Traditions And Customs

Alba 9-7-2025

TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS

I Corinthians 11:1-16

Last week I began my message saying that the church in Corinth had a lot of problems. That is the reason that the apostle Paul wrote to them, both to correct some things they were doing, and also to give some guidance as to how best to live the Christian life. But as we come to First Corinthians chapter eleven, I identify with what a minister named Russell Brownworth said about dealing with this text. Here is what he said:

“Paul is a very old and dear friend of mine; he is also a troublemaker! Before the days of my preaching every chapter, every verse, straight through a Bible book, I used to nimbly avoid the trouble traps Paul laid out. Today I am cornered! If I tell the truth about this passage some women will not like the truth and lynch me. If I skirt around the truth, the men who don’t understand (as well as those who do understand) will also probably lynch me. If I bail on the truth God will get me. What shall I do? Well, I am much more scared of God than any of you. And lynching only means I get to go home to Jesus…and look up that troublemaker, Paul!”

(From sermon: “Worship – Its All About Him” SermonCentral.com)

Well, its not all that bad, but there are things in this chapter that cause issues with people. Nevertheless, it is included in God's Word. And that means it is profitable to us for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction.

Yet, what does Paul mean by all this? What is this head covering that he insists women wear? What does her wearing it have to do with angels? And what is the deal with men’s and women’s hair length? And what does all of this have to do with us today?... Lets start at the beginning. In verses one and two, Paul says to the Corinthians, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you.” That raises a question about traditions.

Do Your Traditions Honor and Imitate the Lord?

Traditions can be good or bad. In Colossians 2:8 it warns, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” And in Matthew 15:2-3 Jesus was asked, “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread. He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?” So we are warned against the traditions made by men and not by God.

But God has given us direction in His Word and through the apostles. That should be our tradition. II Thessalonians 2:15 tells us, “Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.” So the spiritual traditions that the Lord has given us are not mere rituals, but are doctrines of faith and holiness. Here in First Corinthians chapter eleven Paul reminds us of the truth found in Genesis concerning creation and the biblical order of things. In verse three he says, “But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” Then in verses eight and nine it says, “For man is not from woman, but woman from man. Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man.”

There is a certain order or established authority ordained by God. Now, this order does not indicate inferiority. Rather, it reveals how the church is to operate. A woman isn’t inferior to a man anymore than Jesus, God the Son, is inferior to God the Father. Jesus is in no way inferior to God. He IS God! Rather, Jesus chose to follow the Father’s direction. Jesus, the Son, obeyed the Father to the point of death on a cross, which brought about our redemption! In the same way, women are in no way inferior to men. They bear the image of God just like men do! However, when a wife chooses to follow her husband’s direction, as he follows Christ’s direction, wonderful things happen! It’s the order God established in creation. And the tradition, or teaching, that is being referred to here includes what it says in verses eleven and twelve, “Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.” Paul reminds us that men and women need each other. There is a partnership as well as a headship in God’s creation. Both men and women are equal in God’s sight. But our behavior ought to reflect who we are as God created us. That is the tradition we are to keep.