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Will we do so by the strength which God alone can and will supply? You could spot the Navigators going up and down the streets of Honolulu. Anyone who claims that he or she has an exclusive part in Christ is wrong. 10 I appeal to you, brothers,[ a] 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. I hang on every word you say. 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.. So undoubtedly there was a big group that followed Paul. We, as the modern church, say that we hold to Pauls message that we shouldnt be conformed to this world, but when we look at the world, there seem to be just as many divisions. Now, you do not have to be very old to recognize that that is still a problem in the church. There is not a teacher among us today, or at any other time, who is able to open the mind and open the eyes of the heart and reveal to us the glory and majesty of God, not one. God only sees one fold, (John 10) and there is only one faith, one Lord, one baptism etc. Some pigged out at the Lord Supper; others had barely enough to eat. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? The cross strips away our illusions and brings the pride of men tumbling down from that high place where it exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Was Paul crucified for you? In fact, Paul never claims disciples. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. Now, how could that be? 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. Galatians: Freedom through Gods Grace (Wipf & Stock, 2019). Christ belongs fully to every believer in His spiritual body, the Church. 2 Corinthians The ground, of course, is the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 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. If Paul could see the divisions between the various denominations of today, what would he say? The families have been seated. 17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospelnot with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. Then there were the traditionalists (there always are), those that say, "Well, I don't know about Paul or Apollos. I always have, and always will believe that this overly exaggerated concept of denominations is a problem. If I am not out of line I seem to remember that Constantine played a large role in allowing Pagan influences back into the Christian Life. One eye is purple and swollen! Apollos was an intellectual. 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? These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? 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. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. The cross of Christ cuts across all human value systems. 10 I appeal to you, brothers,[ a] 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. It is those who have a financial interest in their own wellbeing, that divide the sheep up into different folds. It is the popular thing today to cry, "Back to the Reformation!" It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. When I say it gets ignored like an infomercial you probably infer what that means. They became symbols of prestige and standing that became divisive factors among the men. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. The first noticeable division would be among differing denominations. We are of Peter." In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). When daylight again appeared, they looked for him with renewed energy but still without success. In this parable, the groom is Christ. In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? (1Corinthians 1:10 RSV). 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. It was expected. 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." There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. Im not saying its wrong to stick to what you believe. The anxiety of the childs mother continued to grow, for she knew that her boy was somewhere out in the darkness where wild animals were constantly on the prowl. Although the modern church has improved in many ways compared to the ancient churches, there is still the issue of division that exists among differing churches as was in the ancient churches. There are even discrepancies inside single denominations (which means we have division inside our divisions, great). WebDivisions in the Church. And some of them are really gross. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. Since I was working at that time in the ship's service department in Pearl Harbor, we ordered great quantities of these Bibles. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. When you divide up among men you lose something, that is what he is saying. 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." Yet, in reality as long as correct biblical doctrine is being taught no pastor should be viewed in comparison to one another. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. The Corinthian Church. Thanks for the thoughtful comment Austin. I think that some of the ways we have failed to de-paganize is because we are still so focused on the little things that make up the church. Many of us are familiar with this common phenomenon in human psychology of thinking that some symbolic thing that is of use to us is so important that we finally make it a badge of the group to which we belong. I. PAULS APPEAL FOR UNITY (verses 10-12). 2- The Churchs division. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. They are his family in Christ. We become followers of out Pastors and churches rather than of Christ. 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. Unfortunately, this has effected our outreach. What happens when you get a tear in a piece of clothing and you keep washing and wearing that piece of clothing with the tear in it? Unless its mended, the tear gets bigger and bigger, doesnt it? In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. Was Paul crucified for you? There should be oneness of mind, no matter how long it takes. WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. Its pathetic that people should get so angry about whether drums are used or if the AC unit is kept at 71 or 70. The members started to develop division following different leaders. