Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. When the Corinthians divided into factions, it wasnt so much about core doctrine (nature of God, nature of Christ, the Gospel, the nature of man). That was the mark, that was the identification badge. Having listened to Pauls words and the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ, how important is unity to each of us today? The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). When the Corinthians divided into factions, it wasnt so much about core doctrine (nature of God, nature of Christ, the Gospel, the nature of man). Anyone who claims that he or she has an exclusive part in Christ is wrong. Not when we hear of churches with factions or cliques of people who sit on opposite sides of the aisle. It would destroy the unity of the congregation and split them up and provide an inaccurate testimony to the Person of Christ before the watching world. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. They read only his books or listen only to his tapes. Im not saying its wrong to stick to what you believe. What he says we'll listen to, not Paul or Peter or anyone else -- it makes no difference to us." The Gentiles coming into this new Church do not seem to be able to see the differences between it and a Greco-Roman philosopher gathering disciples and educating them in a particular philosophy. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. Verse 12 tells us the source of this problem. Paul says that he does not preach in cleverness of speech because the power of the gospel lies in the facts of the gospel, and not in any mans presentation of them. They failed to take seriously the power of evil; their behavior caused divisions in the church and led to a lack of concern for other members. Now these things were good. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. It took four viewpoints to report his earthly life and ministry accurately enough to us. No man would ever have planned the cross. (I suppose that if Dio were commenting on the modern world, he would describe the wretched bloggers shouting abuse at the temple of WordPress!). For a local church to be spiritually healthy and effective, and for there to be harmony in the local church, there must be doctrinal unity. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. In Matthew 12:25 the Lord Jesus says, Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself shall not stand.. Are we willing and ready to pray for unity in His Church, and work at building a stronger unity among fellow members of the congregations where we fellowship and serve? How can the presence of divisions be described as worldly?, Bruce Winter details the Greco-Roman practice of discipleship in the second chapter of After Paul Left Corinth. Not even a three-fourths vote should carry a motion. Just as there was competiveness for honor and prestige among the orators of the first century, it also seems like there is competition between the pastors and churches of today. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? Remember, a believer who is at war with his brother or sister in Christ cannot be at peace with our heavenly Father. WebPaul goes right on, in Verse 12, to describe the forms that these divisions were taking in the church of Corinth: What I mean is that each one of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas" [another name for Peter], or "I belong to Christ." I remember a few years ago being at a family congress in St. Louis, Missouri, when one of the evening speakers was Dr.Oswald Hoffman, the very capable and powerful preacher on the Lutheran Hour radio program. God is not confused, and He does not contradict Himself. It seems unbelievable at first to think that this kind of division exists within the modern church, but more often than not it is actually one of the most common reasons for division. 1 Corinthians 1:10: I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? It seems like it would be better to ask in what ways have we been re-paganized. This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. In this passage of Scripture, Paul is very careful to focus the attention on Christ and not on himself. That is why Paul calls us back to it. We must allow him the privilege of doing that. The third thing that every Navigator had was a little black notebook covered in rough-grained leather. The most well known one is having worship on Sundays instead of the Sabbath. Peter was an uneducated, common man and may have appealed to that group of people in Corinth. 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. No, he says that is not why he was sent: "I was not sent to emphasize symbols, but, positively, I was sent to preach a whole gospel, not one emphasizing style, not in wisdom of words, but that which emphasizes content." Paul condemns their behavior in verse 13 by saying, Has Christ been divided? In other words, have different amounts of Christ been given to different people? The words made complete in verse 10 are translated from a Greek word that was used to speak of mending such things as nets, bones, dislocated joints, broken utensils, and torn garments. (1Corinthians 1:17 RSV). WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. Furthermore, would the apostle not also be concerned with other divisions within the individual church body? 2 Corinthians His bride, the Church, has been fighting again!. That is the problem, and it is still going on today. This is not what the Church was meant to be like, and I fully believe that Paul would be appalled by our actions today as a Church of believers in Jesus Christ. Her hair is messed up! Long has taught full time at Grace Christian University since 1998, specializing in Bible and Biblical languages. He does not say we should stop baptizing because of this problem. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. The cross of Christ is what will heal the fragmentation of Christians wherever they are. Aside from this acceptable division within the modern church, there are also two other reasons for division which should not exist. WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. When daylight again appeared, they looked for him with renewed energy but still without success. The cross of Christ cuts across all human value systems. So he says, "I didn't baptize many of you. Now, the second thing Paul says is, "Was Paul crucified for you?" It is possible, though, that the divisions among I find there are these tendencies right here in Peninsula Bible Church. