Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. 2- The Churchs division. They read only his books or listen only to his tapes. This issue was so important that Paul devotes the first four chapters of I Corinthians to divisions in the church. Some say, "I am of Gothard," and others say, "No, I am of Bright." They were burdened about them, and they went to the right person with them. 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. 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. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who These preachers draw in masses of people every week who are eager to hear them speak. Paul is putting his finger right on the problem when he asks, "Was Paul crucified for you?" Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. I will jump on the bandwagon here and say that division is definitely an issue today. Not when we hear of churches with factions or cliques of people who sit on opposite sides of the aisle. I have had to do some degree of battle with this myself. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. Just looking at America, there are political divisions that have destroyed relationships, there are social divisions that have sparked riots around the nation, and there are even religious divisions that have pitted millions against each other. 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. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. How many of you have ever put together a jigsaw puzzle? Many of the other problems were flowing out of this division within the congregation. When you divide up among men you lose something, that is what he is saying. Was Paul crucified for you? Now, we all have our favorite preacher, and up to a point that is not wrong. WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. On opening it you found a loose-leaf notebook with many of the small, half-page materials that the Navigators printed their Bible helps on. You may recall also that in writing to the church at Ephesus, he exhorted the elders there to be careful to "maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," (Ephesians 4:3 RSV). But yet the apostle says they are to be of the same mind. A. Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. The other reason is the division among churches of the same denomination. The first and perhaps biggest is denominations. Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 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. Paul enters this world of wretched Sophists and preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. Whenever this attitude of gathering around a man is allowed to perpetuate itself, it is the source of much trouble and difficulty. Who are we, that we should put our interests and our desires ahead of that of the Lord for his church? When you call them back to an understanding of the meaning of the cross, you will find all the divisions disappearing; they fade away like the morning mist. I would agree that we find ourselves in much the same situations as those listening to the Greek philosophers/orators. There is not a single teacher who ever lived who can heal the hurt of a broken heart, or supply energy and adequacy to someone who feels worthless and unable to function in society, not one. 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. His dissertation was published as Jesus the Bridegroom by Pickwick Books in 2012. Were you baptized into the name of Paul? 16(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) Remember, a believer who is at war with his brother or sister in Christ cannot be at peace with our heavenly Father. He finds that there is a great deal of parallels between the disciple-teacher relationship in the culture of Corinth and the problem of divisions in the church over the authority of teachers. 3- The presence of an immoral member. The Navigators in those days did a great work in the Navy throughout the whole of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and hundreds of young men were led to Christ through their efforts during the war years. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. It was a glorious work. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). There are even discrepancies inside single denominations (which means we have division inside our divisions, great). "I appeal to you," he says, "by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Philippians 2:6-8 RSV). There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). Thats not the way a jigsaw puzzle was meant to be put together. God wants the local church congregation and the local community to see the beauty of a church that is unified and fitted together in love. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. It is extremely important. 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). These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. Every Navigator had to have a Scofield Reference Bible; that was the only "Authorized Version." There are some people who minister to us better than others, and it is only natural that we should listen to them and follow them. Now, you do not have to be very old to recognize that that is still a problem in the church. Her hair is messed up! Other divisions were to follow. Other divisions were to follow. It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful This applies also to the leadership in the church. They were hard to get in those war years, and every shipment that came in went out like hot cakes. We all know what a clique is. Try it some time. Are we willing to love each other as Christ loved us? Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. The words made complete mean to be perfectly joined together, like a jigsaw puzzle. How important is it that there be unity in the Church where you fellowship? Going off of what Cody is saying, in todays church everything needs to be just right. I would like to approach it from an evangelistic standpoint. The families have been seated. Every piece of that jigsaw puzzle is different, isnt it? He started this church. His Word does not disagree with itself. (1Corinthians 1:17 RSV). The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. I lead a small group so I sometimes have to sit in meetings where the pastor shares things about the vision of our church. For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. We go back to the Lord alone. He is the ground, always, of unity. But it is the exclusiveness that Paul is concerned about here -- people who do not even want to come to a service if someone other than their favorite is preaching. 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. I've not forgotten that incident because it seems to me to capture the very attitude Paul is describing here. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. Like Greg, I recognize this tension in some of the churches I have served in and find it appalling (1 Corinthians 3:18-19). The Corinthian Church. By focusing on Jesus we can see how important the parts of church really are. Some had no problem with consuming meat that had been sacrificed to idols; for others, it was a real offense. In verse 10 we see both Pauls affection for the Corinthian church, and his authority as an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. But first, it is very clear that he is deeply troubled by this. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. If you will turn in your Bibles with me to John 17:20-23, I will read the passage to you. 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. (Peter, evidently, had been through Corinth and had preached there.) In the body of Christ at large there are many who can make a contribution to the understanding of Christ. They take an innocent teaching medium, in this case baptism, and make it into an identification badge. And I say that because some people focus on PREACHER instead of THE SAVIOR. A gasp bursts from the guests! These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. 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). 