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. They were dividing over this whole issue, and Paul says it is all wrong. He addresses them as brethren. This is a radical principle that we need to understand, because, when you understand the cross, there will be no room left for the divisions of men. Still others say, "We are of Schaeffer," and others, "We are of Graham," or, "We are of C.S. Whatever you say, I believe." Long has taught full time at Grace Christian University since 1998, specializing in Bible and Biblical languages. Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. Perhaps, in their individual efforts, they had missed some spots; so the suggestion was made, Lets all join hands and go through the long grass again. Finally, the child was found, but it was too late. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. 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. Unity in the church is something that requires cooperation with each other and with the Spirit of God. The Greek word used here literally means to say the same thing. Webdivided. He described the activities of the disciples of the Sophists the professional orators who were able to command large audiences, high fees for educating youth, and often a great deal of power within the city. We must allow him the privilege of doing that. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). We feel some sense of connectedness to the teachers (pastors/leaders) whose teachings we sit under while they count us as proof of their effectiveness (numbers). Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. In verses 14 to 16, Paul uses himself as an example. Even though the churches within a certain denomination agree to the same biblical teachings, some churches within those denominations may begin to disagree with the biblical teachings and break away from the denomination to become affiliated with another denomination that aligns with their beliefs. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. Alexandria was a center for learning and philosophy. Why are these thing SO important? He's a great preacher, a warm, capable, eloquent man, who can make the Old Testament come alive!". 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." So they were splitting and arguing and quarreling over the relative merit and authority of these various teachers. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. My answer was that it all depends on the motive. That is the mind Paul is talking about. In desperation, they returned and held a meeting. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. Furthermore, would the apostle not also be concerned with other divisions within the individual church body? A number of churches in this postmodern era have begun to resemble the Corinthian church in alarming ways. By focusing on Jesus we can see how important the parts of church really are. The Lord Jesus is praying to the Father, and this is part of His prayer for us: I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one; even as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that You sent Me. Now, he describes the nature of unity this way, "that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment." The human condition is, unfortunately, one of comparison that seeks to place oneself or their beliefs over another. The facts in the gospel are what will set us free, and particularly, he says, the word of the cross. 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. 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. Peter was an uneducated, common man and may have appealed to that group of people in Corinth. 4-The churchs failure to discipline. And he speaks in the name of or by the authority of, our Lord Jesus Christ. We are so proud of them when they look right, but when things start to fall apart, the church begins to fall apart as well. Here in Verse10 he briefly shows us the ground of unity, and the nature of unity in a church. The bride is limping! And just as the Corinthian church was not above the petty rivalries of its time, neither is the modern church above becoming involved in such shouting matches. "One is your master; all of you are brothers," (Matthew 23:8 KJV). Their conflicts undoubtedly had its theological and philosophical dimensions, but it was social as well, human and petty, high on pride and low on love (Polhill 233). Yes, we have the core beliefs that most Christians will agree upon, but the rest is still very confusing to non-believers. 16(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) This issue was so important that Paul devotes the first four chapters of I Corinthians to divisions in the church. In the same way, thats not the way the Church was meant to be fitted together. On a large jigsaw puzzle of a thousand pieces or more, its almost impossible to put it together upside down! Paul wants the Corinthian church to mend the broken relationships that have been caused by the divisions among its members. It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. Christians are all disciples, or better, stewards and servants of the mysteries of God (1 Cor 4:1). Like I talked about in the first posting, the emerging church makes me question a lot of things they are doing. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. I have had to do some degree of battle with this myself. And, after all, Peter even walked on water!" One of them being the reason to follow a specific pastor. Its not just the denominations per se any more theres also a proliferation of house churches too. But first, it is very clear that he is deeply troubled by this. Instead of tearing themselves apart, he urges them to be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. Sometimes two or three hundred sailors, all of them Christians, would be there. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. I think today if church leaders focus on Jesus and only Jesus we would be so much healthier. With that spirit of self-righteous smugness, they were separating from the rest, dividing up the congregation and quarreling with one another over these things. These preachers draw in masses of people every week who are eager to hear them speak. Ridiculous? In Jesus' name, Amen. 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. Going off of what Cody is saying, in todays church everything needs to be just right. WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. He recognizes that we share a common life if we have come to Christ; we are brothers and sisters because we have his life in us. Now these things were good. Let it do its great work of cutting down and eliminating from our lives those things over which we take pride and which separate us from others; these distinctions that make us dislike our brother or sister, and turn our backs on them. 