No such custom

1 Corinthians 11:16

But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

This chapter of first Corinthians enumerates some ordinances that Christ has given to His church. We often say that the two ordinances are baptism and the Lord’s Supper. However, baptism is not once alluded to in the passage before us, but was given to us directly by Christ. Therefore, it is a proper ordinance of Christ’s church. However, the ordinances mentioned here include the Lord’s Supper and the place of men and women. It explains to us the difference between the role of a man, as the head of the woman, and the role of the woman, as being created for the man and looking to him as her head. Yet, they are of equal importance to the Lord, for neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. We are not alone, functioning independently of the other and without the help of the other. In the Lord, we need one another fully and mutually. But to illustrate the difference, he speaks of the need for a woman to “cover her head,” and that long hair is given to serve that purpose. I do not intend to deal with this further, except to say that “nature itself teaches” that it is a glory for a woman to have long hair, and a shame for the same phenomenon to exist on a man. And vice versa with short hair. This is the difference God has instituted between men and women and should be followed in the church of God.

But this one statement jumps up as if to grab our attention and slap us in the face: “But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.” No such custom! Neither the churches of God! Contention has no place! No place at all! It must eradicated, removed, forever extracted from God’s church! For you see, even in this important topic of the appearance of men and women, and the need for the woman to be covered, etc., this is not a reason for contention. Let others be as God’s leads them. Let us not strain at a gnat, while at the same time swallowing a camel! Did not Jesus say that the “weightier matters of the law” are judgment, mercy, and faith? And did He not include the love of God? The first epistle of John the beloved shows us that the love of God dwells in us as He dwells in us, and if we shut up our bowels of compassion, the love of God is not in us. We must have compassion! When Jude says, “keep yourselves in the love of God,” it means we must keep showing it to others. We must not allow contention and difference of opinion and belief to cause divisions in our churches. We are to be of one mind and one heart!

You may say, “I cannot agree with them.” That is all fine. Can you still love them? Can we still work together, and strive together for the faith of the gospel, as Paul spoke of to the Philippians? We must strive together and not against one another. There are false doctrines that we will not tolerate under any conditions, and blatant sin must be dealt with and punished publicly. But Paul said, concerning this ordinance, and I imagine many others beside, we are not to be contentious. Why must we be contentious? Are we not only hindering the gospel of Christ, and thwarting His work by squabbling over the smallest things? We must understand what is primary, what is secondary, and what is peripheral. We must have discernment to let others be what God has called them to, and to love them even in disagreement. Because contention only comes from pride. We must have no such custom in the church!

“Father, as we come to you, we ask first for wisdom and discernment. We know that certain things are the cardinal truths of the gospel. Those we cannot give an inch upon. But then we understand that many things do not impinge upon those truths of the gospel, and we must let them be, and love the saints, interceding for them, encouraging them, and lovingly guiding them as we have opportunity. Give us patience, for we are not all on the same plane of experience or knowledge. We must be humble. Keep us humble, Lord! And please, Lord, keep us from contention! May that not be a custom of ours. And we shall praise you for these things. In Christ’s name, Amen.”