[katie ha-lakh]

Hi all,

"26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
27 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.
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.
34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come."

1 Corinthians 11:26-34

I would like to know how each of you go about making yourselves worthy (if you don't mind sharing).

[kevinvw]

31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

Judge yourself and confess your sins to God and ask to be forgiven.

30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

These guys never judged themselves so the Lord judged them, and a lot worse things happened to them then if they would have just judged themselves. They became weak, sick, or died.

At the church I go to, we bow our heads before we start, and we give people time to fess up to the Lord if they haven't been doing it regularly (which every Christian should).

[tonybones2112]

Originally Posted by kevinvw

31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

Judge yourself and confess your sins to God and ask to be forgiven.

30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

These guys never judged themselves so the Lord judged them, and a lot worse things happened to them then if they would have just judged themselves. They became weak, sick, or died.

At the church I go to, we bow our heads before we start, and we give people time to fess up to the Lord if they haven't been doing it regularly (which every Christian should).

My sins have already been forgiven Kevin, past, present, and future. What Paul reveals to me in these passages is that there was a bar at the church of Corinth. You seem to be teaching forgiveness of sins through works, ours.

Grace and peace brother

Tony

[kevinvw]

I'll up you one Tony, I had my sins redeemed past, present and future. That doesn't mean the Lord isn't going to get the belt out and start whipping, and when the Lord swings, you might not get back up. My body of flesh still holds sins, but my soul is incorruptible, being cut off from the flesh.

[BornAgainBibleBeliever514]

Continued confession out of a contrite spirit is essential to having a continually closer fellowship with God.
This does NOT mean that confession, let alone continual, is in ANY way necessary for salvation.

Once I am reborn as a child of God, nothing can change that. But when I still sin against Him, it breaks, or rather strains our fellowship. Chastisement, confession, repentance and closer fellowship go hand-in hand AFTER salvation.

After the new birth, its impossible for the believer to have sin imputed unto him, but it definitely dwells in his body, and affects the relationship with God.
He will never leave me nor forsake me, but it is possible to grieve the Holy Spirit with sin.
I experience this often, and only once I confess to Him and get straight again, do I come back into His will.

As for the Lord's supper, the church I go to (IFBBB) doesn't practice it much at all. I think in the 1.5 years I've been there, they did it once.
As my parents began to attend my church, they came from one of those apostasy incorporated assemblies, and happened to be in charge of preparing the crackers, juice and trays over there. First Sunday of every month, like clockwork. When they came to my church, they felt like they were missing out since we don't have it often.
Now, in NO WAY are we hyper, denying the ordinance (not a sacrament), but rather it was explained thusly by our pastor:
Since much our congregation are converted Catholics, the pastor decided to have the Lord's supper less often in order to guard them from slipping back into religiosity and to avoid any newcomers of perceiving that this was necessary for salvation in any way.

My previous, MV church did have the communion table monthly, I did enjoy solemnly contemplating my Saviour's sacrifice, understanding full well that eating that cracker and juice didn't add to my salvation. However, when such a thing is practised regularly it does lend itself to being taken lightly by some in the assembly, and that's not healthy.

Doctrinally, I believe its for today as an ordinance, but not one that must necessarily be kept regularly in the congregation. I am still learning about it, and am interested to see what else this thread brings out.

[tonybones2112]

Originally Posted by BornAgainBibleBeliever514

Continued confession out of a contrite spirit is essential to having a continually closer fellowship with God.
This does NOT mean that confession, let alone continual, is in ANY way necessary for salvation.

Brother, if there was any way possible I could remember them all and would have to go through the law of Moses to see the number I transgressed day by day, would you like me to try and give you a list of sins I committed today? Not yesterday or the day before, but just this day, today? Am I in a forum of Bible fundamentalists or Nazarene holiness?

Eph. 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

Col. 2:Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Brother, have I missed three things: Did John Wesley join this forum, and are these passage above written in present, or past tense, and do I walk by faith, and not by sight? I've never been baptized in water, I've never took what is called "communion" but one time in my life, and I've never "confessed" anything to anybody but on the day of my salvation I spoke aloud in a Sunday school class at the age of 12, God, forgive me through Christ's blood, a sinner.

Where am I incomplete and what is God gonna do to me?

Grace and peace

Tony

[tonybones2112]

Originally Posted by kevinvw

I'll up you one Tony, I had my sins redeemed past, present and future. That doesn't mean the Lord isn't going to get the belt out and start whipping, and when the Lord swings, you might not get back up. My body of flesh still holds sins, but my soul is incorruptible, being cut off from the flesh.

My point exactly, someone had set up a bar at the church in Corinth.

Grace and peace

Tony

[chette777]

I agree with Forrest it is not about making ourselves worthy or acceptable. Corinth was a very carnal church the description of 1Cor 11 is that of carnal Christians not caring for each other and the one who died for us. the supper is to remember what he has done for us not to feed our flesh. it is to remember his bodily sacrifice for our sins and that we are now part of Him and we are no longer to be living sinfully.

