Lord's Supper

[Aleksander]

I hope I have this in the right section of the forum..

1 Corinthians 11:27-32

This something that I have been thinking about lately. Reading the chapter makes me think: How do you know, or can tell, if you are in a worthy state and manner when you take part in the Lord's Supper?

Edited September 1, 2012 by Aleksander

[Ovedya]

The intention was to correct the divisions among the members of the Body before partaking of the Lord's Supper. One cannot take the Lord's Supper worthily if he has something against another brother/sister.

[Fiosh]

I hope I have this in the right section of the forum..

1 Corinthians 11:27-32

This something that I have been thinking about lately. Reading the chapter makes me think: How do you know, or can tell, if you are in a worthy state and manner when you take parts in the Lord's Supper?

Cor 11:

27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord.

28 A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup.

29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself

To eat and drink "worthily" is to fully understand and internalize Jesus' words on the night before He died:

Luke 33: 19 Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me."

20

And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.

One must accept the reality that Jesus died on the cross for your sins; repent; and receive His body and blood with a clean heart.

Peace,

Fiosh

[Aleksander]

So, one must be at peace with his family, people you know and interact with.

What of one's relationship with God?

A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup

What is involed in the process of "examine himself" ?

[Guest]

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

1 John 3:16-20

The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:

The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.

Numbers 6:24-27

Love, Joe

[Smalcald]

I think the bottom line is that we should be mindful of our faith in Christ to truly forgive our sins, to be utterly repentant of any gross sins we know we have done and have confidence that these sins are forgiven, and indeed as Fiosh pointed out we should recognize what we are receiving in the Lord's Supper.

I think in Corinth we can look at the counter example. They saw it as a party, were pushing each other out of the way, some were drunk, some were hogging stuff, in a word they did not recognize what was going on nor did they examine themselves or take it seriously.

[methinkshe]

I think the bottom line is that we should be mindful of our faith in Christ to truly forgive our sins, to be utterly repentant of any gross sins we know we have done and have confidence that these sins are forgiven, and indeed as Fiosh pointed out we should recognize what we are receiving in the Lord's Supper.

I think in Corinth we can look at the counter example. They saw it as a party, were pushing each other out of the way, some were drunk, some were hogging stuff, in a word they did not recognize what was going on nor did they examine themselves or take it seriously.

One of those thumbs up thingies because I don't know (nor really want to learn) how to do those emoti-thingummijigs!

I agree!

In Jesus,

Ruth

Edited June 4, 2007 by methinkshe

[EricH]

Actually, Paul describes the exact nature of the issue in the passage itself:

Now in giving the following instruction I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. For, to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. There must, indeed, be factions among you, so that the approved among you may be recognized. Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not really to eat the Lord's Supper. For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others, and one person is hungry while another is drunk! Don't you have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you look down on the church of God and embarrass those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I do not praise you for this! For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: on the night when He was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and said, "This is My body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me." In the same way He also took the cup, after supper, and said, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy way will be guilty of sin against the body and blood of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 11:17-27 HCSB

When trying to determine the meaning of a passage, I find it most helpful to check the immediate context first to see if it holds the answer to my questions. Ovedya was correct, Paul saw that the Corinthian church was loaded with division, and that they were using the Lords supper, not as an occassion to remember what Jesus had done, but to eat and drink (to the point of getting drunk). They did this while those who were starving in the congregation looked on. Paul instructs them to eat and drink for nourishment and enjoyment at home, but to celebrate Jesus with the Lord's Supper.

HTH

[methinkshe]

Actually, Paul describes the exact nature of the issue in the passage itself:

Now in giving the following instruction I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. For, to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. There must, indeed, be factions among you, so that the approved among you may be recognized. Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not really to eat the Lord's Supper. For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others, and one person is hungry while another is drunk! Don't you have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you look down on the church of God and embarrass those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I do not praise you for this! For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: on the night when He was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and said, "This is My body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me." In the same way He also took the cup, after supper, and said, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy way will be guilty of sin against the body and blood of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 11:17-27 HCSB

When trying to determine the meaning of a passage, I find it most helpful to check the immediate context first to see if it holds the answer to my questions. Ovedya was correct, Paul saw that the Corinthian church was loaded with division, and that they were using the Lords supper, not as an occassion to remember what Jesus had done, but to eat and drink (to the point of getting drunk). They did this while those who were starving in the congregation looked on. Paul instructs them to eat and drink for nourishment and enjoyment at home, but to celebrate Jesus with the Lord's Supper.

HTH

Amen!

In Jesus,

Ruth

[None]

"If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us..."

A truly repentant heart is "worthy" to partake in the Lord's supper.