Has Communion become a ritual? Do we approach the table with a sober mind? What does it mean not to take communion “unworthily?”
Communion is one of the most sacred practices in the Christian faith—a time when believers come together to remember Christ’s sacrifice and to reflect on their relationship with God and with each other. But have you ever stopped to consider what it really means to approach the Lord’s Table? It’s not just a routine or ritual; it’s a deeply spiritual act that carries significant weight. In fact, the Bible warns that taking communion in an “unworthy” manner can have serious consequences, both spiritually and physically. In this post, we’ll explore what the scriptures say about approaching communion with the right heart and why it’s so important to do so.
The Division at Hillside
Hillside Baptist Church was always buzzing with life, where folks felt like family, sharing their joys and sorrows every Sunday. But, you know, every family has its problems, and Hillside was no exception. Beneath the hymns and hallelujahs, a storm was brewing. A deacon named Carl, who’d been around longer than most, was at the center of it all. He didn’t like where things were heading—the new worship songs, the focus on outreach programs—it didn’t sit right with him. Carl believed the pastor was leading the flock astray, and he wasn’t about to sit back and watch.
So, Carl did what he thought was right. He started having folks over to his house—not for fellowship, but to air grievances. These gatherings weren’t about finding solutions but fanning the flames of discontent. What started as small gripes soon became full-blown gossip and bitterness sessions. And, just like that, a rift began to form in the church.
Carl’s group still showed up every Sunday and still took part in communion as if nothing was wrong. But anyone with eyes could see the tension thickening. Bless his heart, the pastor knew something was off, but he didn’t know just how deep the division ran. He’d preach unity and the importance of coming to the Lord’s Table with a clean heart, quoting 1 Corinthians 11:29 like a man trying to steer a ship through a storm. But Carl wasn’t listening. His mind was made up. He was right, the pastor was wrong, and that was that.
The Warning Ignored
Communion Sunday rolled around, and it was the same routine—bread, wine, and the pastor’s usual reminder: “Examine yourselves.” But Carl, oh, Carl was set in his ways. He and his group took the bread and wine without a second thought, pride and bitterness churning just beneath the surface. They weren’t about to let a little thing like self-examination get in the way of their cause. They were convinced they were doing God’s work, defending the church’s true values.
As the weeks passed, the tension in Hillside Baptist grew. Services that were once filled with joy felt more like battlegrounds. The congregation was splitting into factions, whispers turning into open disagreements. And then, something strange began to happen. Members of Carl’s group started falling ill—ailments the doctors couldn’t explain. One woman, always at the center of the gossip sessions, suddenly found herself bedridden. Carl himself wasn’t sleeping, plagued by anxiety that gnawed at him day and night. But, stubborn as he was, Carl refused to see the connection.
The pastor, meanwhile, was feeling the weight of it all. He spent long hours in prayer, his heart heavy with the burden of a church he loved that seemed to be tearing itself apart. His sermons, once vibrant and full of hope, began to carry an edge of desperation. He was fighting to hold the church together, but it was like trying to catch water with his bare hands.
The Final Blow
One Sunday, Carl didn’t show up. The news spread quickly—he’d died in his sleep, a massive heart attack, they said. The shock of it hung over the church like a dark cloud. His group was stunned. Carl had been their leader, the one who’d spoken so confidently about the church’s future, and now he was gone.
The pastor, with a heavy heart, called the congregation together. He didn’t mince words, reading from 1 Corinthians 11:30, reminding them, “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” It was a solemn warning that God’s judgment shouldn’t be taken lightly. But even in death, Carl’s influence lingered. Instead of bringing the church back together, his passing only deepened the division. Some of his followers grew even more bitter, blaming the pastor for everything that had gone wrong.
The warmth that had once filled Hillside Baptist was replaced by a coldness that couldn’t be shaken. Attendance started to drop, and the church that had once been a beacon of hope and community began to wither. The love that had bound them together was now overshadowed by suspicion and resentment.
The Lesson Left Behind
This isn’t a story with a happy ending. It’s a hard lesson about the dangers of pride, division, and taking communion with an unrepentant heart. The tale of Carl and Hillside Baptist serves as a stark reminder that when we let sin take root—especially when it disrupts the unity of the church—the consequences can be devastating. Illness, death, and spiritual decline aren’t just metaphors here; they’re the real-life fallout of turning away from God’s call to reconcile and love one another. And once that love is gone, sometimes it’s gone for good.
