The Scripture says, “For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself.”
As the watchman reads this passage, he realizes that it does matter with whom he partakes the cup and the bread. He can no longer assume that the religious institution is honoring the body and the blood of Christ when the leaders conduct the rite with an unbelief attitude! Indeed, that was the reason he escaped from his former church. Despite the watchman’s reminders, the pastor and elders refused to mention the blood and the body of Jesus Christ when they conducted the communion service. No wonder he felt the urgency to run away!
If the church does not recognize the Lord’s blood and body, what do they think they are partaking? If they refuse to honor the body and blood of the Lord Jesus, to whom are they giving honor? The answer makes one shudder. (It is no wonder that the church spiritual door is wide open for the enemy to get in to attack the members one by one!)
Lesson from the past (Part Two): 1 Corinthians 11:17-32
17 But in the following instructions, I cannot praise you. For it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together. 18 First, I hear that there are divisions among you when you meet as a church, and to some extent I believe it. 19 But, of course, there must be divisions among you so that you who have God’s approval will be recognized! 20 When you meet together, you are not really interested in the Lord’s Supper. 21 For some of you hurry to eat your own meal without sharing with others. As a result, some go hungry while others get drunk. 22 What? Don’t you have your own homes for eating and drinking? Or do you really want to disgrace God’s church and shame the poor? What am I supposed to say? Do you want me to praise you? Well, I certainly will not praise you for this!
23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you.[a] Do this to remember me.” 25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.” 26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again. 27 So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against[b] the body and blood of the Lord. 28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. 29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ,[c] you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died. 31 But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. 32 Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world.
Footnotes:
1.1 Corinthians 11:24 Greek which is for you; other manuscripts read which is broken for you.
2.1 Corinthians 11:27 Or is responsible for.
3.1 Corinthians 11:29 Greek the body; other manuscripts read the Lord’s body.
O Watchman, run! You do not want to share their sins!
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