(1Co 11:20) “When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper.”  It wasn’t that they were not “observing” it, but it was that in practice, it was not in honor to the Lord. This often takes place with “worship”, the song service. Instead of our thoughts being upon the Lord, we mouth words of praise by rote, without making them expression of our soul towards Him.

(1Co 11:18) “For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. (19)  For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.”  The Lord uses the negative to bring to light the positive. These who embrace error will be withstood by those who stand for the faith – who love Him. Notice those who stand for the faith are “approved” of God.

(1Co 11:17) “Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. (18)  For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.”  The teaching of unity in the church says love, mercy, and forgiveness. A person is wasting their time coming to church if they will not obey the Lord in this matter. Period. There is no worship with such a heart.

(1Co 11:16) “But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.” There are those who no matter what is taught, are resistant to that which goes against their desires (contentious: fond of strife, thus argumentative). Since we are commanded to seek to be at peace with one another (1 Pet 3:11; Eph 4:3), such a one needs to be simply ignored rather than argued with (“we have no such custom”: habituation; responding as they do in the church).

 (1Co 11:15) “But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.”  It is glory when it is worn in submission to the Lord. I wonder how many saved women have committed even their hair to the glory of God.

(1Co 11:13) “Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? (14)  Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?”  “Comely”: fit, proper, what is right. Notice the proof is drawn from the comparison to the man doing what we know instinctively (nature). My grandfather once said, “It is not that men do not know what it right. It is that they will not do what is right.”

(1Co 11:12) “For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.”   Yes, the man and the woman are each from the other (rib and birth), but it is God that gave each life. It is God that we are please, not ourselves, nor one another.

(1Co 11:11) “Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.”  This speaks of the oneness (body and spirit) resulting from marriage. Point is both need to fulfill their role before God. Whether they do or not affects their relationship to Him: fellowship, blessings.

(1Co 11:10)  “For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.”  Our lives are to be a testimony of submission to God. A testimony even to the angels of God. The word “power” speaks to God’s authority. In other words, the length of her hair is worn in submission to God.

(1Co 11:9) “Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.”  The Bible says God made a “help meet” for man. That is, one capable of meeting the needs of man’s heart. God made man to need close fellowship. Physically, only a woman can meet that need. Spiritually, only God Himself can meet that need.