Believers or Unbelievers? | 1 Corinthians 11:27

Section One

Introduction

1.1 Corinthian Problems. Paul explained that the Corinthians had many problems in their spiritual lives. In 1 Corinthians 11, he discussed the Corinthians’ problems with the Lord’s Supper.

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Particularly, in 1 Corinthians 11:27 ¹God provided: Ὥστε ὃς ἂν ἐσθίῃ τὸν ἄρτον ἢ πίνῃ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦ κυρίου ἀναξίως, ἔνοχος ἔσται τοῦ σώματος καὶ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ κυρίου. (1 Corinthians 11:27). Paul touched upon the problem of some people eating the bread and drinking the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner. I wanted to know if God meant that true born-again believers could be guilty of the body and blood of Christ, or was Paul directing this verse to unbelievers in the congregation at Corinth partaking of the Lord’s Supper. Therefore, this short note summarizes some evidence about believers and unbelievers partaking of the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner.

Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 11:27

Section Two

Divisions at Corinth

2.1 Eating Divisions. The Church at Corinth experienced many problems with partaking of the Lord’s Supper. They were full of divisions (1 Corinthians 11:17). Paul explained the nature of those divisions,. First, Paul noted that when the Corinthians came together, it was not to eat the Lord’s supper (1 Corinthians 11:20). In fact, one faction takes it supper first (1 Corinthians 11: 21). Another faction is hungry (1 Corinthians 11: 21). Yet, another faction is drunk (1 Corinthians 11: 21). Therefore, Paul discerned at least three factions at Corinth when they came together to partake of the Lord’s Supper.

2.2  Shaming Others. Part of the divisions at Corinth stemmed from money. Some people at Corinth had houses to live in (1 Corinthians 11: 22). Apparently, another group did not have a house to live in. When the people with their own houses abused the Lord’s Supper, then they despised the Church of God and shamed those who have nothing (1 Corinthians 11:22). Therefore, the text shows that some people at Corinth despised the Church of God and shamed those who have nothing. Paul did not praise them for such behavior (1 Corinthians 11:22). Therefore, we must learn more about what it means to be guilty in the New Testament.

Section Three

New Testament Usage of “Guilty”

3.1 Judicial Context.  The term “guilty” (“ἔνοχος”) occurs several times in the New Testament. Frequently “guilty” means guilty of something in a judicial context. We may review those verses using the term “guilty” (“ἔνοχος”) to learn the New Testament meaning of guilty (“ἔνοχος”).

3.2 Murder, Orgic Anger, Good for Nothing, Fool. People who commit murder shall be guilty to the court (Matthew 5:21). ²God provided: Ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐρρέθη τοῖς ἀρχαίοις· Οὐ φονεύσεις· ὃς δ’ ἂν φονεύσῃ, ἔνοχος ἔσται τῇ κρίσει (Matthew 5:211). Notice the judicial guilt involved here. Likewise,  whoever displays orgic anger towards his brother shall be guilty to the court (Matthew 5:22). ³God provided: ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ὀργιζόμενος τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ ἔνοχος ἔσται τῇ κρίσει· ὃς δ’ ἂν εἴπῃ τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ· Ῥακά, ἔνοχος ἔσται τῷ συνεδρίῳ· ὃς δ’ ἂν εἴπῃ· Μωρέ, ἔνοχος ἔσται εἰς τὴν γέενναν τοῦ πυρός (Matthew 5:22). For more information about the angers of God, see https://christassembly.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/071123.ANGER_.pdf Likewise, anyone calling someone good for nothing (“Ῥακά”) shall be guilty (“ἔνοχος”) before the Sanhedrin (Matthew 5:22). Finally, whoever calls someone a fool (“Μωρέ”) will be guilty (“ἔνοχος”) into the hell (“geennan”) of the fire (Matthew 5:22). Again, the term “guilty” applied to religious court proceedings and eternal proceedings.

3.2 High Priest and the Crowd. After the High Priest of Israel talked with Jesus, and he heard Jesus declare His divinity and majesty, he asked the crowd what they thought. The crowd then judged-down Jesus and declared Him guilty of death (Mark 14:64; see also Matthew 26:66). ⁴God provided: ἠκούσατε τῆς βλασφημίας· τί ὑμῖν φαίνεται; οἱ δὲ πάντες κατέκριναν αὐτὸν ἔνοχον εἶναι θανάτου. Mark 14:64. Some New Testament manuscripts do not contain the words  “worthy to be.” Again the term guilty was used in a judicial context.

3.3 The Holy Spirit. Jesus explained that everyone blaspheming into the Holy Spirit not has forgiveness of sins into the age, but “guilty” (“ἔνοχος”) is of age sin (Mark 3:29). ⁵God provided: ὃς δ’ ἂν βλασφημήσῃ εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, οὐκ ἔχει ἄφεσιν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ἀλλὰ ἔνοχός ἐστιν αἰωνίου ἁμαρτήματος (Mark 3:29). See  https://christassembly.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/071821.2.AGES_.PUBLISHED.pdf for more information about “ages” in the New Testament. Therefore, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit renders a person guilty of age sin which bears consequences apparent now and at the end of the present age.

