anglican devotional

The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 6 September 2023 – Keep The Christian Tradition

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TOPIC – Keep The Christian Tradition

READ: 1 Corinthians 11:1-17 (NKJV)

  1. Imitate me, just as I also [imitate] Christ.
  2. Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered [them] to you.
  3. 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.
  4. Every man praying or prophesying, having [his] head covered, dishonors his head.
  5. But every woman who prays or prophesies with [her] head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.
  6. For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered.
  7. For a man indeed ought not to cover [his] head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.
  8. For man is not from woman, but woman from man.
  9. Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man.
  10. For this reason the woman ought to have [a symbol of] authority on [her] head, because of the angels.
  11. Nevertheless, neither [is] man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord.
  12. For as woman [came] from man, even so man also [comes] through woman; but all things are from God.
  13. Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?
  14. Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?
  15. But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for [her] hair is given to her for a covering.
  16. But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor [do] the churches of God.
  17. Now in giving these instructions I do not praise [you,] since you come together not for the better but for the worse.

THE MESSAGE:

Apostle Paul in our text called the attention of the Church in Corinth to the tradition in those days for women to cover their heads, and men to keep their heads uncovered. Ordinances, teachings or instructions are not necessarily direct teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ but reasonable instructions from inspired mind that could guide public worship to make it acceptable to God. In this case, the Apostle established that Husbands are the head and as such when women in worship covers their head they honour this authority of God over them. The issue is that men and women should present themselves in a way that honours God when they are worshiping God and must never be a distraction to the congregation.

In our generation, many believers handled age-long Christian traditions with levity, trying to explain it away to satisfy their pleasures. Genuine believers must never allow civilised and enlightened mind to darken the inspiration of the word of God. Christian traditions are to guide and guard our faith so as not lose focus of Christ. Christ must always be honoured. Churches that degrade this honour in the pretense of new understanding will gradually be on the pathway of destruction.

FOOD FOT THOUGHT: Christ honor must always be the focus of our comportment at all times