What does it mean to take communion in an unworthy manner

1 Corinthians 11 and the Meaning of an Unworthy Manner

What does it mean to take communion in an unworthy manner? This is a very important question. To answer it, we must first look at the text that deals with the topic. 1 Corinthians 11, verses 26 -29 says,.

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 manner shall be guilty of the body and the 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 eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. Now, there is much discussion about what it means to take the bread and the cup in an unworthy manner.

There are different interpretations, so let's go through five or six of these. First of all, it could be that those taking the communion elements needed to be fully aware that they represent the sacrifice of Christ by which we are redeemed from sin.

Therefore, to participate in communion while not understanding this would be to take it in an unworthy manner. Another possibility is that taking the supper with willful, unconfessed sin would be taking it in an unworthy manner.

Possible Misuses of the Lord's Supper

A third interpretation or option is that the earlier context of 1 Corinthians 11 seems to suggest that taking communion in an unworthy manner means to do so while you have a problem with a Christian brother or sister.

If you are not reconciled, you should not take communion. Another view is that some Christians were using the communion supper as an opportunity for self-indulgence, like eating too much or getting drunk, which is why Paul mentions this about not getting drunk in verse 21.

The fifth option is that both elements, the bread and the wine, must be taken. Not just one, not just the bread or the wine, but both, since Christ commanded both to be taken. This would, incidentally, invalidate the Roman Catholic practice of taking the wafer only.

Worthiness Comes from Christ, Not Ourselves

The final view we are going to look at here is that the person taking communion must be worthy in himself to take it. But, of course, this is very problematic. It's dangerous because no one is worthy to take communion.

Our worthiness comes from Christ, not ourselves. What we need to do here is take a look at the context of these verses that talk about the unworthy manner of taking communion and see what Paul was talking about before the context, before these verses.

Let's take a look and see what he says. Looking at the context here, at verse 16 of 1 Corinthians 11, Paul mentions people who are contentious and that there were divisions among them. That's in verse 18.

He also mentions people getting drunk in verse 21. Paul then says in verse 22, Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you?

Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you. It is after this that Paul then speaks more directly about communion and how it represents the body and the blood of Christ. In verse 26 he says, As often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Paul relates the communion to the sacrifice of Christ and then says to examine oneself in verse 28. It seems most probable that Paul is telling people to examine their motives, make sure that there is no dissension with other believers, to take this supper solemnly and that they were to rightly understand that it represents the sacrifice of Christ.

Communion for Sinners Who Are Repenting

Finally, many Christians do not feel worthy of taking communion because of their sin. But the Christian should realize that communion is for sinners, for Christians who are struggling with their sin. It is not that the communion makes sinning okay.

No, not to do that. The Christian should always war against his sin. But Christians should not withhold themselves from the table if they are trying to repent of their sins and are struggling to gain victory but have not yet attained it.

It is the struggle against sin that is an admission that we must depend upon Christ and His grace. In our struggle, we judge sin to be sin and we war against it. It is precisely this struggle that is a vindication of our position with Christ and a manifestation of our need for communion as an act of dependence upon His work and His grace.