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July 24 Daily Devotional

A Time for Self-examination

Peter G. Feenstra

But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 1 Corinthians 11:28

Bible Reading

1 Corinthians 11:23–29

Devotional

The Lord Jesus calls and invites His church to celebrate the Lord’s Supper until He returns. This invitation should not be taken lightly. The Lord’s Supper is holy and celebrates God’s undeserved favour to lost sinners. This is why the apostle Paul calls every church member to examine themselves to see whether they really understand the significance of this sacrament. An individual who approaches the table in a careless manner is guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord.

The Greek word for “examine” has the idea of testing, to see whether an object is genuine. For instance, the word was used in the testing of a coin to find out whether it was real or counterfeit. “Examine” also means “to put on trial.” We need to put ourselves on trial and cross-examine the motivations of our hearts. Are we acting as believers?

Paul calls the Corinthians to test their hearts to see whether they are celebrating the Lord’s Supper in the right manner. They are to remove all hindrances that keep them from a proper celebration. Notice the wording of verse 28, “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” Paul does not say, “Test yourself to see if you should go,” but, “Examine yourself and go.” We are instructed by Christ to come to the table well-prepared. If there is something which prevents us from coming we are to deal with it immediately. We may not approach the Lord’s Supper thoughtlessly or carelessly.

Putting yourself on trial makes you see more clearly the necessity of celebrating the Lord’s Supper. You will not stay away for reasons that cannot be justified before the Lord. Examine your life by going to the mirror of God’s Word. You should never come away from the mirror of God’s law satisfied with how you look. There is only one correct conclusion: “I am dead in sin and deserve condemnation. I need the Lord Jesus. The strength of my life is in His grace.”

Every celebration of the Lord’s Supper makes us realize anew that we are nothing and have nothing to offer, but we receive all things in Christ. Confessing our sins and knowing our Saviour, we can be sure that Jesus will feed our souls to everlasting life.

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