1 Corinthians 11:29-34

Scripture: 1 Cor. 11:29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

1 Cor. 11:30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 

1 Cor. 11:31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.

1 Cor. 11:32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

1 Cor. 11:33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another—

1 Cor. 11:34 if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.

Teaching: After instructing the Corinthians to approach the Lord’s Supper with a right heart and proper, reverent attitude towards the Lord (not as a debaucherous feast), Paul offers a word of warning as to what can happen if they ignore his counsel on this subject — they may well be disciplined, both individually and corporately as a church body. 

When in verse 29 Paul says that anyone who “eats and drinks without discerning the body”, he means those who fail to identify and root out errant practices in the Lord’s Supper. Those who fail to hold the church to proper practices in the Lord’s Supper then “eat and drink judgement on himself.” What’s more, in verse 30, Paul states that this is the reason that many of the Corinthians have been weak, ill, and even died. This is earthly judgement from the Lord, meant to discipline and call individuals and groups to repentance. We see in the Old Testament God bringing severe discipline upon Israel for the purpose of bringing them to repentance; it is noteworthy that He is still willing to do the same for believers in the Church. 

So, in verses 31-32, Paul expands on this idea, saying that if we, as believers, judge our own hearts rightly — by God’s standards — then we would not then be judged/disciplined by Him. But when we are judged by the Lord, it is for our good, making us more holy, more like Christ, and less like the world. 

Finally, in verses 33-34, Paul summarizes his points, saying that the church should observe the Lord’s Supper in unity and reverence to the Lord. If you’re hungry, eat a meal at home. The Lord’s Supper is not about the meal, so as to become full, but rather the message of what Christ has done and will do in the near future. 

Takeaway: God wants to call us to repentance, and He is not limited in his approaches to do so.  We hear many today, especially those who hold to free will salvation, that “God is a gentleman, He will not force us to do anything.” While there may be some level of truth to that, that is a gross oversimplification. The truth is that God is not nearly as concerned with our comfort as He is our holiness. To believe that God will not bring calamity or affliction to us is out of line with His character — that belief elevates our own comfort as God’s priority, and drifts into false prosperity gospel territory. No, God is faithful to us, but He intends for His plans to prosper for us, not our own. It is a pernicious thing to doubt God’s capacity and willingness to bring discipline to the believer for the sake of making him more like Christ. It yields cultural, complacent, and country club Christians who view Christ as their buddy, good luck charm, or fire insurance. That is not the belief of a believer. When God brings discipline, the correct response is the cling to Christ, and thus, gain in your understanding and faith in Him. Paul teaches that here to the Corinthians, that their own disobedience was bringing real world affliction to their church. They, like us, should instead judge themselves truly, so that they might not be judged, and view discipline as a grace not a curse.