Paul doesnt want these divisions to continue, so he offers them an alternative. 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. Anyone who claims that he or she has an exclusive part in Christ is wrong. However, I would like to approach this in a different way than the comments already present here. Instead of tearing themselves apart, he urges them to be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. (I suppose that if Dio were commenting on the modern world, he would describe the wretched bloggers shouting abuse at the temple of WordPress!). 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. A. We had some great meetings and great times together. It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). The search went on until nightfall, but no answer came to their urgent calls. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. 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. WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. 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? Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. He come to Corinth to create a community of disciples from which he might receive patronage and prestige. He has Masters degrees in Biblical Exposition and Old Testament from Talbot School of Theology (BIOLA) and a PhD in New Testament from Andrews University. 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. In my experience though, I find that it is carnal and unspiritual leaders that put up walls and fences between members of the body. 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. 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. We have our theological view points, and even our philosophical ones (even though we could have less of that in our churches today in my opinion) but we also have our social dimensions as well. It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. 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. 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. A young pastor who was facing that problem in his church called me this week from another state. 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. 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. 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. 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. In desperation, they returned and held a meeting. These preachers draw in masses of people every week who are eager to hear them speak. 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. And I say that because some people focus on PREACHER instead of THE SAVIOR. There are still others today who follow after some school of thought. Paul then goes on to give us three very carefully stated clues in Verse13 as to what is wrong with this kind of thing. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. (1Corinthians 1:13b-16 RSV). He didnt focus on himself being superior to all the rest of the church leaders. 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. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. All are mere teachers; there is only one Lord. These were not schisms yet; they had not split off into other congregations, but there were four cliques, or factions within the congregation. They are springing up all over the place, including Downunder (Australia) where I live here in Brisbane. This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. Other divisions were to follow. Now, he is not saying that it is wrong to baptize; he himself did it, and acknowledges that he did. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). We are all equally undeserving of salvation and a relationship with Jesus Christ. Lewis.". WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. God is not confused, and He does not contradict Himself. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. When I say it gets ignored like an infomercial you probably infer what that means. We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. The Greek word used here literally means to say the same thing. With all the differences among us, it is impossible to get people to think alike. Near the cross, O Lamb of God, bring its scenes before me. It seems like this isnt a problem and doesnt affect the church much in its present state. Do we need to be looking for results? Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. Paul continues in verse 10 by saying that there be no divisions among you. 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. There are many other things that do cause serious problems stemming from the outside world. The third danger of groups is given in the latter part of Verse13, and on through the next few verses: Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 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. 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. His dissertation was published as Jesus the Bridegroom by Pickwick Books in 2012. It was a glorious work. In the same way, thats not the way the Church was meant to be fitted together. 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. 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! 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. Thanks for the thoughtful comment Austin. Was Paul crucified for you? Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. 10I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. 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. (1Corinthians 1:12 RSV), Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. 16(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) This is what Paul uses as the basis for unity in this church -- not only the attitude of selflessness, which is the mind of Christ, but the responsibility to submit to his Lordship, the common responsibility that we have together. Will we do so by the strength which God alone can and will supply? That is the problem, and it is still going on today. Apollos was an intellectual. Christians are all disciples, or better, stewards and servants of the mysteries of God (1 Cor 4:1). So rather that detailing their accomplishments as orators, Paul describes their functions (Paul planted, Apollos watered, etc.) In verses 10-17 of Chapter 1, Paul establishes the fact that there are divisions and begins to deal with them. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. They were hard to get in those war years, and every shipment that came in went out like hot cakes. For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. 4-The churchs failure to discipline. Some had no problem with consuming meat that had been sacrificed to idols; for others, it was a real offense. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. In Philippians 2:9 Paul said of Christ, Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name. No Christian, no Christian minister, is to put himself in Christs place, or allow himself to be put in Christs place, and take the authority and honor that is due to Christ alone. That is the mind Paul is talking about. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else). WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. Phillip J. The countless denominations and different beliefs of Christianity are often not appealing to non-believers. Now, Paul says this is all basically, fundamentally wrong. Now, the second thing Paul says is, "Was Paul crucified for you?" 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). The organ begins the bridal march, and everyone stands. In the body of Christ at large there are many who can make a contribution to the understanding of Christ. Some say, "I am of Gothard," and others say, "No, I am of Bright." Others were saying, "Well, Apollos himself baptized me." It was expected. 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. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. 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 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. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. So he says, "I didn't baptize many of you. 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. They will not all be the same flavor; they will not all have the same characteristics. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. Webdivided. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. And there are others who are drawn to some speaking style that has attracted them. So they were splitting and arguing and quarreling over the relative merit and authority of these various teachers. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. Now, he describes the nature of unity this way, "that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment." This also brings up another Pagan influence which is naming the days of the week after the planets. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. The human condition is, unfortunately, one of comparison that seeks to place oneself or their beliefs over another. Some considered Paul their leader, others Apollos, still others Peter. WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. 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? So undoubtedly there was a big group that followed Paul. The cross of Christ is what will heal the fragmentation of Christians wherever they are. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. For instance, in the Greco-Roman culture the practice of teacher-disciple relationships was often common and so many Christian converts in Corinth would associate themselves with a particular teacher and be under their discipleship. But yet the apostle says they are to be of the same mind. Help us to judge these in the light of the cross, and, by its light, to walk before thee. 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 Bible was pushed by the Navigators, and everybody had to have one. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. On Friday of this week we will gather again to consider the cross of Christ. Todays church is a lot like the church of Corinthians. