READ: 1 Corinthians 11:20-30
“For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself” – 1 Corinthians 11:29, NIV
In the New Testament, Paul explicitly stated that people were sick and dead because they did not discern the Lord’s Body. Paul gave the reason for disease and death in the church.
“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 [dead]” (1 Corinthians 11:29, 30).
To discern the Lord’s Body means to realize or discern that you are dealing with the Lord’s Body. All the sheep and little lambs are the Lord’s Body. They are the ones He died for on the cross.
If for instance, you knew that somebody’s finger was on the table, you would not strike it with a big hammer. You would not hit that finger because you know it is part of his body.
When you fail to realize that the church is Christ’s Body, you will get into trouble. Those sheep, those people, are the ones the Lord shed His blood for! They are His body! When you abandon them, it is like abandoning your mouth (a part of your body) by not brushing your teeth for months. You can imagine why the Lord gets mad at ministers who neglect His Body