Dr. Couch, how do you take 1 Corinthians 11 where Paul speaks about
“examining yourself” and the issue of eating and drinking judgment on
oneself?
ANSWER: This is the section where Paul gives forth the guidelines on the Lord’s
Supper. We all use Paul’s words, and this passage, as a reminder not to
come to the communion table while walking about in sin. However, while
there may be nothing wrong with that, the context of his statements
really should be confined to the issue at hand. Many in the Corinthian
congregation were coming to the table simply for a meal, and some were
getting drunk. They were partaking in an “unworthy manner” (v. 27) and
not remembering (v. 24) Christ’s sacrifice for their sins. I don’t see
this same kind of behavior or problem in our churches today.
Two words are important in this section: “examine” yourselves (v. 28)
and “judge” yourselves (v. 29) about the issue. Loss of salvation is
not in the works here but God could take some of these believers home
for so defiling the picture set forth in the communion table of why
Christ died on the cross—to save us from our sins. Therefore the apostle
writes: “Many are weak (sick, asthenia), some are sick (better,
arrostos, physically weak), and a number die, i.e. fall asleep.”
We forget that the early church believers were
coming out of raw paganism and many did not fully appreciate the great
spiritual happening that took place with their salvation.
They were
arrogant, fool-hearty, still very immoral. While this entire passage and
its lesson is sobering, we do not have going on today in our churches
what was happening in those days. The word “examine” is in the Greek
dokimazo and it is in the present tense. Paul is saying “be constantly
examining or judging” what you are doing about this matter!
God is using Paul’s words here to reign in the
churches who were still moving forward in understanding Christianity
and what it was all about to live out one’s faith in a very personal
way.
Thanks for asking!
Dr. Mal Couch
