Paul said that eating the Lord's flesh and blood in an unworthy manner results in being sick. What is this sickness? I believe it's spiritual illness like spiritual blindness and uncircumcised ears and hearts.
1 Corinthians 11:30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.
Ephesians 5:14 Therefore He says:
“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”
Note that he doesn't quite say "you will get sick", but rather indicates that the ways in which the Corinthians had been abusing the Holy Gift of Christ's Supper is why "many among you have fallen ill and some have even died."
Paul doesn't give us further information than this. But clearly Paul saw a connection between the ways in which the Corinthians had abused the Table of the Lord with certain sorrows which had befallen some in their number. And this does give us dire warning that we should respect and regard the Holy Table of our Lord Jesus Christ with true reverence and respect.
Consider the ways in which the Corinthians had been disrespecting and abusing the Lord's Supper. Fortunately, in virtually any church today, that kind of scenario is incredibly unlikely; because we have created an orderliness to receiving the Table. For most Christians, we come up and approach the Altar, where we receive the Bread and Cup; in some churches these holy elements are distributed while the Faithful remain in their seats. This makes the kind of abuse we read about happening in Corinth unlikely; and we can imagine that this kind of abuse may very well be why the Church began to celebrate the Eucharist in the way we are now more familiar with in the first place.
Now, this does not mean that we are immune to disrespecting the Holy Supper, for the Apostle still says whoever does not discern the body of Christ in the Supper is guilty against the body and blood of the Lord. The Supper is Holy, and is to be treated with full reverence and respect. For here Christ our God gives Himself, His own flesh and blood, to us and for us.
And if we are not honoring the body and blood of the Lord in His Supper, this remains a charge against us, for which we ought repent.
But, recall that God has also said, "Do I delight in the death of the wicked? says the Lord God, do I not rather that he repent and live?" We should not think that God is in the business of smiting--He is the Long-Suffering God of Mercy. His desire, even should we sin in spectacularly horrible ways, is that we confess our sin, repent, and come again to the Seat of Mercy in Christ Jesus our Lord. He remains, ever and always, a Loving Father who desires the return of the Prodigal. Christ is always and ever the Good Shepherd who pursues the lost lamb, even leaving the 99 to search over rocks and crags to rescue and retrieve us. Put more faith in God's love and mercy, trust in He who offered Himself and gave Himself fr us through the sufferings of His cross.
By which we may come boldly before the throne of HIs grace.
So take seriously what it means to sin against the body and blood of Christ by disrespecting the Supper--hold the Supper with due respect and reverence. But remember always the loving compassion of God who would rather endure the pain of suffering to save you, weak and weary sinner, than to see you lost; and so His call to repentance is for your enjoyment of Him and the bounty of His grace which is freely given to you. Respect and honor the Supper, not out of fear of judgment; but with joy for Christ your Lord gives Himself for you, for here is grace and mercy, life and abundance: the body and blood of Jesus Christ Himself, for you. Take and eat, take and drink, give thanks to God for His amazing grace.
-CryptoLutheran
