What Scriptural support do we see for non-Christians partaking communion? None. What Scriptural support is there to allow non-Christians into full-membership of the church? None. Yes, I know that you all agree, but that's not my point. My point is that we do not have any Scriptural support for these, but they all end up happening. They shouldn't happen, but they end up happening.
Before we can accept that statement does it not have to be grounded in principles of Scripture (sola scriptura)? SemperReformanda, since “they end up happening,” it is part of God’s decretive will. God did not stop Abraham from circumcising Ishmael. Abraham was suppose to follow God’s perceptive will (as are we). Thus, there is Scriptural Support if you understand how the covenant works. Of course, without a covenant understanding you are left without any Scriptural support.
When I asked in essence, "What basis do you have
from Scripture to be in "error" here?” you stated that there is
none from the Baptist position, to which I agree. Paedos though do have biblical grounds. When they do unknowingly admit unbelievers to the sacraments, because of their proper understanding of the God’s covenant and sacraments they are not in “error”—but actually following Scripture (visible/invisible Church distinction, oikos formula, etc). God taught in the O.T. that unbelievers could in fact be and actually were a part of the external covenant—Ishmael (Gen 17), etc. This is part and parcel of His plan. God’s plan has not changed. Unbelievers are still apart of the New Covenant.
Thus, again I assert that Jer 31:34, “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD," is not yet a full reality in this earth! If we understand our “union with Christ” and thus, the union of the chain of redemption, we will understand that in justification we do come to KNOW the LORD, but it does not stop there. Sanctification is still in progress and we KNOW the LORD more and more each day, etc. Thus, every time a Baptist, or any other person, preaches sanctification they are asserting “KNOW the LORD.” However, Jeremiah clearly says, “they shall teach
no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD,” and thus while we are one step closer each day to its full fulfillment, it is not yet fully fulfilled, etc. Fulfillment will not be till our glorification!
Additionally, we must remind ourselves again that Jer 31:34 falls on the heels of Jer 31:32 which says, “It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant…." However, the New Covenant today
is still broken every time we sin (remember Heb 12 on discipline follows Heb 8 on covenant, Jer 31)! In addition, unbelievers break the N.C. :
Hebrews 10:28-31 Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Please note first that these verses follow Heb 8 which is a summation of Jer 31 (as pointed out
here). These passages make it clear that until Christ returns it is possible for the N.C. to be broken. In fact, the author applies the warning “the Lord will judge his people” from Deuteronomy 32:36 (a warning to the covenant people under the Mosaic covenant) to this N.C. situation, thus equating the circumstances of the N.C. prior to the return of Christ to the situation Israel faced under the O.C. (continuity in the covenant). Judgment was and is possible for both the O.C. & N.C. communities, and judgment flows only from covenant breaking, not from covenant keeping. If judgment is a possibility under the N.C., then so is the covenant breaking that leads to that judgment.
When Christ returns in glory, everyone in the new creation after Christ’s return will have the law of God written on his or her heart. We will all love and delight in His ways, just as Christ already does (2 Cor. 3:16-18; 1 Thess. 3:11-13). In this sense, we expect Jeremiah’s prophecy to find complete fulfillment when Christ returns. At the present time, however, this expectation is only partially fulfilled. There is a sense in which the hearts and minds of believers have been renewed by God’s grace (Rom. 12:1-2). At the same time, however, we are also commanded by NT writers to observe the Scriptures and to watch for corruption in our thinking (Rom. 1:18-2:29; Eph. 4:17-32; 2 Pet. 3:17). The NT speaks this way because the promise of complete internalization of the law of God has only begun within believers, but it has not yet been completed.
As the parables of the Ten Virgins and Talents (Matt 25:1-30) illustrate, there are many in the N.C. community who will prove themselves not to be truly regenerate. Consequently, there is no need to withhold baptism from infants on the basis of Jeremiah’s N.C. expectations. Until the consummation the N.C. will continue to be mixed with true believers and unbelievers.
Much of this material is from notes from Dr. Richard Pratt's lectures on Jer 31, which I will attempt to find a complete copy of and post later.