Understanding the Seriousness of Taking Communion Unworthily: An Informal Reflection
So, after reading the story about Carl and the events at Hillside Baptist Church, you might be wondering: Is this really something that could happen? While the story itself is fiction, the ideas it presents are actually rooted in solid biblical truth. The Bible doesn’t shy away from talking about how important it is to approach the Lord’s Supper—communion—with the right heart and attitude. Let’s dive into what it means to take communion in an “unworthy” way and what the consequences might be if we don’t take it seriously.
What Does It Mean to Take Communion Unworthily?
Taking communion unworthily isn’t just about the obvious stuff like blatant sin; it’s more about what’s going on in your heart and how you approach this sacred moment. Here’s what to watch out for:
- Unresolved Conflict: You know how it feels when you’ve got tension with someone—it’s awkward, and it just eats at you. Jesus actually tells us in Matthew 5:23-24 that if you’re at odds with someone, you should go make things right before you come to worship. If you’re holding onto bitterness or anger, especially toward a fellow believer, and then you go ahead and take communion like nothing’s wrong, that’s a problem.
- Lack of Self-Examination: Paul, in 1 Corinthians 11:28, talks about the need to examine yourself before you take communion. This isn’t just about glancing over your life and thinking, “I’m good.” It’s about really taking a hard look at where you’ve messed up, confessing those things to God, and making sure your heart’s in the right place.
- Irreverence: Communion is a big deal—it’s not just a little snack during church. The Corinthians got in trouble because they were treating it like just another meal (1 Corinthians 11:20-22). If you’re going through the motions without really thinking about what it represents—Christ’s sacrifice—then you’re not giving it the respect it deserves.
- Disregard for the Lord’s Body: Communion isn’t just a personal thing; it’s also about recognizing the church as the body of Christ. Paul warns against not “discerning the Lord’s body” (1 Corinthians 11:29), which could mean not appreciating what the bread symbolizes or not caring about the unity of the church. Either way, it’s missing the point.
- Pride and Self-Righteousness: Have you ever noticed how easy it is to think you’re better than others? Yeah, that’s not the attitude to bring to communion. Jesus told a story in Luke 18:9-14 about a Pharisee who thought he was all that and a bag of chips, but it was the humble tax collector who got it right. When you take communion, you should be aware of your own need for grace, not puffed up with pride.
The Consequences of Taking Communion Unworthily
The Bible doesn’t sugarcoat it—taking communion in an unworthy manner can lead to some serious consequences. Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 11:29-30 are pretty direct: “For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” That’s heavy, but it’s there for a reason.
- Physical Consequences: Paul wasn’t kidding when he said some people were getting sick or even dying because they weren’t taking communion seriously. It might sound extreme, but it’s a reminder that God doesn’t mess around when it comes to the sacredness of communion.
- Spiritual Decline: Beyond physical issues, taking communion without the right heart can mess with your spiritual life. It can create division, weaken your faith, and even harm the unity that communion is supposed to represent in the church.
- God’s Judgment: Remember Ananias and Sapphira from Acts 5:1-11? They lied to the Holy Spirit and dropped dead on the spot. While that wasn’t about communion specifically, it shows how seriously God takes honesty and reverence. When you approach sacred things like communion with a flippant attitude, you’re risking God’s judgment.
Conclusion: Approaching Communion with Reverence and Humility
At the end of the day, communion isn’t just another part of the service—it’s a chance to really connect with Christ and remember what He’s done for us. It’s also a time to affirm our unity with each other as His body, the church. The story of Carl at Hillside Baptist Church might be fictional, but it’s a good wake-up call about how real and serious this all is.
So, next time you’re about to take communion, take a moment. Check your heart. Are there any unresolved conflicts you need to deal with? Are you approaching the Lord’s Table with the respect it deserves? Remember, this is a holy moment, and it deserves to be treated that way. When we take communion with the right attitude—humbly, with reverence, and in full recognition of Christ’s sacrifice—we not only honor God, but we also strengthen our faith and the unity of our church community.
Let’s make sure we always come to the Lord’s Table in a worthy manner, fully aware of the grace we’ve received and the unity we share in Christ.