3.4 Guilties to Slavery. God described some people as subject to slavery, because of their fear of death all of the life. The term guilties (“ἔνοχοι”–following Hebrew thinking, they were a group of people labeled “guilties”) involved slavery to fear of death (Hebrews 2:15). ⁶God provided: καὶ ἀπαλλάξῃ τούτους, ὅσοι φόβῳ θανάτου διὰ παντὸς τοῦ ζῆν ἔνοχοι ἦσαν δουλείας (Hebrews 2:15). God meant that the devil held the power of death over many people. Jesus Christ came to destroy satan’s power of holding the fear of death over people. Jesus  came to earth to free people from slavery to sin. God revealed that people in living in the fear of death were also “guilties” of slavery. God meant that each person held by the fear of death were individually guilty of slavery. Also, the entire group fearing death were guilty of slavery. Therefore, God used the plural for guilty to describe the guilt of each individual and also the guilt of the entire group for living in the fear of death, caused by their lack of faith Jesus Christ to cast out all fear of death.

3.5 Guilty of All the Law. God revealed to James that whoever keeps the entire Law, but stumbles in one point, has become guilty (“ἔνοχος”)  of all the Law. ⁷God provided: ὅστις γὰρ ὅλον τὸν νόμον τηρήσῃ, πταίσῃ δὲ ἐν ἑνί, γέγονεν πάντων ἔνοχος (James 2:10). Therefore, just one fault under the Law results in guilt for disobeying all the Law.

Section Four

Salvation by Body and Blood of Jesus

4.1 Bread and Body.  The context of 1 Corinthians 11:27 helps us understand God’s revelation about the Lord’s Supper. In 1 Corinthians 11:27, God revealed that some people eat the bread and drink the wine of the Lord’s Supper in an “unworthy manner” (“ἀναξίως“). ⁸God provided: “Ὥστε ὃς ἂν ἐσθίῃ τὸν ἄρτον ἢ πίνῃ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦ κυρίου ἀναξίως, ἔνοχος ἔσται τοῦ σώματος καὶ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ κυρίου (1 Corinthians 11:27). This word (“ἀναξίως“) as well only occurs here in the New Testament. Furthermore, Paul used the term “whoever,” describing a wide audience of believers and unbelievers. Likewise, Paul also used the term “man” (“ἄνθρωπος “–a broad term including believers and unbelievers) to describe the person who must examine himself. Therefore, from the use of those specific terms we may understand that Paul was referring to believers and unbelievers in this passage.

4.2 Blood Justification. Paul explained in Romans the means of justification by faith alone. He stated that “having been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath to come” (Romans 5:9). ⁹God provided: “πολλῷ οὖν μᾶλλον δικαιωθέντες νῦν ἐν τῷ αἵματι αὐτοῦ σωθησόμεθα δι’ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς (Romans 5:9). Therefore, we know that blood forms the basis for justification (declared righteous by faith). So, because the blood of Jesus provides the basis for justification, how should we understand someone being guilty of the blood of Jesus by partaking of the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner? Please recall that God imposes guilt in the judicial context. In Romans, Paul explained that the judicial finding was that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).” ¹⁰God provided: πάντες γὰρ ἥμαρτον καὶ ὑστεροῦνται τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ (Romans 3:23). Moreover, true believers sin after salvation (1 John 1:6-10). Therefore, we know that true believers continue to sin after we have been declared righteous by God (1 John 1:7-10).

4.3 Passed Out of Judgment. Jesus explained that “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” ¹¹God provided:Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ὁ τὸν λόγον μου ἀκούων καὶ πιστεύων τῷ πέμψαντί με ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον καὶ εἰς κρίσιν οὐκ ἔρχεται, ἀλλὰ μεταβέβηκεν ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς τὴν ζωήν. Therefore, we know that even though true believers continue to sin, we have eternal life and we do not come into judgment, but have passed out of death into life. In other words, we will never stand before the Great White Throne for judgment regarding salvation (Revelation 20:11-15), because we will not come into judgment for the purpose of salvation (John 5:24). True believers will stand before the judgment seat of Christ for the purpose of rewards based upon their works for Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:10-15; 2 Corinthians 5:6-10). For the purpose of rewards for the true believer, God will test the believer’s works with fire to see if they survive the flames. Even if all their works are burned up, each believer will be with Jesus for eternity (1 Corinthians 3:15). God also promised no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Therefore, we know that believers have nothing to fear from the judgment of God because we have been declared righteous by faith. Likewise, we will never enter into judgment for salvation because that  was settled on earth during our lifetimes by faith in Jesus as Savior.

Section Five
Conclusion

5.1 Believers and Unbelievers. Based upon the evidence above, Corinth had believers and unbelievers attending the Lord’s Supper. Various factions of rich and poor, believers and unbelievers, and others all gathered for the Lord’s Supper. Therefore, because believers have been freed by the blood Jesus from the guilt of His death, it seems likely the “guilties” did not include believers. Yet, the command to judge yourselves included both believers and believers. Please recall that God imposes discipline (not judgment) upon believers in the form of sickness, injury and death. In contrast, the wrath of God abides upon unbelievers and they remain “guilties” of the body and blood of Jesus our Lord (John 3:36; Nahum 1:3).

HALLELUJAH !