The Battle for True Worship

Paul addresses irregularities in worship. The first section deals with the way women were demeaning themselves in worship by ignoring the cultural norms concerning the wearing of a head covering. Whilst the cultural norms are different within our society the underlying teaching concerning God's pattern for men and women has continuing relevance.

In the second section the apostle addresses the demeaning of the Lord's Supper. At that time it was celebrated in the context of a communal feast which had become corrupted through the failure of those who had much to share with those who had little. Paul makes it clear that sometimes a failure to judge ourselves means that the Lord who gave Himself so fully to us must visit us with His purifying judgments.

In both these deficiencies in worship, Paul confronts the rebel in all of us that wants to have it our own way, not recognizing that this is ‘the church of God' and not a ‘free for all'.