1 Corinthians 11:2
I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you.
Paul makes a positive statement here before correcting the problems in the Corinthian church. There always seems to be a debate between the “progressives” and the “traditionalists.” The first group wants things to evolve as culture changes. The danger is that cultures are influenced by the drag of sin. We see this in American culture today. The danger with traditionalism is the refusal to change to be relevant. There are usually reasons for traditions. They arise in effort to keep something good. They are part of the stories of previous generations. Some traditions should be discarded because they actually become a hindrance to the gospel. Traditions are bound by time, even though we tend to give them eternal quality. We must constantly evaluate the traditions we follow and measure them against the truths of the Bible. Many of our traditions will be reconfirmed but some may need rejected. In the case of the Corinthians, the traditions were still fresh. The Corinthians had rejected the traditions without considering the intent of these traditions and their value for helping the Corinthians live godly lives in their cultural context.
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