Despite the difficulties of interpretation, there are many principles we can take from this passage with confidence, and follow in appropriate ways today.

(1) Do everything for the glory of God

…whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.

(1 Corinthians 10:31)

This is a good example of how a principle derived from one situation has application in others, and this is the difference between a rule and a principle. “Love your neighbour as yourself” is a principle which has the widest of individual applications. We can develop these into rules such as “I only buy bananas if they are fair trade” or “I make it a rule always to drive slowly when reversing the car”. But basically under the New Covenant we aim not to be rule-based, since we then risk feeling pleased with ourselves if we have kept all the rules! “…whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God” is a principle, like “love your neighbour” and we can never claim to have fully carried it out. It therefore gives us high standards to aim for, but encourages humility in realising our limitation and our need to rely on God’s grace.

(2) Give no offence

Give no offence to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God.

(1 Corinthians 10:32)

We should not needlessly cause distress or upset to other people. And we should be especially careful in case by our behaviour we cause others to lose faith or to be driven away from the Gospel. But that is not to say we should not stand up for our beliefs, and for the values taught in the Bible. If, in doing so, some are disturbed, that is unfortunate, but at times necessary.

(3) Don’t seek personal advantage

I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage.

(1 Corinthians 10:33, NRSV)

“You can’t please all of the people all of the time”, and Paul couldn’t. But seeking to be helpful to people is important, and the key point is in the last part: not to do things from personal ambition or for one’s own advantage. As Paul expresses it in Philippians, taking Jesus as his example:

Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who ... emptied himself, taking the form of a servant....                                                                                             (Philippians 2:3-7)

(4) Imitate good practice

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1)

We know more about the apostle Paul than about most people in the Bible. We see how he was misunderstood and maligned by those who opposed him (Corinthians 12:10); and we see his determination amidst hardship and suffering (see 2 Corinthians 11:24-29). Through all these he was sustained by his love of Christ and his desire to take Jesus as his example.

Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based on law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith; that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.                                                  (Philippians 3:8-12)

(5) Keep Following good instructions

... you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions”

(1 Corinthians 11:32)

Paul had started the ecclesia in Corinth and given them their understanding of the Gospel. He is pleased that they have remembered what he taught them; they have maintained “the traditions”.

Traditions can be bad if they are attitudes and teaching handed down from the past and followed just because they are old. Jesus criticised traditions of this kind:

And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’ You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men.” And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God, in order to keep your tradition!”                       (Mark7:6-9)

See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ.               (Colossians 2:8)

The term “traditions” can also be used in the good sense, as here in 1 Corinthians 11:2, to refer to Paul’s teaching. The word basically means “things handed over”, just as details were “handed over” as to what happened at the Last Supper :

I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you…

(1 Corinthians 11:23)

The word “delivered”, is “handed over”, the same basic words as in “tradition”. Likewise in 2 Thessalonians:

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.               (2 Thessalonians 3:6)

Because of the negative meanings often associated with the word “tradition”, it is sometimes translated by a word like “teaching”, as in the NIV:

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.                   (2 Thessalonians 3:6, NIV)

The challenge for each of us is to ensure that we examine the traditions handed down by our parents, our society and our ecclesia, and compare them with what can be established by sound scriptural exposition. We should not be frightened to change, as many brothers and sisters have done over the years, if we find after further study that our previous position needs amended. As someone said: “Only the most prejudiced minds cannot change as they look at new evidence”. [1]

(6) We each are under authority

… but I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a woman is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.

(1 Corinthians 11:3)

We all acknowledge Christ as head of the church (Ephesians 5:23), and beyond Jesus we acknowledge the authority of God Himself.

In everyday life we have heads to whom we owe appropriate honour: headmaster or headmistress at school, head of department at work, head of government. To all of these we owe appropriate respect within their respective spheres of influence and authority:

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. ... Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the emperor.         (1 Peter 2:13-17)

We should be models of good behaviour in every aspect of life.

1 Corinthians 11 is directly concerned with husbands and wives, and however we understand the headcovering interpretations, an important principle is for married people to love and respect each other and their relationship together before God.

(7) Service in the ecclesia is not gender-based

Any man who prays or prophesies … any woman who prays or prophesies

(1 Corinthians 11:4-5)

It is an important principle in the New Testament that service to Christ in the ecclesia is not defined by gender. Only two passages seem to say the opposite (1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and 1 Timothy 2:12). The majority of passages support both brothers and sisters taking an active part in all areas of ecclesial life, the distinguishing point being not gender but “having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us” (Romans 12:6). Here, in 1 Corinthians 11, this principle is well illustrated, because although Paul teaches that the husband is head of the wife, both husband and wife pray and prophesy.

