All too often people are encouraged not to partake in the Lord’s Table if they have sin in their lives. The fact is that if they don’t think they have sin in their lives they should be excluded (1 John 1:8-10). Remember, the Lord’s Table is proclaiming the Lord’s death, not our self-righteousness (1 Cor 11:26).
When Scripture says we shouldn’t partake in an unworthy manner, it does not mean we should abstain if we’re dealing with sin and weakness—no one would ever take Communion if that were the meaning. Instead, these instructions require a person not to take the elements of the Lord’s Table if they have not submitted to the Lord.
Living in an unworthy manner refers to a heart and conduct that are unwilling to repent and are openly insubordinate to the Lordship of Christ. If you are battling sin and humbly seeking to bring every last lust under the truth, this is the fruit of God’s work in your life rather than a reason to not partake of the bread and the cup. As you battle to bring your life under the Lordship of Christ, the Lord’s Table is a means of grace to help you continue battling.
It is designed to remind you that Jesus is sufficient for your salvation, and His work on the cross has done everything necessary for you to be saved (John 19:30). If you are truly believing in Jesus, then the elements of the Lord’s Table are a reminder of the assurance of salvation that you have in Him as you battle to obey Him.
Adapted from Free to Be Holy: The Liberating Grace of Walking by Faith by Jerry Wragg and Paul Shirley
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