The apostle Paul declared that when believers come to the Eucharist, they must properly discern the body of the Lord in the bread and cup, lest they bring judgment upon themselves.
Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself (1 Corinthians 11:27-29).
There is probably nothing more contentious than the words in Jesus when he established the Eucharist: “This is my body” (Mt 26:26). In John’s gospel, Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53 ESV). Many people found Jesus’ teaching on the Eucharist offensive (cf. John 6:60-66).
For more than 1500 years, Christians throughout the world believed that to receive the Eucharist was to receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ. It was not until the Protestant Reformation that this belief was seriously challenged. Furthermore, there was not unanimity within Protestantism. Although Protestants reject transubstantiation, many Protestants confess a real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
In the fourth century, the Donatists of Carthage insisted in the purity of the person presiding over the Eucharist. They declared that any priest who had denounced Christ during the recent persecutions – the traditores – was disqualified to provide over the Eucharist. Augustine rejected that position and declared that any priest properly ordained in apostolic succession could administer the Eucharist. In Augustine’s view, and the majority of the ancient church, the validity of the Eucharist is not in the integrity of the priest; rather, the validity of the Eucharist is in the integrity of Jesus Christ whom the Eucharist represents.
Those Christian traditions that practice closed communion, that is, the Eucharist may be received only by those who are baptized and members of a local congregation, have taken upon themselves the responsibility to judge the recipients of the Eucharist.
Those Christian traditions that practice open communion, that is, the Eucharist may be received by anyone, now find themselves questioning that tradition for fear that participation in the Eucharist by those living in open sin affirms sinfulness.
It seems to me that the real question for those coming to the altar to receive the Eucharist is “What do you believe about Jesus Christ?” Paul insisted that those who receive the bread and cup must rightly discern the body of the Lord in the Eucharist lest the Eucharist becomes a meal that judges them. My point is this – by participating in the Eucharist, we submit ourselves to the judgment of Jesus Christ. When properly discerned the Lord’s Supper is “the medicine of immortality” – the antidote to sin and death – the meal that nourishes us unto eternal life. If we don’t properly discern the Lord in the Eucharist, or if we observe the Eucharist in an unworthy manner, the Eucharist becomes a meal of judgment. Jesus the Savior becomes Jesus the judge and Holy Communion becomes the meal that leads to eternal condemnation. If we dishonor the Eucharist in anyway, we dishonor the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
The mockery of the Christian faith has a long history. In recent years we’ve witnessed the artist Andres Serrano photograph a Crucifix submerged in urine. This so-called work of art was entitled “Piss Christ” (1987). In 2013, a professor at Florida State University encouraged students to write the name “Jesus” in large letters on a piece of paper and then throw it to the floor and stomp on it. Recently, at the opening of the Paris Olympics, drag queens presented a parody of the Eucharist.
The preacher of Hebrews warned,
How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? (Hebrews 10:29 ESV).
Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty and from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. Jesus as savior opens his arms to embrace all penitent sinners. Jesus the judge will make war with all who resist God’s grace (Revelation 19:11).