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). The Corinthian Church. Every Navigator had to have a Scofield Reference Bible; that was the only "Authorized Version." I lead a small group so I sometimes have to sit in meetings where the pastor shares things about the vision of our church. In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? (Phil Long). Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. Throughout this 2000 year process of normalizing divisions among believers, we have consistently neglected the fact we Jesus should unite us, and unless we choose to make a change, we will continue to forget this fact. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). The better the orator, the higher the fee, and the more disciples he will attract. I am thankful that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius; lest any one should say that you were baptized in my name. Yes, we have the core beliefs that most Christians will agree upon, but the rest is still very confusing to non-believers. I always have, and always will believe that this overly exaggerated concept of denominations is a problem. While there can be problems with some (no recognised leadership, disorganised, isolated, cultishness, lack of cohesion etc) they can also produce some of the strongest disciples Ive seen for many years, and yet, they could easily claim to be that fourth division like the one at Corinth the I am of Christ division, where they have no name (no favoured preacher/teacher) but are still divided off. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. We go back to the Lord alone. I Corinthians 12:12,13 says, For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. I have been in many places where they were having church fights and almost invariably the thing that gives away that a church is in trouble is when people start talking about "my church," not in the sense that is perfectly proper as meaning, "The church where I go," but leaders of the church actually saying, "This is our church," and telling other people they have no rights to do something because the church belongs to them. John 12:37-50, THE PARADOX OF LIFE FROM DEATH John 12:20-26, THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM JOHN 12:9-19, SPIRITUAL LIGHT AND DARKNESS John 9:35-41. We all know what a clique is. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. In fact, Paul never claims disciples. When I say worn out I mean people say that it is not usable in the modern world so its words become little more than foot rests in the pew. It is a serious threat to the life of a church to find people choosing favorite preachers, to the degree, at least, that they do not want to listen to anyone else. Now, in one verse he introduces to us the cure for these divisions (Verse17): For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom [literally, "wisdom of words"], lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. I would like to close this service by reading what one man wrote about the cross: It is well that we should think sometimes of the Upper Room and the Last Supper, and of his soul, "exceeding sorrowful unto death"; of Gethsemane and the deep shadow of the olive trees; his loneliness, prayers, and disappointment with his disciples; his bloody sweat; the traitor's kiss; the binding, the blow in the face, the spitting, the buffeting, the mocking, the scourging, the crown of thorns, the smiting; the sorrowful way and the burdensome cross; the exhaustion and collapse; the stripping, the impaling, and the jeers of his foes, and the flight of his friends; the hours on the cross; the darkness, his being forsaken of God; his thirst, and the end. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. That was a mark of status with them. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. Paul does not want to be considered a philosopher who is gathering disciples, nor does he want that for Apollos or Peter or any man. There were, first of all, the loyalists who said, "We are of Paul. Help me walk from day to day, with its shadows o'er me. I think that if you put the teachings of a man over the teachings of Scripture then you have a problem. Some considered Paul their leader, others Apollos, still others Peter. This also brings up another Pagan influence which is naming the days of the week after the planets. Paul wants the Corinthian church to mend the broken relationships that have been caused by the divisions among its members. Christians are all disciples, or better, stewards and servants of the mysteries of God (1 Cor 4:1). Weve seen how important unity was to the apostle Paul. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful Whenever this attitude of gathering around a man is allowed to perpetuate itself, it is the source of much trouble and difficulty. Since November 2021, Reading Acts is edited by Sarah Westphal. In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, and whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. You and I cant have more of the Lord Jesus Christ, but we can give Him more of ourselves, and experience more fully what is already ours as children of God. Some of them were saying, "Well, Paul baptized me." (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. When everybody decides to put the things of Christ first, and is willing to suffer loss that the honor and glory of Christ might be advanced, that is what brings harmony in a congregation. So we have the possibility for this very thing right here. And there were some who said, "Well, when Peter came through, he baptized me. They will not all be the same flavor; they will not all have the same characteristics. Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? With Pauls harsh criticism of said divisions, you would think that we might have learned how to move beyond that in the 21st Century, however, that is not the case. On a large jigsaw puzzle of a thousand pieces or more, its almost impossible to put it together upside down! In verses 14 to 16, Paul uses himself as an example. Doesnt He deserve better than this? the author asks. Some had no problem with consuming meat that had been sacrificed to idols; for others, it was a real offense. The bridesmaids have come down the aisle. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). Here are our first clues as to what is wrong with this kind of cliquishness in a church. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). There are several important terms in this passage. Divisions never really ended with Pauls letters; they just appear to have evolved into having more sophisticated names. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. There are many other things that do cause serious problems stemming from the outside world. 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. Believers who are joined in heart should not find it difficult to be joined in hand, working together for the common good and for the glory of Christ. Do we need to be looking for results? There is not a single Christian teacher who ever lived who can help us be forgiven one single sin, not one. They were hard to get in those war years, and every shipment that came in went out like hot cakes. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). Then youre a Christian right? Even though our conversation could only continue for about 10 more minutes, this issue of divisions within the church arose. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. Christ belongs fully to every believer in His spiritual body, the Church. Polhill says, every Corinthian had their own favorite preacher (237). I think we have failed to de-paganize the art of preaching/teaching if pastors/leaders are looking for patronage, prestige, and numbers over relationships, service, and transformation. In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. Now, in Verse13 you understand why. Not when some people in the congregation wont look at, speak to, or even acknowledge the existence of certain other people in the congregation. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. It seems like this isnt a problem and doesnt affect the church much in its present state. They failed to take seriously the power of evil; their behavior caused divisions in the church and led to a lack of concern for other members. There are those who are emotionally attached to some great Christian leader who has helped them, and they will only listen to him. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. Even as Christians, there seems to be the desire of wanting to uphold one pastor over another by comparison and ultimately glorifying certain pastors. Orators have to be so careful not to let teaching become a pride thing rather than a gift they share to better the other. His Word does not disagree with itself. We all know what a clique is. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. To all of this Paul would say to us, as he says to Corinth, Is Christ divided? Some say, "I am of Gothard," and others say, "No, I am of Bright." Paul, however, was a good leader. When the Corinthians divided into factions, it wasnt so much about core doctrine (nature of God, nature of Christ, the Gospel, the nature of man). There was still a fourth group, and in some ways I think they were probably the worst. The first thing Paul says is that it tends to chop up Christ and parcel him out as though his person and his work came in various packages, thus you lose perspective of the whole of Christian theology. They were burdened about them, and they went to the right person with them. It is possible, though, that the divisions among But even if there are multiple house churches founded by different leaders, Paul passionately argues that the body of Christ cannot be divided in this way. It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. They may have carried Pauls teachings of justification by faith and freedom from the Law to an extreme and felt free to do whatever they wanted. Only the Lord Jesus Christ could pay the penalty for our sins because only He is the Son of God. The church was divided into factions, and one group was urging him to take half the congregation and go to another part of the city and start a new church. Have you ever tried to put a jigsaw puzzle together with the pieces turned upside down so that they are all blank? In fact, there are still many divisions that exist today in modern churches. Unless its mended, the tear gets bigger and bigger, doesnt it? (1Corinthians 1:13 RSV). The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. Unfortunately, this has effected our outreach. WebAnd you know, that gives me some idea of how important this is to God, because from 1:10 to the ninth verse of the sixteenth Chapter, he just talks about the errors in the church. (1Corinthians 1:12 RSV), Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. Here in Verse10 he briefly shows us the ground of unity, and the nature of unity in a church. Now, he is not saying that it is wrong to baptize; he himself did it, and acknowledges that he did. If you limit yourself to one speaker or one teacher and feed only on him, you are getting a distorted view of Jesus Christ; you are chopping Christ up, dividing him and taking one little portion as one man reports it and ignoring the rest, thus your view of Christ is deficient and unable to satisfy you as it was intended to do. From the book of Acts we learn that Apollos was an outstanding orator in a world that loved and appreciated oratory. Because I am a little defensive it seems like they are almost my enemy. Thank you, Father, for this time here contemplating the cross. He started this church. WebAnd you know, that gives me some idea of how important this is to God, because from 1:10 to the ninth verse of the sixteenth Chapter, he just talks about the errors in the church. Conclusion. If you survey the church scene all over America today, you find people dividing up this way. The real problem behind the divisions is that the church continues to act like Christianity is just another philosophy, and teachers are in competition with each other just as the Greek orators competed. