Who may take the Lord's Supper?
The Lord's Supper is for those who belong to Jesus and come in faith: believers who examine themselves and discern the Lord's body. It does not require perfection, but it does require confession, since Paul warns against taking it in an unworthy manner. The table is for the church, the body of Christ, and its participants are called to come with humility, repentance, and love for the brothers.
This question arose from studying What is the Lord's Supper? and What is the difference between baptism and the Lord's Supper?.
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What the Scripture says
It is for believers, not the world
The Supper belongs to those who are in Christ. Jesus gave it to His disciples, and in Acts it is those who 'gladly received his word' and were baptized who 'continued in the breaking of bread.' Paul's warnings assume those at the table are part of the Christian community, and he calls on them to 'discern the Lord's body.' The table is not a general meal for anyone present; it is the communion of the church with its Lord.
As they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it. He gave to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls. They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.
For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he doesn’t discern the Lord’s body.
Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,
It does not require perfection, but it requires examination
Paul's instruction is not that only the sinless come but that each one come examining: 'Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.' He adds, 'For if we discerned ourselves, we wouldn't be judged.' The table is for repentant sinners, not the self-righteous, and the examination is the honest bringing of ourselves, confessing our sin and trusting the body broken for us. It calls for preparation of heart, not manufactured sinlessness.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.
For if we discerned ourselves, we wouldn’t be judged.
Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.
Taking it unworthily is a warning, not a bar
Paul warns: 'whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord's cup in a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord,' and that those who eat and drink in an unworthy way 'eat and drink judgment to themselves.' He even says some among them were weak and sick because of it. The warning is real, and it points to the answer: come examining, discerning the body, turning from sin. It is a call to worthy participation, not an excuse to stay away because you are imperfect.
Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he doesn’t discern the Lord’s body.
For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.
It is for the body of Christ, in unity and love
The Supper is shared by the one body: 'Because there is one loaf of bread, we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf of bread.' Paul rebukes the Corinthians for dividing at the table, which is not to 'discern the Lord's body.' And he warns against mixing the table with idolatry: 'You can't both drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons.' Those who come are those who belong to the one Lord and, for His sake, to one another.
Because there is one loaf of bread, we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf of bread.
For first of all, when you come together in the assembly, I hear that divisions exist among you, and I partly believe it.
You can’t both drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You can’t both partake of the table of the Lord, and of the table of demons.
Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.
Who then should come
Come if you are trusting in Christ and belong to His church: examine yourself, confess any sin, receive the bread and cup in faith, 'proclaiming the Lord's death until he comes.' Come in love for the brothers, in forgiveness toward any who have wronged you, and in dependence on the One whose body was broken and blood poured out for you. Paul's closing word for the assembly is grace: the table is the place where forgiven sinners meet their Lord and are strengthened for the road ahead.
For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.
Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest your coming together be for judgment. The rest I will set in order whenever I come.
As they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it. He gave to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, “All of you drink it, for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.
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Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he doesn’t discern the Lord’s body.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.
The cup of blessing which we bless, isn’t it a sharing of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, isn’t it a sharing of the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf of bread, we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf of bread.
As they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it. He gave to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”
For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
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