A businessman well known for his self-righteousness once announced to writer Mark Twain, "Before I die I mean to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I will climb Mount Sinai and read the 10 Commandments aloud at the top." "I have a better idea," replied Twain. "You could stay in Boston and keep them."
1 Corinthians 11:27 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.
If not the most, but still the verse above is a prominent one taken up to condemn the church goers and sadly a poor attempt to undo the work on the cross. It’s important to understand the context of the verse and the larger text in itself. Apostle Paul is talking about the eating of food in an unworthy manner. It would so happen, while celebrating the “Lord’s Table”, those who would come early into the small room, would finish off everything and the ones who were coming later and standing out were ignored. This was a poor reflection of fellowship and the family of God in itself. How can those who love God and follow Jesus be selfish ? So Paul tells them to wait for everyone in v.33, and better have a snacker from home in v.34.
It was never about being Holy and blameless by your own works and be fit to partake, if so then none of us would be able to participate in the Holy Communion. You and I can partake of the Lord’s table only because of the cross. And when we proclaim the Lord’s death until HE comes, we are reminding ourselves of what he did to make us Holy, blameless and righteous.
Stanley Thomas Isac
Stanley is serving as the Pastor of Crossway Church in New Delhi, he can be reached at Pastorstanleytisac@gmail.com 
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