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. As a result, this led to the division among Christian converts and to the Christian community as a whole. Polhill says, every Corinthian had their own favorite preacher (237). 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. It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. We get so off track of what Christianity is all aboutMark 12:30-31 and begin focusing on worldly things like Rob Bell debated are actually being held to see if this Pastor is even Christian! 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. Was Paul crucified for you? 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! What is a clique? 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.. I would like to start off with a quote (forgive me for the length) from Polhill that I found to be all to strikingly familiar of todays churches. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). Its pastors, bishops and others who fear the loss of their livlihoods as their former sheep move on in God towards the new wine skins of revival that want to maintain the old wine skins which brought them an income. Now, you do not have to be very old to recognize that that is still a problem in the church. 4-The churchs failure to discipline. The basic meaning is to put back together and make one again something that was broken or separated. WebDivisions in the Church. He addresses them as brethren. There was extreme competition among the orators for honor and power. So Paul is insisting that the Corinthians, and all believers, have doctrinal unity that is clearly based on Gods Word. This is really what is behind his disclaimer on baptism in 1 Cor 1:14-16. That is the problem, and it is still going on today. In the same way, thats not the way the Church was meant to be fitted together. 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). Its all about who looks the best, how much money is made, and how big our churches are. (1Corinthians 1:17 RSV). 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. Galatians: Freedom through Gods Grace (Wipf & Stock, 2019). Now, it cannot. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. It seems so bland compared to all the other choices out there when really it presents and encourages people to live out a very different and exciting life in the opposite direction of the world. And he speaks in the name of or by the authority of, our Lord Jesus Christ. Like Greg, I recognize this tension in some of the churches I have served in and find it appalling (1 Corinthians 3:18-19). Within our churches, and even in our own denominations (sophisticated name for divisions), we argue about church funds, whos on the worship team, and whether the youth should have long hair. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. In 2019 he published a commentary. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). It was expected. Christians are all disciples, or better, stewards and servants of the mysteries of God (1 Cor 4:1). 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. We do not know who the people were who belonged to the house of Cloe, but we must commend them for their courage and devotion. In desperation, they returned and held a meeting. He then goes on to describe for us the mind of Christ, which is a willingness to give up rights and personal privileges and give in and take a lower place. For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. Divisions never really ended with Pauls letters; they just appear to have evolved into having more sophisticated names. 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.". Therefore, the only basis upon which you can get Christians to agree is by setting before them the Person of the Lord Jesus, and calling them back to that fundamental base. Paul then goes on to give us three very carefully stated clues in Verse13 as to what is wrong with this kind of thing. 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. I was taking my break and a person I work with asked where I went to college. It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. 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! 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. So rather that detailing their accomplishments as orators, Paul describes their functions (Paul planted, Apollos watered, etc.) When daylight again appeared, they looked for him with renewed energy but still without success. When you divide up among men you lose something, that is what he is saying. Now, we all have our favorite preacher, and up to a point that is not wrong. 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. WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. Even as Christians, there seems to be the desire of wanting to uphold one pastor over another by comparison and ultimately glorifying certain pastors. That is the mind Paul is talking about. 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. 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. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. 13Is Christ divided? His followers in the Corinthian church may have viewed Christianity as a philosophy rather than a relationship with a Person Jesus Christ. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. 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. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. If I was not raised in a Christian home, I think that I would have the same concerns. God only sees one fold, (John 10) and there is only one faith, one Lord, one baptism etc. Now, almost every group does this. Its not just the denominations per se any more theres also a proliferation of house churches too. Then not only did they have the Bible, but every Navigator who was anybody at all had to have an index drawn in on the pages of the Bible, a kind of a ladder that gave you a clue to where the books were so that with your thumb you could turn up any book in the Bible almost instantly. The same viewpoints are still dividing people. 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. Four groups had formed in the Corinthian church. There should be unanimous agreement. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. 16(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). One of these influencing factors is consumerism which finds its way into even the way Christians think. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. 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? 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. 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. But you could always tell a Navigator because there were three things that he always had: First, he had a Scofield Reference Bible tucked under his arm. WebDivisions in the Church. Then there were the traditionalists (there always are), those that say, "Well, I don't know about Paul or Apollos. 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. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). I find there are these tendencies right here in Peninsula Bible Church. In verses 10-17 of Chapter 1, Paul establishes the fact that there are divisions and begins to deal with them. The church is never called to having everybody think exactly alike. Obviously, here at Peninsula Bible Church we cannot do that. When I say it gets ignored like an infomercial you probably infer what that means. 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. We go back to the Lord alone. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. 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. Conclusion. Weve seen how important unity was to the apostle Paul. I believe that if people would take their eyes off man and stop putting man up up so high and put THE MASTER BACK FIRST in their lives it wont be so much division in our churches. That does not mean that everybody has to think alike. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. Its pathetic that people should get so angry about whether drums are used or if the AC unit is kept at 71 or 70. That is why we have four gospels, because not even one of the disciples who was with the Lord was capable of giving us a complete enough view of Christ. 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. Like the world, Christians are too concerned with being right and having our way. In verses 10-12, Paul begins by giving an appeal for unity. He was a rhetorician who was especially capable in the allegorical style of teaching of the Old Testament. Now, how could that be? If so, what results are we shooting for? From the book of Acts we learn that Apollos was an outstanding orator in a world that loved and appreciated oratory. Webdivided. It was a glorious work. 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. The minister is waiting, Bible in hand. I think today if church leaders focus on Jesus and only Jesus we would be so much healthier. Apollos was an intellectual. Subject to permissions policy, all rights reserved. The Corinthian Church. They are his family in Christ. The cross of Christ is what will heal the fragmentation of Christians wherever they are. Now, here the apostle makes very clear that the tendency among groupies is to distort the meaning of symbols. Some sued their fellow Christians in the secular courts. 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. 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." 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. This unintentional mindset causes people to treat the Bible and its words like it is a product that can wear out, and ignored like an infomercial. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. 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. We came to life in Christ by Paul, and Paul is the one we're going to listen to above all others." People begin to think things about him that are not true, and expect things from him that he is unable to deliver. 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. Phillip J. 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. Only the Lord Jesus Christ could pay the penalty for our sins because only He is the Son of God. A. (Philippians 2:6-8 RSV). That is not the work of men; that is the work of God himself. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else). It wipes out all the petty distinctions that men make among themselves. I would agree that we find ourselves in much the same situations as those listening to the Greek philosophers/orators. The most well known one is having worship on Sundays instead of the Sabbath. And some of them are really gross. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. We are all equally undeserving of salvation and a relationship with Jesus Christ. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. I told them that it is a concern of mine as well. 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. 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. In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? The Greek word used here literally means to say the same thing. 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. 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. Dio Chrysostom visited Corinth about A.D. 89-96. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who This word was normally used to refer to a tear in a garment. I told them GBC and they said something along the lines of, Oh a Bible college? There are those who are emotionally attached to some great Christian leader who has helped them, and they will only listen to him. (1Corinthians 1:10 RSV). 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.. But when it comes to the clear teachings of Gods Word, there cannot be two conflicting views that are both right. They are still acting just like the world. This is the challenge of the divisions in 1 Corinthians how does the modern church act just like the world? 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. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). We are of Peter." 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. (1Corinthians 1:13b-16 RSV). 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. A. Public arguments were commonplace in the Greco-Roman world at the time that Paul was writing to the Corinthian church. I've not forgotten that incident because it seems to me to capture the very attitude Paul is describing here. (1Corinthians 1:13 RSV). (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. The Corinthian Church.