He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. The news went out but no one had seen the little fellow. Conclusion. Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? Paul doesnt want these divisions to continue, so he offers them an alternative. This is really what is behind his disclaimer on baptism in 1 Cor 1:14-16. Then there were the stylists, those who were attracted by the different kinds of preaching, and they had especially been drawn to Apollos. I hang on every word you say. 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? Like I talked about in the first posting, the emerging church makes me question a lot of things they are doing. If Paul could see the divisions between the various denominations of today, what would he say? Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? But yet the apostle says they are to be of the same mind. And some of them are really gross. We may not all agree on the way to do church but there is definitely more than one effective way. Phillip J. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. 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. (I have been trying for a long time to get my wife to accept that!) It was expected. I always have, and always will believe that this overly exaggerated concept of denominations is a problem. He was a rhetorician who was especially capable in the allegorical style of teaching of the Old Testament. He begins the process of developing them into leaders who will also preach the gospel and found more churches. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. This Bible was pushed by the Navigators, and everybody had to have one. Who are we, that we should put our interests and our desires ahead of that of the Lord for his church? There are many other things that do cause serious problems stemming from the outside world. Paul did not want to present the Gospel as an orator, competing for students as they did. What should our evaluation of a ministry look like I wonder if its not by numbers? Offshoots had disturbed 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. To an unbeliever, this looks like we cannot agree on our own religion. We are of Peter." All are mere teachers; there is only one Lord. Paul, however, was a good leader. And there were some who said, "Well, when Peter came through, he baptized me. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. On a large jigsaw puzzle of a thousand pieces or more, its almost impossible to put it together upside down! 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. Instead of directly saying that we follow Paul, or Apollos, we say that we are Baptist, Reformed, or even Catholic. But that is a very dangerous attitude, and yet we tend to think of people as being the channel by which deliverance can come to our heart. Now, in one verse he introduces to us the cure for these divisions (Verse17): For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom [literally, "wisdom of words"], lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. A. This applies also to the leadership in the church. The ground, of course, is the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. There was nothing wrong with Paul baptizing people, but Paul didnt want people to boast about the fact that he baptized them. A number of churches in this postmodern era have begun to resemble the Corinthian church in alarming ways. Take the various mega-churches for example, whose charismatic pastors live in mansions. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who It is a serious threat to the life of a church to find people choosing favorite preachers, to the degree, at least, that they do not want to listen to anyone else. Now, 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. 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. There are those who are emotionally attached to some great Christian leader who has helped them, and they will only listen to him. 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. So undoubtedly there was a big group that followed Paul. 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). Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. 3- The presence of an immoral member. Im not saying its wrong to stick to what you believe. Some are of Ritchie, and some are of Roper, and a few of Stedman! In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. How many of you have ever put together a jigsaw puzzle? 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. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. WebDivisions in the Church. 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. 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. Paul, however, was a good leader. This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. They would have the Scofield Reference Bible and a notebook under one arm, and you knew that if you examined their Bibles you would find the ladder index on the pages. No, he says that is not why he was sent: "I was not sent to emphasize symbols, but, positively, I was sent to preach a whole gospel, not one emphasizing style, not in wisdom of words, but that which emphasizes content." 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. Weve seen how important unity was to the apostle Paul. Near the cross, O Lamb of God, bring its scenes before me. The Greek word used here literally means to say the same thing. I told them that it is a concern of mine as well. 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! Was Paul crucified for you? 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. And I say that because some people focus on PREACHER instead of THE SAVIOR. We are all equally undeserving of salvation and a relationship with Jesus Christ. Her gown is ripped and covered with mud! They became symbols of prestige and standing that became divisive factors among the men. In my opinion, this is one of the main reasons our churches are so split and why we act more like the world rather than more like Christ. There was extreme competition among the orators for honor and power. His Word does not disagree with itself. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. Paul exhorts them to agree. 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.. Now, we all have our favorite preacher, and up to a point that is not wrong. [Then he thinks of another group that he had baptized] (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. Why are these thing SO important? Some of them were saying, "Well, Paul baptized me." It was considered honorable for you to stand up for yourself in this way. These preachers draw in masses of people every week who are eager to hear them speak. 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. Lewis.". Doesnt He deserve better than this? the author asks. 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. Now, the second thing Paul says is, "Was Paul crucified for you?" No man is the Savior; no man can deliver us except Jesus. This doesnt mean that they have to agree on the minutest points in areas where there is no clear teaching in Scripture. The families have been seated. A. 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). Offshoots had disturbed the church. It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. 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. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. There was still a fourth group, and in some ways I think they were probably the worst. He's a great preacher, a warm, capable, eloquent man, who can make the Old Testament come alive!". The bride is limping! Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else). Were you baptized into the name of Paul? 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. I have had to do some degree of battle with this myself. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. I do not think things have improved much since the first century. 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. I agree with P. Longs last statement in that things have not improved much since the first century. He addresses them as brethren. From the book of Acts we learn that Apollos was an outstanding orator in a world that loved and appreciated oratory. 1 Corinthians 1-4 Division in the Church, division in the church of Corinth was over leadership, 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 Lawsuits Among Brothers, Corinthiaka in New Testament Blogs | Corinthian Matters, The Book of Enoch for Beginners: A Guide to Expand Your Understanding of the Biblical World. 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. Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. When I say worn out I mean people say that it is not usable in the modern world so its words become little more than foot rests in the pew. In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. Something shows up sooner or later as an identifying badge that marks them as "special," with special privilege and special status in that group. 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. 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. If so, what results are we shooting for? These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a 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. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. It is possible, though, that the divisions among I've not forgotten that incident because it seems to me to capture the very attitude Paul is describing here. (1Corinthians 1:12 RSV), Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. 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. What is a clique? In my experience though, I find that it is carnal and unspiritual leaders that put up walls and fences between members of the body. His most recent book is The Book of Enoch for Beginners: A Guide to Expand Your Understanding of the Biblical World (Rockridge, 2022). Thats not the way a jigsaw puzzle was meant to be put together. The church in Corinth was a group of people who were tearing themselves apart! I have had people say to me, "Oh, Mr. Stedman, when you speak I see so clearly! 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. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. Some people will pick other matters of doctrine to affirm. Because I am a little defensive it seems like they are almost my enemy. 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. One day in Africa, a small boy was lost. 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. Paul enters this world of wretched Sophists and preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The bibles need to match the pews which need to match the carpet which need to match the wall color. No man would ever have planned the cross. That is not the work of men; that is the work of God himself. Help me walk from day to day, with its shadows o'er me. The content of their messages was in agreement, but the followers of these men probably focused on personality differences and distorted their teachings. 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. 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. Polhill says, every Corinthian had their own favorite preacher (237). WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. Now, you do not have to be very old to recognize that that is still a problem in the church. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. 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 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! If you will turn in your Bibles with me to John 17:20-23, I will read the passage to you. 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. 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. Today we have followers of Rob Bell, Rick Warren, and even Joel Osteen (for some reason). In verse 10 we see both Pauls affection for the Corinthian church, and his authority as an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. 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. Alexandria was a center for learning and philosophy. I'm nobody, just like you!" It is interesting how quickly we forget where our gifts come from and think we are the cause of success. Therefore our boasting should only be in the Lord (1 Corinthains 1:26-31). Orators have to be so careful not to let teaching become a pride thing rather than a gift they share to better the other. After all, he was one of the first apostles that Jesus himself called." 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? 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. One eye is purple and swollen! In 2019 he published a commentary. He called to ask whether I thought that would be right or wrong to do. They were dividing over this whole issue, and Paul says it is all wrong. The groom and his attendants are in their places. Conclusion. Some had no problem with consuming meat that had been sacrificed to idols; for others, it was a real offense. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. Now, we are similar to the ancient world in that some people do see their pastors/teachers as a source of pride. In fact, there are still many divisions that exist today in modern churches. Do we need to be looking for results? There he indicates that the problem with cliquishness is that it tends to overemphasize the significance of the human leader. I will jump on the bandwagon here and say that division is definitely an issue today. There were, first of all, the loyalists who said, "We are of Paul. Acts 18:24 says that Apollos was an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man. In her book, The Key to a Loving Heart, Karen Mains includes a parable about the church entitled The Brawling Bride. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. Instead of tearing themselves apart, he urges them to be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. 