Ye shall not surely die.

[Glaucus]

Note: You are reading this thread in The Ancient Way - Eastern Orthodox.

I was listening to a priest speak of his former Protestant days. He wanted something more, something deeper and genuine, and he always felt something was off and missing in Protestant churches. He began to ask himself, "Why do people go to church? When we can pray anywhere, worship anywhere, be amongst believers anywhere. So why do people go to church?" And then it dawned on him. The thing that was missing was the Eucharist, and that's why people go to church every week or every day of the week. For if the Eucharist is what Jesus says it is, his very Body and Blood, then of course people will want to go receive it.

And so as he continued he spoke of why communion is closed and the importance of not taking unworthily and profaning the Body and Blood of Christ.

And then suddenly I heard in my mind a sinister voice saying, "Ye shall not surely die."

And it dawned on me, that in a way the Eucharist is like the forbidden fruit. God said to not eat the forbidden fruit, for you will die. Adam and Eve ate of it anyways due to Satan's lies. Unlike the forbidden fruit, we are to consume the Eucharist, but we are not to take of it unworthily. And yet, regrettably, how many people do! So many people do. And they are dying spiritual deaths by doing so, for they profane the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's as if Satan never stopped urging people to take and eat, for, 'ye shall not surely die.'

 

[Antig]

I agree. We cannot, and must not, take the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ while in a state of sin.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Hmmmmmm. Interesting thought.

But surely true, that we must not partake unworthily.

(Though in the end, only God can makes us worthy, since we are unworthy in ourselves.)

 

[ArmyMatt]

yes, the Eucharist is the fruit of the Tree of Life.

 

[RaymondG]

I agree. We cannot, and must not, take the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ while in a state of sin.

So we must be sinless before taking...or just having not sinned around the time of taking it?

 

[truefiction1]

What happened to the one who came to the banquet not wearing the proper garment?

 

[ArmyMatt]

So we must be sinless before taking...or just having not sinned around the time of taking it?

we must be repenting, since that is what opens us to the Eucharist which is the only thing that makes us sinless. so, yes, only the sinless dare approach the chalice, but the chalice is the only thing that makes you sinless. trust God, approach the chalice repenting, and embrace the paradox.