(8) We are interdependent

Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God.                                     (1 Corinthians 11:11-12)

Although there are observable distinctions between men and women in appearance, thinking and biological function, we should not make more of these differences than is appropriate and necessary. Nor should we seek to perpetuate man-made stereotypes which demean both men and women. God made us all. He made us to be interdependent, to complement each other, and we should work together with this realisation. To discriminate positively or negatively is contrary to the will and purpose of God.

(9) Make your own judgment

Judge for yourselves. (1 Corinthians 11:13)

In committing ourselves to Christ in baptism, we made an individual, intelligent decision. In living the Christian life we are called upon to use our intellects in Christian service, and to think out for ourselves the implications of the New Covenant. Paul regularly presents logical arguments to his readers to examine what he says and to come to a sensible decision. As he says in 1 Corinthians 10:15 (NIV):

I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.

(10) Don’t enjoy controversy

If any one is disposed to be contentious …    (1 Corinthians 11:16)

“Contentious” is the opposite of the principle expressed above:

I try to please all men in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.                    (1 Corinthians 10:33)

The word is used in the Septuagint in Ezekiel 3:7 to translate the word “obstinate”. We should not be keen on controversy, nor aim to support our own view come what may. Our proper aim is to seek and understand God’s truth, and to do it in a peaceful and gentle spirit.

Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarrelling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone. (Titus 3:1-2, NRSV)

(11) Universal church practice

The apostle Paul aimed to preach a consistent message and to encourage all brothers and sisters in Christ to agree together.

… we recognize no other practice, nor do the churches of God.

(1 Corinthians 11:16)

Only, let every one lead the life which the Lord has assigned to him, and in which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.

(1 Corinthians 7:17)

Jesus prayed for unity among his followers, including ourselves:

“I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. The glory which thou hast given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and thou in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them even as thou hast loved me.        (John 17:20-23)

Paul likewise:

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.                                                                    (Ephesians 4:1-7)

Peter too:

Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love of the brethren, a tender heart and a humble mind.                               (1 Peter 3:8)

Despite unity being intended as an indication to the world that Jesus really did come from the Father, the evidence is that unity has been impossible to achieve and maintain.

Lack of unity was a problem in New Testament times, and has been so ever since. If we ask, “Why?”, several reasons can be suggested.

(a)  Our limited understanding

 Paul said:

For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away.

Only in the Kingdom will “the perfect” come:

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood.

(1 Corinthians 13:9-12)

(a)  Varying backgrounds

This is obviously the case in the New Testament, where there are Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, educated and uneducated, spiritually minded and fleshly minded. It is our case too, for people have been brought up in different ways, some within the community, some without, and amidst considerable variety of approach and practice amongst Christadelphian ecclesias.

(c) Human sinfulness

This can take many forms, and one which has always been a problem is when members claim to have superior knowledge, to know better than others, and then assert that everyone else must agree with them. Such a view has been the cause of divisions and splits throughout history from the first century ecclesias until today.

Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” “Knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. If any one imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if one loves God, one is known by him.                 (1 Corinthians 8:1-3)

(d)  Personal ambition and enjoyment of power

There was trouble in the early ecclesias where people acted from personal motives. Peter objected to elders doing the job “for shameful gain” and for misusing their power (“domineering”):

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ as well as a partaker in the glory that is to be revealed. Tend the flock of God that is your charge, not by constraint but willingly, not for shameful gain but eagerly, not as domineering over those in your charge but being examples to the flock. ... Likewise you that are younger be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time he may exalt you. Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you.                                                                            (1 Peter 5:1-6)

There is a saying: “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.” The difficulty is in agreeing where the dividing line comes between essentials and non-essentials; we all agree that Christian love and concern (“charity” agape as in 1 Corinthians 13) should always apply; the difficulty lies in putting it into practice. Our aim, as indicted in the few quotations above, should be to act “with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love”; to “have unity of spirit, sympathy, love of the brethren, a tender heart and a humble mind”; to “clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another”.

When, therefore, we find we do not agree with one another, the spirit in which we discuss should be clear, and the unity for which Christ prayed will be manifest among us, even though there is diversity of understanding and practice.