"Keep the traditions..."
Text: 1 Corinthians 11:2
A WORD OF PRAISE
Many words of rebuke had to be written by Paul because of the terrible spiritual state of the Corinthian Church! Problems of pride, false teachings had to be addressed and these warranted the use of firm words! But there was room for praise where faithfulness was observed!
“Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things
and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you.”
1 Corinthians 11:2
1. “Now I praise you, brethren”
a) The idea here is one of “commendation”.
b) There was cause for praise.
c) Paul was not a fault-finding person.
d) Where there was reason to give praise, he did!
2. “That you remember me in all things”
a) This is probably not a general reference to all the believers in Corinth.
b) It was probably a smaller group of believers who remembered Paul in all things.
c) What were some of these things?
i) His doctrines
ii) His faith
iii) His manner of life (2 Timothy 3:10)
d) To be remembered brought a special sense of warmth to the heart of Paul.
3. “And keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you”
a) What were these traditions?
i) The word of God
ii) The practices of the Church
b) These “traditions”
i) Were held fast by the Apostles.
ii) Were carefully passed down from the Apostles to the churches they founded.
c) “Just as”
i) This is an important phrase to remember.
ii) Traditions must be carefully passed down “just as”.
iii) They must be received and practised “just as” too.
iv) Failure to keep the traditions “just as” could end up with “corruption”.