Examine Yourself 1 Corinthians 11:28

Paul the apostle told the Corinthian church members, “whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord”, and in chapter eleven and verse twenty-eight of First Corinthians, Paul instructed the Corinthian church members to “let a man examine himself”, where we read:

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

The verse begins, “But let a man examine himself, ...”. Paul began with the word, “But” which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was just stated “let a man” or “allow and permit a human being whether male or female” “examine” which means “test, prove, scrutinize and determine if genuine” “himself” or “the person themselves”. Paul instructed the church members to “test and prove” themselves.

The verse continues, “... and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.” Paul added the words, “and so let him” which means “and allow the human being whether male or female” “eat” or “consume and devour” “of that bread” which means “of the food composed of flour mixed with water and baked used in the Lord's supper”, “and drink” or “imbibe” “of that cup” which refers to “the drinking vessel that is used in the Lord's supper” . After a person has “examined” themselves, they should participate in the “eating and drinking” of “the Lord's supper”.

When we meditate upon these words from Paul, we understand his exhortation to “test, prove and scrutinize” ourselves before we partake of “the Lord's supper”. Church members are to “reverence” the meaning behind the elements used in “communion”, and turn from and repent of any sin that is revealed in our “examinations”. Jesus desires to have fellowship with us, and when we “remember” what He did to pay the penalty for our sins, we have true intimacy with God.

Next time Paul that the person who, “eats and drinks” of the Lord's supper “unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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