Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. (I Corinthians 11:17-19)
First Paul addressed the issue of "cliques" within the church. A clique is a small group of people, with shared interests or other features in common, who spend time together and don't really allow others to join them. This kind of separation should not exist in the church, because we should always ...walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:1-3)
However, Paul did point out that there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. His point was that everyone who says they are a Christian and comes to church isn't necessarily so. Just as Paul had forewarned the Ephesians church, he's confirming it now with the church in Corinth, "For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that ... I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears." (Acts 20:29-31)
We as a church, as members of the body of Christ need to spend more time listening, watching and remembering, and much less time speaking and being seen. We have to listen carefully to what people say, especially those who profess to be Christians and even more to those who are "leaders" in the church. We have to watch what we say and do, and also others in the church. If something doesn't look right, it probably isn't. And we have to remember God's Word and His warnings of what we are to watch out for and signs to be aware of. Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. (I Corinthians 2:11-12)
How are we to deal with those who are not approved, those who are not behaving as a part of Christ's church and body? Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned. (Titus 3:10-11) If they do not repent after the first and second admonition, but instead choose to leave the church, let them go. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. (I John 2:19)
Next Paul addressed the issue of taking communion. Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you. (I Corinthians 11:20-22)
Earlier in this study, Paul said to the church in Corinth, Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. (I Corinthians 11:2) But he starts this section by saying, Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. The church in Corinth was keeping the traditions, including participating in the Lord's supper; but, they were not behaving as they should during these worship services.
Yet again, we have to remember that the church in Corinth was in an immoral society, and as part of their former way of worshiping to false gods, they would have large feasts and parties in the temples of their gods. They were bringing in some of those immoral behaviors into the church for the Lord's supper, eating and drinking. The "cliques" who had, had in abundance, and they did not share with those who have nothing. Paul was making it clear that the Lord's supper is not a feast or party.
The Lord's supper is a sacred meal of only unleavened bread, broken and the cup of wine shared by all. For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” [Matthew 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-26; Luke 22:14-23] For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. (I Corinthians 11:23-26)
Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. (I Corinthians 11:26-29) Participating in the Lord's supper is not just a ritual. It is a sacred tradition that Christ Jesus instructed us to do in remembrance of Him.
If we play around or go through the motions without considering seriously what the Lord's supper represents, or if we eat and drink in an unworthy manner, we eat and drink judgment to ourselves. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. (I Corinthians 11:30-32) When God disciples us in whatever way He does, including becoming weak and sick, and sleep (meaning have died), God may be using those things to chasten us because we aren't taking worshiping Him seriously. Out of His love for us, He will discipline us, so that we may not be condemned with the world.
Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come. (I Corinthians 11:33-34) AMEN!
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