There is nothing wrong to ask, have I been living as if I am part of His Body? How am I treating him since I believed he died for me? Do I care for my brethren in Christ? do I see them as part of His Body? Or do I see them as a benefit to me? do I look down on them? If I do I am looking down on Christ himself. a healthy body check that needs to be judged not for reward or punishment for for correct understanding of what Christ did and who he is everyday.

[Forrest]

Originally Posted by katie ha-lakh

Hi all,

"26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
27 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.
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.
34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come."

1 Corinthians 11:26-34

I would like to know how each of you go about making yourselves worthy (if you don't mind sharing).

Luke 22:19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

1 Corinthians 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

11:27 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.

11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

11:30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

11:33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.

11:34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

This is my understanding. First, we should all know we are “worthy” based on receiving the perfect person, Jesus Christ, and believing in Him alone. As a believer and current follower of Christ, confessing my sin does not make or qualify me as a more “worthy” believer. Living a specific lifestyle does not make me “worthy” as a believer. Reading my Bible, praying, soul winning, eating vegetables, or drinking water does not make me “worthy” as a believer. Having perfect thoughts, perfect words, perfect attitudes, and perfect deeds does not make me “worthy” as a believer. Christ hath made us worthy. If you were required to come in observance of the Lord’s Supper as a “sinless” and “perfect” mortal human being then you would not qualify to observe the Lord’s Supper—none of us would.

But this is exactly what many teach regarding this particular passage in churches today. We are unworthy (they say) so in solemn, humble, and mournful defeat we should come crawling before the Lord’s Table and plead for forgiveness of our sins so as to not partake in an unworthy manner. We are told to confess sins that are already forgiven. Our sins are forgiven because they are washed in the precious blood of Christ! The erroneous counsel is: “You better come clean by ‘confessing’ all ‘known’ sins so you can be worthy and not die or become sick as a result of God’s judgment in your life”. The “legalist” and “controlling” pastor who fears teaching “grace” because there may be those who abuse it, ultimately uses this warning as an instrument to manage and legislate holy behavior in the member’s life. Some, on the other hand, do it simply because they aren’t really reading the scripture and what the words say.

If you are confessing sin in order to be forgiven and to become worthy you simply do not understand the power, efficacy, and finality of Christ’s blood and the forgiveness of sin—past, present, and future—that’s already yours in Christ.

Let me clearly say in no way am I suggesting that the truth of Biblical forgiveness is a divine permission slip that encourages you to go forth and commit random acts of sin freely. Understanding forgiveness actually promotes the faith, love, freedom, and desire necessary to obey Christ. Grace through Christ and the Holy Spirit operating with the sharp shears of God’s word keeps me “purged” and “pruned” so I will bring forth fruit, more fruit, even much fruit. We should always “repent” from sin as believers when the Lord, by the Holy Spirit, through His word opens our eyes to any and all personal sinful behavior.

But “confession” for the purpose of being “forgiven for sins” and “cleansed from all unrighteousness” for something that has already occurred (in the life of a believer) when we first came in faith to Christ, in my opinion, is not accurate teaching. Why confess sin that’s already washed in the precious blood of Jesus? Why confess sin in order to be cleansed from unrighteousness when you already are righteous in Christ? And please don’t say in order to restore fellowship with God. That is not what the scripture says. Our fellowship with God, as a believer who is now in Christ, is never broken. We are always in the light because God who is LIGHT dwells in us. Repent, yes. Confess, no.

Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Let me ask you a question, believer. Do we have redemption and forgiveness through His blood according to the riches of His grace? Why then do you need to “confess” sins you are already forgiven for? Does a “believer” confess their sins in order to restore fellowship? Is that what 1 John 1:9 says?

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [Or does it say if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to restore our fellowship?]

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Are we “…the righteousness of God in him” only when we live in sinless perfection? Is that what the Holy Scripture is teaching?

The “unworthy” issue at the church in Corinth is clarified with this verse.

11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

They (the church at Corinth) failed to “discern the Lord’s body” and were therefore observing the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner. That was the issue. What does it mean to discern the Lord’s body? “Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.” And “This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Remember? As often as we observe the Lord’s Supper let us remember that He died for our sins, was buried, rose again the third day, and is ascended where He sits in final rule and authority. Remember you are cleansed, washed, declared righteous, and reconciled with God through Christ Jesus. The Lord’s Supper is a time of remembrance that causes me to rejoice in and boast in the Lord Jesus Christ.

[Diligent]

Originally Posted by Forrest

Remember? As often as we observe the Lord’s Supper let us remember that He died for our sins, was buried, rose again the third day, and is ascended where He sits in final rule and authority. Remember you are cleansed, washed, declared righteous, and reconciled with God through Christ Jesus. The Lord’s Supper is a time of remembrance that causes me to rejoice in and boast in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Very helpful. Thank you for this post.