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. He addresses them as brethren. The Greek word used here literally means to say the same thing. We see similar situations today, with political debates often devolving into a shouting match in which the person who yells their opinion the loudest and the longest is the winner. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. Not when some people in the congregation wont look at, speak to, or even acknowledge the existence of certain other people in the congregation. 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. He appeals to them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Phil Long is correct, we have not improved much since the first century. 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. Now these things were good. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them; that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. (NKJV). Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? Message transcript and recording 1978 by Ray Stedman Ministries, owner of sole copyright by assignment from the author. 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. People begin to think things about him that are not true, and expect things from him that he is unable to deliver. The facts in the gospel are what will set us free, and particularly, he says, the word of the cross. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. In my church it seems like they are all about numbers. A second issue that seems to keep the church divided (the whole church and individual churches) is the little things such as the structure of the service, the type of music played for worship, whether a pastor should always wear a tie, and what color should be used in the bathroom. 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. Now, it cannot. Everybody has their denomination and they cling relentless to their doctrinal beliefs. What is a clique? It is sad to see that our world appears just as divided today as it did back in the first century. 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. The organ begins the bridal march, and everyone stands. You could spot the Navigators going up and down the streets of Honolulu. We pray that it may be rich and real in our hearts as we live this week together. I find there are these tendencies right here in Peninsula Bible Church. There are still others today who follow after some school of thought. Here in Verse10 he briefly shows us the ground of unity, and the nature of unity in a church. 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. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful Take the various mega-churches for example, whose charismatic pastors live in mansions. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. There should be oneness of mind, no matter how long it takes. I do not think things have improved much since the first century. Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. 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). This also brings up another Pagan influence which is naming the days of the week after the planets. Now, Paul says this is all basically, fundamentally wrong. Faith rests on Gods shoulders alone- its not by our wisdom and ability (Polhill 237). In verses 10-17 of Chapter 1, Paul establishes the fact that there are divisions and begins to deal with them. Christians are all disciples, or better, stewards and servants of the mysteries of God (1 Cor 4:1). Now, we are similar to the ancient world in that some people do see their pastors/teachers as a source of pride. He said so himself. 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. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. There are several things that split the church today. So rather that detailing their accomplishments as orators, Paul describes their functions (Paul planted, Apollos watered, etc.) And, after all, Peter even walked on water!" Some people will pick other matters of doctrine to affirm. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. Subject to permissions policy, all rights reserved. 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. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. I still have at home the Scofield Reference Bible with the index ladder drawn by him. He says, in effect, "You don't cure divisions in a church by identification badges. Why? In this parable, the groom is Christ. That was a mark of status with them. Paul exhorts them to agree. My answer was that it all depends on the motive. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful He gathers disciples and establishes a church, a meeting place for educating his disciples. If you survey the church scene all over America today, you find people dividing up this way. How important is it that there be unity within the Church? What he says we'll listen to, not Paul or Peter or anyone else -- it makes no difference to us." I dont remember Paul seeing any thing like these issues as other than trivial. Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. 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.. I agree with Greg, I see a lot of times where Pastors begin to care more about the number of the congregation rather on the connectedness of it. His bride, the Church, has been fighting again!. The members started to develop division following different leaders. I have to admit though that sometimes I think about numbers and recognition and want that. In my experience though, I find that it is carnal and unspiritual leaders that put up walls and fences between members of the body. I thank God that only a few of you can say that about me." Then there were the stylists, those who were attracted by the different kinds of preaching, and they had especially been drawn to Apollos. 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. We all know what a clique is. For permission to use this content, please review And he speaks in the name of or by the authority of, our Lord Jesus Christ. I think today if church leaders focus on Jesus and only Jesus we would be so much healthier. It is possible, though, that the divisions among That is why the apostle appeals to it. 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 to this, there should be a division that exists considering that there are some denominations that do teach correct biblical doctrine, while other churches deviate from correct biblical doctrine in order to teach their own false doctrines. 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. 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. Anyone who claims that he or she has an exclusive part in Christ is wrong. So he says, "I didn't baptize many of you. 2- The Churchs division. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. The Corinthian Church. 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. Its pathetic that people should get so angry about whether drums are used or if the AC unit is kept at 71 or 70. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. In verses 14 to 16, Paul uses himself as an example. 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. In the same way, thats not the way the Church was meant to be fitted together. 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. 2 Corinthians 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. Paul here introduces that which can cure divisions, both negatively and positively. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). The congregation then is to submit to the elders because it has confidence that their decisions were made under the Holy Spirits direction and power. 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. Near the cross, O Lamb of God, bring its scenes before me. 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. When the lifeless body of the little one was carried back to the anxious mother, she cried aloud, Oh why didnt you join hands before?. There were: the followers of Paul, the followers of Apollos, the followers of Cephas or Peter, and the followers of Christ. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. Long has taught full time at Grace Christian University since 1998, specializing in Bible and Biblical languages.
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