WLC 172

Q172. 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; and in God's account hath it, if he be duly affected with the apprehension of the want of it, and unfeignedly desires to be found in Christ, and to depart from iniquity: in which case (because promises are made, and this sacrament is appointed, for the relief even of weak and doubting Christians) he is to bewail his unbelief, and labor to have his doubts resolved; and, so doing, he may and ought to come to the Lord's supper, that he may be further strengthened.

Proof texts

• Isa. 1:10 — [10] Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
• 1 John 5:13 — [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.
• Ps. 88 — [1] O LORD, God of my salvation, I cry out day and night before you. [2] Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry! [3] For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. [4] I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength, [5] like 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. [6] You have put me in the depths of the pit, in the regions dark and deep. [7] Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves. <i>Selah</i> [8] You have caused my companions to shun me; you have made me a horror to them. I am shut in so that I cannot escape; [9] my eye grows dim through sorrow. Every day I call upon you, O LORD; I spread out my hands to you. [10] Do you work wonders for the dead? Do the departed rise up to praise you? <i>Selah</i> [11] Is your steadfast love declared in the grave, or your faithfulness in Abaddon? [12] Are your wonders known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? [13] But I, O LORD, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you. [14] O LORD, why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me? [15] Afflicted and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am helpless. [16] Your wrath has swept over me; your dreadful assaults destroy me. [17] They surround me like a flood all day long; they close in on me together. [18] You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me; my companions have become darkness.
• Ps. 77:1-12 — [1] I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me. [2] In 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. [3] When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. <i>Selah</i> [4] You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. [5] I consider the days of old, the years long ago. [6] I 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? [8] Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? [9] Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” <i>Selah</i> [10] Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.” [11] I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. [12] I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.
• Jonah 2:4,7 — [4] Then I said, ‘I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.’ [7] When my life was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.
• Isa. 54:7-10 — [7] For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you. [8] In 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. [10] For 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 — [3] “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [4] “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
• Ps. 31:22 — [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.
• Ps. 73:13,22-23 — [13] All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. [22] I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you. [23] Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.
• Phil. 3:8-9 — [8] 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 [9] 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 —
• Ps. 10:17 — [17] O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
• Ps. 42:1-2,5,11 — [1] As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. [2] My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? [5] Why 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 [11] Why 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.
• 2 Tim. 2:19 — [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 — [10] Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
• Ps. 66:18-20 — [18] If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. [19] But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer. [20] Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!
• Isa. 40:11,29,31 — [11] 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. [29] He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. [31] but 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 — [28] Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
• Matt. 12:20 — [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 — [28] for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
• Mark 9:24 — [24] Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
• Acts 2:37 — [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 — [30] Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
• Rom. 4:11 — [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,
• 1 Cor. 11:28 — [28] Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Isa. 1:10 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 24 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WSC Q88 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. WCF 27.1 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WSC Q88 · WCF 27.1 · HC Q65 · BC 8.1 · BC 8.2 · BC 8.3 · 1689 28.1