God,
   for the living God.
   When shall I come and appear before God?

   5Why are you cast down, O my soul,
   and why are you in turmoil within me?
   Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
   my salvation…

   11Why are you cast down, O my soul,
   and why are you in turmoil within me?
   Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
   my salvation and my God.

4. II Tim. 2:19

   But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

   Isa. 1:10

   Hear the word of the Lord,
   you rulers of Sodom!
   Give ear to the teaching of our God,
   you people of Gomorrah!

   Psa. 66:18-20

    If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
   the Lord would not have listened.
   But truly God has listened;
   he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

   Blessed be God,
   because he has not rejected my prayer
   or removed his steadfast love from me!

5. Isa. 40:11, 29, 31

   He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
   he will gather the lambs in his arms;
   he will carry them in his bosom,
   and gently lead those that are with young.

   29He gives power to the faint,
   and to him who has no might he increases strength.

   31but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
   they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
   they shall run and not be weary;
   they shall walk and not faint.

   Matt. 11:28

   Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

   Matt. 12:20

   …a bruised reed he will not break,
    and a smoldering wick he will not quench,
   until he brings justice to victory….

   Matt. 26:28

   …for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

6. Mark 9:24

   Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

7. Acts 2:37

   Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

   Acts 16:30

   Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

8. Rom. 4:11

   He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well….

   I Cor. 11:28

    Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

Question 172, Westminster Larger Catechism

Comments

[kim from hiraeth]

This is a truth that is so often either minimized or even left out when 'fencing the table.'

[rebecca]

I was a little surprised to read the answer, actually. I just expected something more "fenced." But I'm glad the answer is what it is—full of mercy and assurance and hope.

[rosemary]

Blessed assurance, mercy and hope!

On another note....Today was my annual Making Rebecca's Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam Day.
Nope; you didn't overstate the goodness of it. Delicous! Thanks again for sharing the recipe with us.

[rebecca]

I'm glad you like it. I'm not making it this summer. I still have lots leftover from last year.