RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2021-01-07	Taking Communion in an Unworthy Manner (1Co.11:27)
		1Co 11:27  Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. The overall context includes verses 17-34. Communion, or the Lord's Supper, is an act of worship meant to help us remember Christ's sacrifice (v.24-25, “remembrance of Me”), and anticipate His coming (v.26). It is meant to bring humbleness and unity among the brethren. In the case of the Corinthians it highlighted and magnified the divisions among them (v.18). Their public worship meetings were doing more harm than good (v.17). Thus, they were participating in communion “in an unworthy manner” (v.27). Their communion services had become corrupted with selfishness and drunkenness (v.21). They were favoring the wealthy and privileged, but neglecting the poor. Participants were neither honoring God nor edifying one another. Their actions were equivalent to “despising the church of God (v.22). In the early church the believers gathered and would participate in a common meal called the love feast (Jd.1:12). This meal was connected to and associated with the Lord's Supper (Ac.2:42, 46). Communion itself is generally not thought of as a full meal. But the associated love feast was a full meal. Those who were “hungry” (v.21) were the poor that were neglected at the love feast. They did not understand what the Lord's Supper means by not distinguishing it from a normal meal. Paul instructs them how to properly observe communion. The focus is on celebrating Christ's sacrifice which brings salvation (1Co.11:23-26). The message of the gospel should be visible during communion demonstrating humbleness from the participants. So if outsiders or unbelievers observe a unified body of believers, the message of the gospel becomes clear. So the “unworthy manner” is a failure to express the unity of the body of Christ. Because in their actions they promoted divisions in the church. This is a serious offense. They were dishonoring the very purpose of communion! They were “guilty of the body and blood of the Lord” (v.27). That is, they were to honor and remember our Lord's work of salvation on the cross, but they did not. Instead of honoring his sacrifice, they were sharing in the guilt of those who crucified Christ. They were showing contempt for that which is meant to represent the unified body and blood of Christ. Thus, they were not “discerning the Lord's body” (v.29). Paul shows them, and of course us today, how to avoid taking communion in an unworthy manner. That is, by examining our motives and actions to make sure they line up with the significance of unity in Christ (v.28). Healthy introspection, especially desiring to resolve any difference we have with others, prepares us for communion. Because we are all sinners, none of us are worthy to take communion. Awareness of our sin should not keep us away from communion, but drive us to participate in it in a worthy manner. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

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