Some pamphlets written by Russell Elliott have recently appeared on the "What's New" pages of this website, and on looking at others of his earlier placed on it, I came across this one. It makes interesting reading considering some recent teachings on the Lord's Table.
I draw attention to his statement, "The Lord's Table is part and parcel of Christianity itself; and every true believer is a partaker of the Lord's Table, whether he actually partakes of the Supper or not." There is ambiguity in the word "partaker" but I might otherwise say that every true believer is embraced in the communion of the Lord's Table, understanding it a chief point in the "Brethren Movement." Are we now departing from this?
I shall defer commenting on his pamphlet on Baptism.
Mark, there need be no ambiguity, because the difference between partakers (metecho) in 1 Cor 10:17 and partakers (koinonos) in 1 Cor 10:18, is found also in Heb 2:14, where “took part” (metecho) shows the uniqueness of the Manhood of Christ, against that of the flesh and nature of man. All believers are part (or partakers – metecho) of the one body; part of that one bread.
One should perhaps say that understanding it (the Lord’s Table) is the chief point in 1 Cor 10 rather than understanding it as from the “Brethren Movement” because some may reject any teaching of the movement.