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. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). (I have been trying for a long time to get my wife to accept that!) Unlike most of his other epistles, Paul plunges right into the heart of the practical problems that were affecting this church, and the first of these, the problem of divisions within the church, he begins to deal with in Chapter1, Verse10. 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. That, of course, is as it should be. It wipes out all the petty distinctions that men make among themselves. They are springing up all over the place, including Downunder (Australia) where I live here in Brisbane. How important was unity to the apostle Paul, and to the Holy Spirit who moved Him to write this letter to the Church in Corinth? Phillip J. His bride, the Church, has been fighting again!. Something shows up sooner or later as an identifying badge that marks them as "special," with special privilege and special status in that group. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. They did not try to hide the problems. Help us to judge these in the light of the cross, and, by its light, to walk before thee. Like the orators wanted more money from the fees they charged, many pastors just want more people to look better and have a bigger budget. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. This also brings up another Pagan influence which is naming the days of the week after the planets. One of his biggest goals is to double our congregation so we have 5,000 members. Paul enters this world of wretched Sophists and preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A gasp bursts from the guests! But when it comes to the clear teachings of Gods Word, there cannot be two conflicting views that are both right. He begins the process of developing them into leaders who will also preach the gospel and found more churches. 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. There are several important terms in this passage. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. Now, he is not saying that it is wrong to baptize; he himself did it, and acknowledges that he did. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who Now, we are similar to the ancient world in that some people do see their pastors/teachers as a source of pride. Obviously sin is at the heart of these divisions, but I am encouraged to hear that at least in your corner of the world there is some unification and revival. The better the orator, the higher the fee, and the more disciples he will attract. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. It tells about the most climactic moment in a wedding ceremony. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. When you follow one man you are getting a view of Christ, but there is no teacher in the church who has ever come along -- including the Apostle Paul himself -- who has ever had a totally complete view of Christ. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. Even as Christians, there seems to be the desire of wanting to uphold one pastor over another by comparison and ultimately glorifying certain pastors. 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. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. In 2019 he published a commentary. Paul was the apostle to the gentiles. Then there were the stylists, those who were attracted by the different kinds of preaching, and they had especially been drawn to Apollos. Paul then goes on to give us three very carefully stated clues in Verse13 as to what is wrong with this kind of thing. Only the Lord Jesus Christ could pay the penalty for our sins because only He is the Son of God. There should be unanimous agreement. Remember, a believer who is at war with his brother or sister in Christ cannot be at peace with our heavenly Father. WebWhat were the causes of division in the Corinthian Church? In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. We had some great meetings and great times 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. In these cases, there should be freedom to agree to disagree. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. The church is never called to having everybody think exactly alike. 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. 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. I'm nobody, just like you!" I do not think things have improved much since the first century. Help me walk from day to day, with its shadows o'er me. Webdivided. They were drawing themselves up and saying, "Well, you may be of Paul or of Peter or of Apollos, but we are of Christ! The words made complete mean to be perfectly joined together, like a jigsaw puzzle. 3- The presence of an immoral member. Because the Holy Spirit has but one will, and because a church must be in complete harmony with His will, the leaders must be in complete harmony with each other in that will. I was taking my break and a person I work with asked where I went to college. Paul is putting his finger right on the problem when he asks, "Was Paul crucified for you?" Acts 18:24 says that Apollos was an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man. So they said, "When Peter came, we really felt that we were on solid ground. 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." Try it some time. And if you were really on the inside circle, your ladder was drawn by none other than Dawson Trotman himself! We worry about how the power points are going to look, if we should have one or two singers, drums or no drums, electric guitars or none at all (I feel like you get my point) its almost as if we worship these things! 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. There was nothing wrong with them, they were very helpful, but it was not very long before they became status symbols, and they were used to put down, not always intentionally, those who did not have them. Now, church unity is a very important matter, and, because of its significance, Paul puts it first in the list of problems he has to deal with here at Corinth. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. Conclusion. Some are of Ritchie, and some are of Roper, and a few of Stedman! In comparison to modern churches, its easy to say that there are hardly any divisions among Christians and differing churchesbut could these divisions still exist today?