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. Every Navigator had to have a Scofield Reference Bible; that was the only "Authorized Version." Their relationship to Christ was the unifying factor of the church. This word was normally used to refer to a tear in a garment. Here in Verse10 he briefly shows us the ground of unity, and the nature of unity in a church. They did not try to hide the problems. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. 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? 3- The presence of an immoral member. Help me walk from day to day, with its shadows o'er me. 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. I've not forgotten that incident because it seems to me to capture the very attitude Paul is describing here. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. We must allow him the privilege of doing that. After all, he was one of the first apostles that Jesus himself called." The Corinthian Church. 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. Acts 18:24 says that Apollos was an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man. Still others say, "We are of Schaeffer," and others, "We are of Graham," or, "We are of C.S. 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. 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. Today we have followers of Rob Bell, Rick Warren, and even Joel Osteen (for some reason). Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? 4-The churchs failure to discipline. In verse 10 we see both Pauls affection for the Corinthian church, and his authority as an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are those who are emotionally attached to some great Christian leader who has helped them, and they will only listen to him. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). They were boasting over who had baptized them. And, after all, Peter even walked on water!" They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. 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. I agree with P. Longs last statement in that things have not improved much since the first century. 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. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. He is the ground, always, of unity. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. They forget, of course, that the church never belongs to anybody but the Lord. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. Paul did not want to present the Gospel as an orator, competing for students as they did. 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. 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. 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. 2- The Churchs division. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. The church is never called to having everybody think exactly alike. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. 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? Like I talked about in the first posting, the emerging church makes me question a lot of things they are doing. We need to be perfectly joined together in the love of Christ. Paul, however, was a good leader. If you survey the church scene all over America today, you find people dividing up this way. Long has taught full time at Grace Christian University since 1998, specializing in Bible and Biblical languages. And some of them are really gross. Orators have to be so careful not to let teaching become a pride thing rather than a gift they share to better the other. Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. What he says we'll listen to, not Paul or Peter or anyone else -- it makes no difference to us." Her hair is messed up! 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. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. Some pigged out at the Lord Supper; others had barely enough to eat. 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. WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). By focusing on Jesus we can see how important the parts of church really are. Alexandria was a center for learning and philosophy. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. This introduces one of the greatest passages in the Bible, setting forth the difference between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God. In other words, there must be agreement with Christ, with His will, and with His Word. Even as Christians, there seems to be the desire of wanting to uphold one pastor over another by comparison and ultimately glorifying certain pastors. A gasp bursts from the guests! It is those who have a financial interest in their own wellbeing, that divide the sheep up into different folds. Now, we all have our favorite preacher, and up to a point that is not wrong. 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 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. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. It builds him up too much; it makes him a rival, to some degree, of the Lord himself. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. What should our evaluation of a ministry look like I wonder if its not by numbers? Phil Long is correct, we have not improved much since the first century. 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. 3- The presence of an immoral member. His followers in the Corinthian church may have viewed Christianity as a philosophy rather than a relationship with a Person Jesus Christ. In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? 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. 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. 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. If Paul could see the divisions between the various denominations of today, what would he say? It wipes out all the petty distinctions that men make among themselves. Now, we are similar to the ancient world in that some people do see their pastors/teachers as a source of pride. 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. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. RayStedman.org/permissions. They became symbols of prestige and standing that became divisive factors among the men. In verses 14 to 16, Paul uses himself as an example. Conclusion. Since I was working at that time in the ship's service department in Pearl Harbor, we ordered great quantities of these Bibles. 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. The basic meaning is to put back together and make one again something that was broken or separated. Offshoots had disturbed the church. Remember, a believer who is at war with his brother or sister in Christ cannot be at peace with our heavenly Father. A. WebDivisions in the Church. We all know what a clique is. The facts in the gospel are what will set us free, and particularly, he says, the word of the cross. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. I would agree that we find ourselves in much the same situations as those listening to the Greek philosophers/orators. Polhill says, every Corinthian had their own favorite preacher (237). It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. 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. Since November 2021, Reading Acts is edited by Sarah Westphal. Was Paul crucified for you? In these cases, there should be freedom to agree to disagree. (Peter, evidently, had been through Corinth and had preached there.) 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. 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. Public arguments were commonplace in the Greco-Roman world at the time that Paul was writing to the Corinthian church. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. I still have at home the Scofield Reference Bible with the index ladder drawn by him. In verse 17, Paul says that his calling of God was to preach the Gospel, and the focus of the Gospel is the cross of Christ. That is what Paul speaks about. 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. We all know what a clique is. Paul is going to go on to describe this radical force that is so different than anything else there is nothing like it in the world. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. "I appeal to you," he says, "by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." 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. 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. [Then he thinks of another group that he had baptized] (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Doesnt He deserve better than this? the author asks. My answer was that it all depends on the motive. And some of them are really gross. This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. In this parable, the groom is Christ. I was taking my break and a person I work with asked where I went to college. This issue was so important that Paul devotes the first four chapters of I Corinthians to divisions in the church. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. WebDivisions in the Church. God is all about people, not money, and I feel sorry for anyone who tries to take over the current move of God, put it in a box, stick a label on it, and own it they will be swept away. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. That was a mark of status with them. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). 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. They were drawing themselves up and saying, "Well, you may be of Paul or of Peter or of Apollos, but we are of Christ! Its pathetic that people should get so angry about whether drums are used or if the AC unit is kept at 71 or 70. Her gown is ripped and covered with mud! Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. The members started to develop division following different leaders. He appeals to them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you, Father, for this time here contemplating the cross. In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. The first and perhaps biggest is denominations. 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. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities.