God Without Religion_ Can It Really Be This Simple_ - Andrew Farley [56]
Although it was dark in the room, there was enough light to see that the mood around us was quite somber. It felt like a funeral. Some were bent over crying, while others were literally wailing. Many were milling around searching for folks they had wronged. Others remained hunched in their chairs with their faces buried in their hands.
After about forty-five minutes of guided confession, we were told that the pastoral staff would be up front. We could now come forward to receive the elements of the Lord’s Supper if we felt “ready.” However, it was made clear that if any unconfessed sins remained, we should not come forward at all but “let the cup pass us by.”
It was a new church for us, and we left that service very discouraged by what we’d witnessed.
Examination Infestation
I’m all for confessing our sins to one another, but that isn’t the purpose of the Lord’s Supper. Jesus told us that we’re supposed to celebrate the Lord’s Supper in memory of him! To be specific, Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:24), not in remembrance of our recent track record. We’re called to recognize the beauty of the “once for all” sacrifice of Jesus Christ that took away our sins and made us right with God. The focus is supposed to be on the Lamb of God and what he’s done for us. Instead, we had attended an orgy of introspection, self-examination, and self-flagellation (without the scourges).
There’s an explanation for today’s popular religion of “getting right with God” before the Lord’s Supper. It involves a misinterpretation of Paul’s instruction to the Corinthian church. It’s not uncommon for this passage to be used to justify the “dim the lights and introspect” approach:
Therefore, 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. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. (1 Cor. 11:27–29)
These are some serious consequences. Sinning against the body and blood of the Lord, and bringing judgment upon yourself—of course we don’t want to do that! So it sounds like we’d better examine ourselves before taking communion, right?
Wait. Before we jump to any conclusions, let’s find out what Paul is really talking about. As always, context is our friend.
Corinthian Communion
Earlier in Paul’s letter, we see him chastising the Corinthians for their lack of unity. Apparently, they’re forming all kinds of cliques:
I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. (1 Cor. 11:18)
And these divisions are affecting the way the Lord’s Supper is celebrated:
When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? (1 Cor. 11:20–22)
Some were getting drunk. Others were showing up early and eating all the food. This can’t happen in churches today. Why not? For starters, most of us ingest the equivalent of one shot glass of wine (or juice!) at a communion service. Secondly, we eat a single cracker, wafer, or piece of bread. It’s just not possible to get drunk or be accused of gluttony when that’s all you get.
Two thousand years ago, things were different. The church in Corinth would gather regularly in someone’s home for a multicourse meal and the Lord’s Supper. They’d drink wine—real wine—and apparently some would even get drunk. Others would show up early and gorge themselves on the food, not leaving any for those who needed a warm meal the most—the poor. For them, a church gathering was a way to get nourished spiritually