Q:   What is the scope of the 1 Corinthians chapter eleven prohibition on partaking the Lord's supper? Do the words, "Let a man examine himself..." (vs 28) mean that a saint should consider first if he is still guilty of a sin (e.g., forsaking the assembly, lying, etc.) and, if so, he cannot participate? Otherwise, is Paul merely saying that saints should discern the Lord's body as they are eating the unleavened bread and drinking the fruit of the vine, for it is not an ordinary meal?

A:   Let's take a closer look at the text together and see if the scripture does not somewhat explain itself. In the wide-angle view of 1 Corinthians, Paul is dealing with division in the church that is manifesting itself in a number of ways. He begins attacking the problem of factionism at the outset in 1:10-13 and again in 3:3. Paul addresses their division over spiritual gifts beginning at 12:25.

The section on the Lord's supper in chapter 11 is opened likewise with a reference to their division in verses 18 and 19. Verses 20 and 21 reveal what was apparently happening. The bread and cup were being depleted before everyone had a chance to partake ("for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk"). Perhaps out of misdirected zeal, they might have thought if eating a little bread honored the Lord, eating more honored more, and the first-comers were taking it all. We can't be sure of their motives, but we can be sure their inconsideration was wrong. The activity had become more like a common meal that should be eaten at home (vs. 22) and less like the Lord's supper (vs. 20). He concludes this rebuke in vs. 33 and 34 telling them not to come to the assemblies hungry so that they will not fall by the temptation to over-consume.

The verses in between deal with the purpose of the Lord's supper and the attitude by which we should participate. Verses 24 and 25 indicate that it is a commemoration of the Lord; verse 26 indicates that it is a proclamation of His death. As these reasons suggest the soberness of the occasion, the apostle requires a respectful demeanor in our observance (vs. 27). The word "unworthy" is the negative form of the word "worthy" in Ephesians 4:1 and Philippians 1:27 used to describe behavior befitting a noble calling, just as we would not act like we were at a picnic while attending a funeral. So in verse 28 he challenges us to pay attention to ourselves.

A call to self-examination is also seen in 2 Corinthians 13:5. However, we must be careful to keep our self-examination in its proper perspective. The worthiness under consideration in 1 Corinthians 11:27 is not whether we are deserving of God's grace and have thus earned the right to eat the Lord's supper. We will be indicted by this kind of examination every time (Luke 17:10, Roman 7:14). Instead, we are making sure our attitude is befitting the solemn occasion, and we are properly discerning the body of the Lord (vs. 29).

Still, there is scriptural precedence that persistent sin in our life and impenitence makes our worship useless (Matthew 15:8, 9). Notice especially Matthew 5:23, 24. Here, Jesus teaches us to first take care of unresolved issues with a brother before going to worship. Notwithstanding, there is nothing in 1 Corinthians 11 that would suggest we are to excuse ourselves from the Lord's supper if we are aware of some sin in our life. If we are aware of unforgiven sin in our life, God has made forgiveness for the Christian the simplest thing: repent of it and pray for forgiveness (Acts 8:22). We can take care of this while driving our car to church or while sitting in the pew, and then we can take the Lord's supper with a pure conscience. How hypocritical it would be to conscientiously decline the Lord's supper because of sin in our life, yet, unconscionably, be unwilling to repent of it. There's nothing noble in that. From a practical standpoint, if we know of sin in our life of which we refuse to repent, the decision to take or not take the Lord's supper is the least of our concerns.

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