We are all equally undeserving of salvation and a relationship with Jesus Christ. He was a rhetorician who was especially capable in the allegorical style of teaching of the Old Testament. 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). With that spirit of self-righteous smugness, they were separating from the rest, dividing up the congregation and quarreling with one another over these things. On a large jigsaw puzzle of a thousand pieces or more, its almost impossible to put it together upside down! I do not identify my self as being a follower of anybody but Jesus (although there are certain theologians that I do hold in higher regard than others). Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. 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. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. They take an innocent teaching medium, in this case baptism, and make it into an identification badge. 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. Paul was the apostle to the gentiles. 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. That was a mark of status with them. 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. 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. RayStedman.org/permissions. We had some great meetings and great times together. This doesnt mean that they have to agree on the minutest points in areas where there is no clear teaching in Scripture. Paul here introduces that which can cure divisions, both negatively and positively. 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. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful Yet, in reality as long as correct biblical doctrine is being taught no pastor should be viewed in comparison to one another. I would agree that we find ourselves in much the same situations as those listening to the Greek philosophers/orators. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches 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. 4-The churchs failure to discipline. We become followers of out Pastors and churches rather than of Christ. It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). Some pigged out at the Lord Supper; others had barely enough to eat. And if you were really on the inside circle, your ladder was drawn by none other than Dawson Trotman himself! It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. A. Was Paul crucified for you? Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. (I suppose that if Dio were commenting on the modern world, he would describe the wretched bloggers shouting abuse at the temple of WordPress!). Have you ever tried to put a jigsaw puzzle together with the pieces turned upside down so that they are all blank? The same viewpoints are still dividing people. Here are our first clues as to what is wrong with this kind of cliquishness in a church. That was the mark, that was the identification badge. 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. 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. If Paul were to visit one of these churches, he would see a good-looking man in a custom suit standing over everybody else, and his mind would go straight to the orators of his day. Then there were the traditionalists (there always are), those that say, "Well, I don't know about Paul or Apollos. 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. 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. WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. 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. The bridesmaids have come down the aisle. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. I appreciate the perspective given by the author and agree 100% that the body of Christ is divided. 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. It is possible, though, that the divisions among These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. 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. I was taking my break and a person I work with asked where I went to college. 3- The presence of an immoral member. Lewis.". This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. 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). 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). 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 Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. In 1 Corinthians, Paul consciously avoids disciple-teacher language. God only sees one fold, (John 10) and there is only one faith, one Lord, one baptism etc. Message transcript and recording 1978 by Ray Stedman Ministries, owner of sole copyright by assignment from the author. Offshoots had disturbed the church. Todays church is a lot like the church of Corinthians. And, after all, Peter even walked on water!" This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. He called to ask whether I thought that would be right or wrong to do. Some considered Paul their leader, others Apollos, still others Peter. The word divisions comes from the Greek word schismata, from which we get our English word schism. (1Corinthians 1:13b-16 RSV). As we do, I hope every one of us will understand more and more fully the character of this radical principle that God has turned loose among us, this revolutionary idea represented in the cross of Christ that wipes out all these distinctions among men. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. Im not saying its wrong to stick to what you believe. 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. 2- The Churchs division. It tells about the most climactic moment in a wedding ceremony. 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. 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. 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. (1Corinthians 1:17 RSV). There were, first of all, the loyalists who said, "We are of Paul. It was expected. 3- The presence of an immoral member. 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 may not all agree on the way to do church but there is definitely more than one effective way. 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. If you will turn in your Bibles with me to John 17:20-23, I will read the passage to you. 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. Now, almost every group does this. Furthermore, would the apostle not also be concerned with other divisions within the individual church body? We go back to the Lord alone. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. We must allow him the privilege of doing that. 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. The bibles need to match the pews which need to match the carpet which need to match the wall color. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. 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. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. 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. For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. Her hair is messed up! 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. In other words, there must be agreement with Christ, with His will, and with His Word. 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. Conclusion. It is sad to see that our world appears just as divided today as it did back in the first century. The news went out but no one had seen the little fellow. It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). Paul wants the Corinthian church to mend the broken relationships that have been caused by the divisions among its members. Doesnt He deserve better than this? the author asks. It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. 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. Thats not the way a jigsaw puzzle was meant to be put together. Not even a three-fourths vote should carry a motion. When daylight again appeared, they looked for him with renewed energy but still without success. The better the orator, the higher the fee, and the more disciples he will attract. How important is it that there be unity in the Church where you fellowship? The human condition is, unfortunately, one of comparison that seeks to place oneself or their beliefs over another. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). Gods people who are moving in revival (like we have been to experiencing right here in Brisbane these last few months) have no qualms about getting together to see the nation of Australia come to Christ. Paul exhorts them to agree. 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. All rights reserved. 2 Corinthians 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. (Peter, evidently, had been through Corinth and had preached there.) 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. (1Corinthians 1:13 RSV). It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. 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. In 2019 he published a commentary. Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. We need to be perfectly joined together in the love of Christ. In this passage of Scripture, Paul is very careful to focus the attention on Christ and not on himself. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). Take the various mega-churches for example, whose charismatic pastors live in mansions. Paul is putting his finger right on the problem when he asks, "Was Paul crucified for you?" God is not confused, and He does not contradict Himself. 13Is Christ divided? Now, the second thing Paul says is, "Was Paul crucified for you?" That is why Paul calls us back to it. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. Only the Lord Jesus Christ could pay the penalty for our sins because only He is the Son of God. But when it comes to the clear teachings of Gods Word, there cannot be two conflicting views that are both right. Will we do so by the strength which God alone can and will supply? Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). Long has taught full time at Grace Christian University since 1998, specializing in Bible and Biblical languages. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. In these cases, there should be freedom to agree to disagree. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. We all know what a clique is. 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. With all the differences among us, it is impossible to get people to think alike. I told them GBC and they said something along the lines of, Oh a Bible college? Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. These preachers draw in masses of people every week who are eager to hear them speak. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who In desperation, they returned and held a meeting. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. The first noticeable division would be among differing denominations. 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. I would like to approach it from an evangelistic standpoint. 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. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? Since I was working at that time in the ship's service department in Pearl Harbor, we ordered great quantities of these Bibles. 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. Now, we are similar to the ancient world in that some people do see their pastors/teachers as a source of pride. The followers of Jesus may have believed in Jesus words only, and did not believe that the writings of Peter, Paul, and the other apostles were really Scripture. Its a lot harder! 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). 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 some people who minister to us better than others, and it is only natural that we should listen to them and follow them. 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. 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.. 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 addresses them as brethren. Anyone who claims that he or she has an exclusive part in Christ is wrong. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 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. He says, in effect, "You don't cure divisions in a church by identification badges. Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. 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! 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. But when each piece is fitted together into its proper place in the puzzle, you have a beautiful and complete picture. Some boasted of their special spiritual gifts; others felt left out. 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. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. My answer was that it all depends on the motive. 3- The presence of an immoral member. There has been no other cure that I know of through the years. The organ begins the bridal march, and everyone stands. Now, he describes the nature of unity this way, "that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment." There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. It wipes out all the petty distinctions that men make among themselves. A. It is the popular thing today to cry, "Back to the Reformation!" There are many other things that do cause serious problems stemming from the outside world. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). Even as Christians, there seems to be the desire of wanting to uphold one pastor over another by comparison and ultimately glorifying certain pastors. Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. The search went on until nightfall, but no answer came to their urgent calls. I have had people say to me, "Oh, Mr. Stedman, when you speak I see so clearly! A. Everybody has their denomination and they cling relentless to their doctrinal beliefs. Aside from this acceptable division within the modern church, there are also two other reasons for division which should not exist. 11My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. If we are, all our differences and difficulties would soon come to an end. Some of them were saying, "Well, Paul baptized me." They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful Paul always expresses great concern about the possibility of a split in the church. That is what Paul speaks about. I. PAULS APPEAL FOR UNITY (verses 10-12). 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. Other divisions were to follow. 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. Phillip J. 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 Paul could see the divisions between the various denominations of today, what would he say? Phil Long is correct, we have not improved much since the first century. 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. Why? 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. He chooses various channels through which to work. He appeals to them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. They will not all be the same flavor; they will not all have the same characteristics. What he says we'll listen to, not Paul or Peter or anyone else -- it makes no difference to us." WebDivisions in the Church. Some sued their fellow Christians in the secular courts. I think the letter to the Philippians helps us here, because in that passage I just quoted from, Paul goes on to say, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus," (Philippians 2:5). In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). And there were some who said, "Well, when Peter came through, he baptized me. 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. 2 Corinthians What is a clique? To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. Sometimes two or three hundred sailors, all of them Christians, would be there. The ground, of course, is the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. They were boasting over who had baptized them. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. The families have been seated. Was Paul crucified for you? And I say that because some people focus on PREACHER instead of THE SAVIOR. 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. 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. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. Apollos was an intellectual. His Word does not disagree with itself. The other reason is the division among churches of the same denomination. Thanks for the thoughtful comment Austin. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who Instead of directly saying that we follow Paul, or Apollos, we say that we are Baptist, Reformed, or even Catholic. There was nothing wrong with Paul baptizing people, but Paul didnt want people to boast about the fact that he baptized them. 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. 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. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. It builds him up too much; it makes him a rival, to some degree, of the Lord himself. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. 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. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. Public arguments were commonplace in the Greco-Roman world at the time that Paul was writing to the Corinthian church. He gathers disciples and establishes a church, a meeting place for educating his disciples. We are of Peter." If it is to expand the congregation and further the work of the Lord in that area, and he had the whole agreement of the leadership of the church behind him, then it is fine to take part of the congregation and go away and begin another work. 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. The minister is waiting, Bible in hand. Try it some time. However, I would like to approach this in a different way than the comments already present here. I personally experienced this at work about a year and a half ago. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. He didnt focus on himself being superior to all the rest of the church leaders. Others were saying, "Well, Apollos himself baptized me." Orators have to be so careful not to let teaching become a pride thing rather than a gift they share to better the other. It seems like this isnt a problem and doesnt affect the church much in its present state. Maybe if they are getting rid of core doctrine it is a justifiable anger but I can definitely see how the church is very much the same as 2000 years ago.
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