Misinterpreting sin and Communion
By Phil Diefenbach
Sometimes in our search for answers, we misinterpret God’s Word. We may not intend to do this, but we should be constantly looking into the context of the scripture and who the audience is.
1 Corinthians 11:27-28
27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.
For many Christians, this is a passage they would prefer not to be reminded of. Not because they want to avoid pleasing God but because it reminds them of those times they waited outside the Principal’s office awaiting impending doom-or not. The thought, “Am I guilty and about to be punished or am I not guilty?” runs through their mind. “Am I, at this moment, pleasing to God or am I a little unworthy?”
I believe the problem stems from a few misunderstandings:
1. Even though we know we have been graciously redeemed by a merciful God, we know that we let Him down-we sin. At those moments, it is only reasonable to assume we have displeased Him. Of course we repent at the earliest possible opportunity thus assuaging our consciences. But, what about those sins that creep up on us? Those “little” ones that add up until a general prayer of contrition is offered. Is there a tipping point at which we are out of favour with God and thus unworthy? The answer to this is to be reminded again, as we all need from time to time, that Christ’s sacrifice was once for all. Do we sin? Yes, of course. But, we are still covered.
We are also reminded that we were once “unworthy” hence the necessity of His grace. We were unworthy, as Paul says, “whilst we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” We were unworthy, we had nothing to offer Him, we could not contribute to our salvation…yet He loved us. Note the past tense of all the verbs in that last sentence. We “were”. But now, worthy isn’t even a question. It’s not like scripture allows for the notion that we are “now” worthy. No, “worthiness” is now irrelevant. We stand with Christ, covered with His righteousness, because of His worthiness.
This “unworthiness” has nothing to do with our standing before the Father.
2. Then there is the misunderstanding of the context of passage in question. Paul is talking to a Church in crisis, this is just one of many of their issues. Read verses 20-22. What is happening? When they eat, they are not focused on Christ but on themselves. Instead of waiting for one another they gorge themselves and leave nothing for those that might be late to the table. (Remembering that this Love Feast shares nothing in form with what we participate in today.) At that time there were many slaves in the church whose time was not their own. It was not their fault, unlike many of us today, if they were late for church.
Paul then shifts his attention to the real purpose of Communion as seen in verses 23-26. It’s about Christ, “do this in remembrance.”
After Paul’s solemn discourse he turns his attention to the matter at hand in verse 27. Don’t do this in an unworthy manner. So, we know the unworthiness (from the context), has something to do with our attitude, the way we view our brothers and sisters. It is about not considering their needs.
Verse 28 says we should examine ourselves before we eat. And verse 29 makes the subject matter clear, “For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.” If we eat and drink without being concerned for the body of Christ we eat and drink judgement on ourselves.
This is not about having let God down. It’s about having let the Church down. Unworthiness is not about disappointing God (although it does); it’s about thinking this journey is solo, that the body of Christ doesn’t matter to me, that I can enjoy all the goodness of God without paying attention to my brother.
One eats alone, I’m talking about at home, when we have no friends. One eats alone in Communion when we don’t consider the brothers in our midst. Communion is not just about our relationship with Christ. It is so wrapped up in our relationship with others.
So, what about today? We don’t participate in the same Love Feast. The miserly amount of bread and grape juice are handed out to everyone at the same time so we don’t even have the opportunity to gorge ourselves before everyone has sat down at the table. Is it possible that we eat in an unworthy manner if we hold a grudge, if we cognitively sit on the opposite side of the Church from someone, if we’ve been hurt but haven’t tried to settle the matter?
I suppose the application of Paul’s warning might vary from person to person but the meaning remains the same: I am unworthy if I think my brother is less worthy.
Here’s the whole passage:
17 In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good.
18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it.
19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.
20 So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat,
21 for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk.
22 Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,
24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.
29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.
30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.
31 But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment.
32 Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.
33 So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together.
34 Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions.