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Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 171

Question 171

How are they that receive the sacrament of the Lord's supper to prepare themselves before they come unto it?

They that receive the sacrament of the Lord's supper are, before they come, to prepare themselves thereunto, by examining themselves of their being in Christ, of their sins and wants; of the truth and measure of their knowledge, faith, repentance; love to God and the brethren, charity to all men, forgiving those that have done them wrong; of their desires after Christ, and of their new obedience; and by renewing the exercise of these graces, by serious meditation, and fervent prayer.

Scripture references for paragraph 1

Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.

1 Corinthians 11:28

28Each one must examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.

2 Corinthians 13:5

5Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you actually fail the test?

1 Corinthians 5:7

7Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

Exodus 12:15

15For seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day you are to remove the leaven from your houses. Whoever eats anything leavened from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel.

1 Corinthians 11:29

29For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

1 Corinthians 13:5

5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs.

Matthew 26:28

28This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Zechariah 12:10

10Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son.

1 Corinthians 11:31

31Now if we judged ourselves properly, we would not come under judgment.

1 Corinthians 10:16-17

16Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?

17Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf.

Acts 2:46-47

46With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart,

47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

1 Corinthians 5:8

8Therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old bread, leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and of truth.

1 Corinthians 11:18

18First of all, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.

1 Corinthians 11:20

20Now then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat.

Matthew 5:23-24

23So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

24leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

Isaiah 55:1

1“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!

John 7:37

37On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.

1 Corinthians 5:7-8

7Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

8Therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old bread, leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and of truth.

1 Corinthians 11:25-26

25In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

26For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

Hebrews 10:21-22

21and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

22let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Hebrews 10:24

24And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds.

Psalms 26:6

6I wash my hands in innocence that I may go about Your altar, O LORD,

1 Corinthians 11:24-25

24and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

25In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

2 Chronicles 30:18-19

18A large number of the people—many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun—had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah interceded for them, saying, “May the LORD, who is good, provide atonement for everyone

19who sets his heart on seeking God—the LORD, the God of his fathers—even if he is not cleansed according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.”

Matthew 26:26

26While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body.”

Source and edition

Westminster Larger Catechism. NonlinearFruit/Creeds.json, Unlicense. Creeds.json, English transcription

Unlicense. Source transcription.

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