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. But first, it is very clear that he is deeply troubled by this. All rights reserved. This consumerism that we face today in the end doesnt seem all that much different from the way the Christian faith was treated like just another philosophy back in the days of Paul. So they were splitting and arguing and quarreling over the relative merit and authority of these various teachers. It is those who have a financial interest in their own wellbeing, that divide the sheep up into different folds. In the same way, thats not the way the Church was meant to be fitted together. As bad as it is, it makes sense for the people of Pauls day to be concerned with whatever home church has the best orator, and then argue for them to other potential followers. It would be great if all of you would think like me, but unfortunately there are stubborn ones among you, there are depraved ones among you, there are those who have different backgrounds than I have, and some of you just do not think like I do! In verse 10 we see both Pauls affection for the Corinthian church, and his authority as an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. I appreciate the perspective given by the author and agree 100% that the body of Christ is divided. Everybody has their denomination and they cling relentless to their doctrinal beliefs. And some of them are really gross. There are the Calvinists and the Arminians and the Dispensationalists -- these are some of the things that are held up as the "summum bonum," the highest good, in theology. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. Then there were the stylists, those who were attracted by the different kinds of preaching, and they had especially been drawn to Apollos. Try it some time. You may be reminded by his words in Verse10 of the similar passage in his letter to the Philippians where, in Chapter2, he says to that church, "So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord, and of one mind," (Philippians 2:1-2 RSV). 12What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ.". Apollos was an intellectual. Paul goes right on, in Verse12, to describe the forms that these divisions were taking in the church of Corinth: What I mean is that each one of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas" [another name for Peter], or "I belong to Christ." We need to be perfectly joined together in the love of Christ. The facts in the gospel are what will set us free, and particularly, he says, the word of the cross. 4-The churchs failure to discipline. We reveal our immaturity when we insist that only those with certain characteristics are the ones we will listen to, or we feel can bless or strengthen our lives. The minister is waiting, Bible in hand. I agree with P. Longs last statement in that things have not improved much since the first century. It is interesting how quickly we forget where our gifts come from and think we are the cause of success. Therefore our boasting should only be in the Lord (1 Corinthains 1:26-31). How important is it that there be unity within the Church? Unity in the church is something that requires cooperation with each other and with the Spirit of God. A. Some people will pick other matters of doctrine to affirm. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. Like the world, Christians are too concerned with being right and having our way. But if it is to escape pressures and difficulties and problems in the congregation, then it is absolutely wrong and the worst thing he could do, because it sets before the watching world a false testimony concerning the church of Jesus Christ. Dio Chrysostom complained that Corinth was filled with wretched sophists, many of whom were debating one another with shouting and abuse near the temple to Poseidon. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful We all know what a clique is. As a young Christian in my early twenties during World WarII, I was stationed in Hawaii, and I became acquainted with the work of the Navigators. Its a lot harder! WebPaul goes right on, in Verse 12, to describe the forms that these divisions were taking in the church of Corinth: What I mean is that each one of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas" [another name for Peter], or "I belong to Christ." RayStedman.org/permissions. Not when one part of the congregation meets in one part of the building, and the other part of the congregation meets in another spot. I have to admit though that sometimes I think about numbers and recognition and want that. It is the popular thing today to cry, "Back to the Reformation!" Are we willing to love each other as Christ loved us? People begin to think things about him that are not true, and expect things from him that he is unable to deliver. This Bible was pushed by the Navigators, and everybody had to have one. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). This introduces one of the greatest passages in the Bible, setting forth the difference between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God. There are several things that split the church today. Help us to judge these in the light of the cross, and, by its light, to walk before thee. On Friday of this week we will gather again to consider the cross of Christ. That is always the unifying factor in a church, and that is the mind that is to be among us, the mind that does not consider itself the most important thing. God, therefore, has designed that there be many teachers, many preachers, many viewpoints, in a church. Now, the Apostle Paul is very concerned about this matter of incipient division in the church at Corinth, and he begins dealing with it in this powerful appeal for unity in Verse10: I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. It was a glorious work. Paul knew this and said in 1 Corinthians 2:1-2, When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed the testimony about God. It is possible, though, that the divisions among In this parable, the groom is Christ.
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