For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. — 1 CORINTHIANS 11:29–30

Paul is inferring that there shouldn’t be any physically weak or sickly among the Church of Jesus Christ. There shouldn’t be any who die prematurely. He indicates that many people are weak and sickly because they aren’t rightly discerning the body. This observation has a twofold application.

First, Paul is talking about the Lord’s Supper. The broken bread represents Jesus’ broken body that was broken for your physical sustenance. You can partake of that broken body just as a routine ceremony, and it won’t mean a thing in the world to you; it will just be a ritual. Or when you hold that piece of broken bread in your hand, you can say, “Thank God, the body of Jesus was broken for my physical sustenance. His blood was shed for the remission of my sins. I’m eating the bread as a sign, as evidence, that I’m partaking of His broken body and, therefore, I’m healed. With His stripes, I am healed. I no longer have sickness or disease.” When you do this, you are discerning the Lord’s body.

There is another spiritual aspect to this scripture, which is that the Body of Christ is one. The spiritual Body in the earth today is one, and you must walk in love toward your fellow Christians. If you don’t discern the Body of Christ and walk in love toward your fellow Christians, you’ll open the door to sickness and disease.

Confession: I will walk in love toward all Christians. I’ll honor and reverence all Christians. I may not always agree with all Christians, but I’ll not be disagreeable.