1 Corinthians 11:27-29
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. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. (1 Corinthians 11:27-31 NKJV)
What do the bread and cup represent? The bread is a symbol of the Lord's body and the cup, His blood.
His body was broken for me so that I am made whole. His blood was shed for me so that I would receive salvation. His blood was the currency used to buy my life for eternity.
Eats: verb
Drinks: verb
Unworthy: adjective, lacking worth and understanding Discerning: adjective, showing understanding
Discerning and unworthy in this context are showing me that I'm not understanding the full value of his body and blood. To understand what both represent when I partake of the communion I discern that by His stripes I'm healed and made healthy and whole. His blood is proof that He didn't give His life in vain. He paid the price for my sin so that I wouldn't have to. These are visual reminders for me. To misunderstand is not rightly dividing the word of truth.
This has nothing to do with my unworthiness, as you stated, because once I'm in Christ, I no longer live but Christ in me. Obviously the early Corinthians didn't understand the significance of what they were doing but to say we don't want to do what they did is saying we don't understand the significance either. To look to ourselves when taking communion is taking our eyes off the one we're to be looking to. But don't make the mistake by looking to the Corinthians either just because they didn't understand what they were doing by eating to much and drinking to the excess. These verses are not about what the Corinthians did or didn't do. They're about Jesus and what his body and blood represent.
The bread and cup are what hold the significance, not what they did so we don't do it either. Communion is not doing it in the right way but for the right reason. It's what the cup and bread represent and what it mean for me to take it. That's right discernment.
We are to ask ourself, "Do I understand that when I partake of a symbol of His body that I'm actually saying I'm healed? Do I understand that when I take of the symbol of His blood do I realize He willingly shed His blood to pay for my sins?". Both of these show me I have a better quality of life while I live secure in the truth that I'm saved for Him eternally living in communion with my Father.
Communion: the act of sharing, or holding in common; participation.
When I take communion I like to think that I'm sharing in what Jesus died to give me. That we have that life in common. I actually participated in His death, burial and resurrection and I am now seated with Him.
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. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. (1 Corinthians 11:27-31 NKJV)
What do the bread and cup represent? The bread is a symbol of the Lord's body and the cup, His blood.
His body was broken for me so that I am made whole. His blood was shed for me so that I would receive salvation. His blood was the currency used to buy my life for eternity.
Eats: verb
Drinks: verb
Unworthy: adjective, lacking worth and understanding Discerning: adjective, showing understanding
Discerning and unworthy in this context are showing me that I'm not understanding the full value of his body and blood. To understand what both represent when I partake of the communion I discern that by His stripes I'm healed and made healthy and whole. His blood is proof that He didn't give His life in vain. He paid the price for my sin so that I wouldn't have to. These are visual reminders for me. To misunderstand is not rightly dividing the word of truth.
This has nothing to do with my unworthiness, as you stated, because once I'm in Christ, I no longer live but Christ in me. Obviously the early Corinthians didn't understand the significance of what they were doing but to say we don't want to do what they did is saying we don't understand the significance either. To look to ourselves when taking communion is taking our eyes off the one we're to be looking to. But don't make the mistake by looking to the Corinthians either just because they didn't understand what they were doing by eating to much and drinking to the excess. These verses are not about what the Corinthians did or didn't do. They're about Jesus and what his body and blood represent.
The bread and cup are what hold the significance, not what they did so we don't do it either. Communion is not doing it in the right way but for the right reason. It's what the cup and bread represent and what it mean for me to take it. That's right discernment.
We are to ask ourself, "Do I understand that when I partake of a symbol of His body that I'm actually saying I'm healed? Do I understand that when I take of the symbol of His blood do I realize He willingly shed His blood to pay for my sins?". Both of these show me I have a better quality of life while I live secure in the truth that I'm saved for Him eternally living in communion with my Father.
Communion: the act of sharing, or holding in common; participation.
When I take communion I like to think that I'm sharing in what Jesus died to give me. That we have that life in common. I actually participated in His death, burial and resurrection and I am now seated with Him.
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