I CORINTHIANS: 11: 24-30 KJV
"And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, ‘Take, eat: this is my body which is broken for you: this do in rememberance of me’. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, ‘This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as often as ye drink it, in rememberance of me’. For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death, till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord ‘unworthily’, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 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."
The Apostle Paul’s teachings, the lessons he delivers to us as Christians, come directly from Christ Jesus, who taught and instructed Paul personally. Paul was chosen by Jesus to teach to all as Christians the harder tougher lessons that we need to know and follow, inorder to become true followers of Christ Jesus, true "Christians". The apostle Paul gives us a very strong teaching and warning here.
It is imperative for everyone who partakes in receiving Communion, the body and blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to examine their consciences. It is imperative that we first before receiving communion, not just ask Jesus to forgive us our sins, but more importantly: If we have sinned against brother or sister, mother or father, friends, relatives, or even our enemies, we ask their forgiveness and repent.
Failure to do this, Paul tells us, we are "Unworthy", and therefore we are guilty of having desicrated the body and blood of Jesus. Paul goes on to tell us that to do this brings damnation to ourselves. I cannot tress powerfully enough the importance of asking forgiveness and repentance, before receiving Our Lord Jesus Christ in Communion. I know that damnation is not something any Christian would look forward to, but often without thinking, we risk it if we approach the altar still with sin.
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