Whenever you partake of this Bread

In the early church people gathered daily to partake of the Lord's supper. What is it like today? Some churches still celebrate it weekly, most however only once a month. What is the reason for this? I think the understanding of the communion meal has changed over time. Something which began as a daily exercise, has become something sacred, so sacred that it is almost dangerous to partake. In most churches, prior to the partaking of communion, an exhaustive confession of sin followed by absolution is participated in, to prevent us from sinfully partaking of the sacrament.

In 1 Corinthians 11:27-29 we read the following:
“Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.”

This has less to do with the general belief of our “worthiness” to partake of communion. We all are and remain, although pardoned, still sinners. None of us are worthy before the Lord. This has more to do with the manner, the attitude in which we partake of communion. We should partake of the Lord's supper reverently, as we are not merely enjoying the fellowship with our brothers and sisters, but are also in fellowship with our Lord and Saviour!

If we fail to remember this, then we eat and drink in accordance with the law.

The Bible doesn't tell us much about who make partake of communion. Everyone ought to examine himself... And yet, if we search deeper, there are a few precise scriptures in the New Testament, which gives us more insight into this matter. Let's first assume that all brothers and sisters in Christ are invited to partake. So the question remains, who does not belong to this fellowship? There are a few groups of people with whom we are not to maintain fellowship. Here we find those people who openly live in fornication, false teachers and some other people who are severely afflicted with sinful lifestyles whom we should exclude from our church and our fellowship.

If we thus are to have no fellowship with them, if we are to avoid them and consider them sinners, then surely we will also not partake in communion with them. Thus, whoever lives in open sin, continues in sin and refuses to stop sinning, should be excluded from the fellowship, and all others should examine themselves whether or not they are able to partake in the communion table.

In like manner, so as not to partake of communion unworthily, we should however also not be absent from communion without sufficient reason. It is the fellowship with – and the honour and memory of our Lord Jesus. And here it is also of benefit to us to partake – and maybe not only once a month...

When did you last partake of the Lord's supper?

I wish you a blessed day in fellowship with our Lord.

Rainer Gigerich