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. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. That is always the unifying factor in a church, and that is the mind that is to be among us, the mind that does not consider itself the most important thing. Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. We all know what a clique is. They forget, of course, that the church never belongs to anybody but the Lord. That is the mind Paul is talking about. There are several things that split the church today. Then there were the traditionalists (there always are), those that say, "Well, I don't know about Paul or Apollos. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). 11My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). Are we willing to love each other as Christ loved us? WebWhat were the causes of division in the Corinthian Church? In desperation, they returned and held a meeting. When you get men's eyes off all these status symbols, and call them back away from following men to the Person of Christ and his cross, all the divisions will disappear. Her hair is messed up! The cross of Christ is what will heal the fragmentation of Christians wherever they are. 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. He does not say we should stop baptizing because of this problem. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who The third thing that every Navigator had was a little black notebook covered in rough-grained leather. It tells about the most climactic moment in a wedding ceremony. If you survey the church scene all over America today, you find people dividing up this way. WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. When daylight again appeared, they looked for him with renewed energy but still without success. Try it some time. I dont remember Paul seeing any thing like these issues as other than trivial. 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. 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. I told them that I do not foresee and end to these divisions anytime soon (sadly). It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. What is a clique? And he speaks in the name of or by the authority of, our Lord Jesus Christ. The Corinthian Church. 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 have to admit though that sometimes I think about numbers and recognition and want that. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. That was a mark of status with them. 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. He was introduced in a rather extended and flowery way, but he came on and in his great, booming voice said, "I'm not Dr.Oswald Hoffman, the great preacher of the Lutheran Hour. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. As a result, this led to the division among Christian converts and to the Christian community as a whole. With Pauls harsh criticism of said divisions, you would think that we might have learned how to move beyond that in the 21st Century, however, that is not the case. When I say it gets ignored like an infomercial you probably infer what that means. 3- The presence of an immoral member. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. 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. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. 3- The presence of an immoral member. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. Since November 2021, Reading Acts is edited by Sarah Westphal. I was taking my break and a person I work with asked where I went to college. 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! Faith rests on Gods shoulders alone- its not by our wisdom and ability (Polhill 237). 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 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. And there are others who are drawn to some speaking style that has attracted them. The words made complete mean to be perfectly joined together, like a jigsaw puzzle. A. And more than that, we have a responsibility to obey him, to follow his Lordship. 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? He come to Corinth to create a community of disciples from which he might receive patronage and prestige. Unless its mended, the tear gets bigger and bigger, doesnt it? (Even non-denominationals do this, just without claiming a denominational title). 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. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. 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. For permission to use this content, please review Every Navigator had to have a Scofield Reference Bible; that was the only "Authorized Version." I still have at home the Scofield Reference Bible with the index ladder drawn by him. 2 Corinthians 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. Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. 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.. We came to life in Christ by Paul, and Paul is the one we're going to listen to above all others." 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. WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. In verses 10-17 of Chapter 1, Paul establishes the fact that there are divisions and begins to deal with them. Many of the other problems were flowing out of this division within the congregation. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. Only the Lord Jesus Christ could pay the penalty for our sins because only He is the Son of God. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. His bride, the Church, has been fighting again!. 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." I think today if church leaders focus on Jesus and only Jesus we would be so much healthier. 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.. God, therefore, has designed that there be many teachers, many preachers, many viewpoints, in a church. (1Corinthians 1:17 RSV). Dio Chrysostom complained that Corinth was filled with wretched sophists, many of whom were debating one another with shouting and abuse near the temple to Poseidon. In fact, these divisions are a sign of worldliness. Paul was the apostle to the gentiles. My impression is that the same sorts of problems evident in Corinth are clearly evident in the contemporary church, whether that is West Michigan or Brisbane. The word divisions comes from the Greek word schismata, from which we get our English word schism. Unity in the church is something that requires cooperation with each other and with the Spirit of God. That does not mean that everybody has to think alike. It is the popular thing today to cry, "Back to the Reformation!" I would agree that we find ourselves in much the same situations as those listening to the Greek philosophers/orators. Paul is putting his finger right on the problem when he asks, "Was Paul crucified for you?" 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.