In her book, The Key to a Loving Heart, Karen Mains includes a parable about the church entitled The Brawling Bride. The members started to develop division following different leaders. The words made complete mean to be perfectly joined together, like a jigsaw puzzle. There should be oneness of mind, no matter how long it takes. Faith rests on Gods shoulders alone- its not by our wisdom and ability (Polhill 237). Others were saying, "Well, Apollos himself baptized me." Paul does not want to be considered a philosopher who is gathering disciples, nor does he want that for Apollos or Peter or any man. Now, we are similar to the ancient world in that some people do see their pastors/teachers as a source of pride. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who Paul always expresses great concern about the possibility of a split in the church. I think today if church leaders focus on Jesus and only Jesus we would be so much healthier. 3- The presence of an immoral member. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. When you divide up among men you lose something, that is what he is saying. I still have at home the Scofield Reference Bible with the index ladder drawn by him. 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. (Philippians 2:6-8 RSV). 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? 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, 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. Since November 2021, Reading Acts is edited by Sarah Westphal. Bruises show on her arm! We all know what a clique is. 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. He come to Corinth to create a community of disciples from which he might receive patronage and prestige. I find there are these tendencies right here in Peninsula Bible Church. 2 Corinthians 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. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). Todays church is a lot like the church of Corinthians. 11My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. "One is your master; all of you are brothers," (Matthew 23:8 KJV). It is sad to see that our world appears just as divided today as it did back in the first century. Why? In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). Try it some time. So Paul is insisting that the Corinthians, and all believers, have doctrinal unity that is clearly based on Gods Word. With all the differences among us, it is impossible to get people to think alike. 3- The presence of an immoral member. 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. You could spot the Navigators going up and down the streets of Honolulu. This Bible was pushed by the Navigators, and everybody had to have one. For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. The news went out but no one had seen the little fellow. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. I agree with P. Longs last statement in that things have not improved much since the first century. 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.". For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. All that mattered to Paul was Jesus! These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. Some considered Paul their leader, others Apollos, still others Peter. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. 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.. 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! This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. 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). God only sees one fold, (John 10) and there is only one faith, one Lord, one baptism etc. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them; that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. (NKJV). 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. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. This is a very propitious time for us to consider the cross for this is Palm Sunday, commemorating the day when our Lord entered Jerusalem for his last week. If we sacrifice quality for numbers I dont think we are being good stewards of our gift of leadership. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. So he says, "I didn't baptize many of you. Other divisions were to follow. At that time it was under the leadership of its founder, Dawson Trotman, and it was my privilege and delight to be a close friend of his, to have spent a good deal of time with him and to come under the influence of his teaching and his methods. Conclusion. 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. Now, how could that be? I. PAULS APPEAL FOR UNITY (verses 10-12). In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. A gasp bursts from the guests! To all of this Paul would say to us, as he says to Corinth, Is Christ divided? 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. I would like to approach it from an evangelistic standpoint. I do not think things have improved much since the first century. Other divisions were to follow. It is the popular thing today to cry, "Back to the Reformation!" Unless its mended, the tear gets bigger and bigger, doesnt it? In this parable, the groom is Christ. That, of course, is as it should be. 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. WebDivisions in the 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). It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. 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! That was the mark, that was the identification badge. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. So they said, "When Peter came, we really felt that we were on solid ground. Paul continues in verse 10 by saying that there be no divisions among you. They are springing up all over the place, including Downunder (Australia) where I live here in Brisbane. Not when we hear of churches with factions or cliques of people who sit on opposite sides of the aisle. 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. There were: the followers of Paul, the followers of Apollos, the followers of Cephas or Peter, and the followers of Christ. Luke says in Acts 4:12, And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men, by which we must be saved. The ground is level at the cross. One of these influencing factors is consumerism which finds its way into even the way Christians think. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who Christians are all disciples, or better, stewards and servants of the mysteries of God (1 Cor 4:1). Instead of tearing themselves apart, he urges them to be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. That does not mean that everybody has to think alike. Peter was an uneducated, common man and may have appealed to that group of people in Corinth. But when it comes to the clear teachings of Gods Word, there cannot be two conflicting views that are both right. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. Aside from this acceptable division within the modern church, there are also two other reasons for division which should not exist. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. I think that some of the ways we have failed to de-paganize is because we are still so focused on the little things that make up the church. In fact, there are still many divisions that exist today in modern churches. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else). WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. Obviously, here at Peninsula Bible Church we cannot do that. Here in Verse10 he briefly shows us the ground of unity, and the nature of unity in a church. 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." WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. Whatever you say, I believe." A young pastor who was facing that problem in his church called me this week from another state. 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. 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. The human condition is, unfortunately, one of comparison that seeks to place oneself or their beliefs over another. If we are, all our differences and difficulties would soon come to an end. If you will turn in your Bibles with me to John 17:20-23, I will read the passage to you. Weve seen how important unity was to the apostle Paul. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. 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. (1Corinthians 1:10 RSV). This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. A. 4-The churchs failure to discipline. Public arguments were commonplace in the Greco-Roman world at the time that Paul was writing to the Corinthian church. Some of them were saying, "Well, Paul baptized me." 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." We go back to the Lord alone. 14I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. And some of them are really gross. It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. Its all about who looks the best, how much money is made, and how big our churches are. (1Corinthians 1:13 RSV). Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). Apollos was an intellectual. You only have to listen around you today and you find outstanding leaders being held up by their congregations as almost the equal of the Lord himself in their value to the church. 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. Austin Hellier Brisbane Queensland Australia. 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. In verse 10 we see both Pauls affection for the Corinthian church, and his authority as an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are all equally undeserving of salvation and a relationship with Jesus Christ. He addresses them as brethren. 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. Thanks for the thoughtful comment Austin. When it comes to seeking the spiritually lost for Christ, we can be much more effective if we are perfectly joined together in an unfailing zeal for Gods glory, not our own. 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 are some people who minister to us better than others, and it is only natural that we should listen to them and follow them. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. Near the cross, O Lamb of God, bring its scenes before me. And if you were really on the inside circle, your ladder was drawn by none other than Dawson Trotman himself! Conclusion. Then there were the traditionalists (there always are), those that say, "Well, I don't know about Paul or Apollos. (1Corinthians 1:13b-16 RSV). This is really what is behind his disclaimer on baptism in 1 Cor 1:14-16. What is a clique? Only the Lord Jesus Christ could pay the penalty for our sins because only He is the Son of God. In 1 Corinthians, Paul consciously avoids disciple-teacher language. Paul enters this world of wretched Sophists and preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 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. Now, Paul says this is all basically, fundamentally wrong. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). Acts 18:24 says that Apollos was an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man. The bride is limping! I told them that it is a concern of mine as well. 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. But first, it is very clear that he is deeply troubled by this. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. 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. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Ridiculous? 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. Even though the churches within a certain denomination agree to the same biblical teachings, some churches within those denominations may begin to disagree with the biblical teachings and break away from the denomination to become affiliated with another denomination that aligns with their beliefs. Today we have followers of Rob Bell, Rick Warren, and even Joel Osteen (for some reason). Why are these thing SO important? (Peter, evidently, had been through Corinth and had preached there.) 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. They are his family in Christ. Who are we, that we should put our interests and our desires ahead of that of the Lord for his church? Church has become about the pastor and not about his message. I think we have failed to de-paganize the art of preaching/teaching if pastors/leaders are looking for patronage, prestige, and numbers over relationships, service, and transformation. I personally experienced this at work about a year and a half ago. They were boasting over who had baptized them. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. All are mere teachers; there is only one Lord. Some are of Ritchie, and some are of Roper, and a few of Stedman! To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. Not when some people in the congregation wont look at, speak to, or even acknowledge the existence of certain other people in the congregation. 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 divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. 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. He's a great preacher, a warm, capable, eloquent man, who can make the Old Testament come alive!". The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. Every piece of that jigsaw puzzle is different, isnt it? 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 members started to develop division following different leaders. A number of churches in this postmodern era have begun to resemble the Corinthian church in alarming ways. We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. The better the orator, the higher the fee, and the more disciples he will attract. Thank you, Father, for this time here contemplating the cross. 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. So we have the possibility for this very thing right here. They were also not afraid to be mentioned in Pauls letter to the church. Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. That is why Paul calls us back to it. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. There he indicates that the problem with cliquishness is that it tends to overemphasize the significance of the human leader. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. It is extremely important. 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. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. It tells about the most climactic moment in a wedding ceremony. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). 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. In verses 10-12, Paul begins by giving an appeal for unity. They became symbols of prestige and standing that became divisive factors among the men. The facts in the gospel are what will set us free, and particularly, he says, the word of the cross. This introduces one of the greatest passages in the Bible, setting forth the difference between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God. 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. There is not a teacher among us today, or at any other time, who is able to open the mind and open the eyes of the heart and reveal to us the glory and majesty of God, not one. But when doctrinal beliefs keep churches from working together to further the gospel. Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. Now, the second thing Paul says is, "Was Paul crucified for you?" They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful So, just a few texts and there are so many more. When I say it gets ignored like an infomercial you probably infer what that means. 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. One of them being the reason to follow a specific pastor. Message transcript and recording 1978 by Ray Stedman Ministries, owner of sole copyright by assignment from the author. In my experience though, I find that it is carnal and unspiritual leaders that put up walls and fences between members of the body. Phillip J. Paul exhorts them to agree. 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. Now, he is not saying that it is wrong to baptize; he himself did it, and acknowledges that he did. WebDivisions in the Church. No man is the Savior; no man can deliver us except Jesus. 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. This doesnt mean that they have to agree on the minutest points in areas where there is no clear teaching in Scripture. Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. One day in Africa, a small boy was lost. 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. I told them GBC and they said something along the lines of, Oh a Bible college? If I was not raised in a Christian home, I think that I would have the same concerns. That is the problem, and it is still going on today. By focusing on Jesus we can see how important the parts of church really are. That is the mind Paul is talking about. If so, what results are we shooting for? Alexandria was a center for learning and philosophy. 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.

Claimtech Solutions Lawsuit, Naive Scientist Vs Cognitive Miser, Are Willi Castro And Harold Castro Brothers, Vintage Snowmobile Marketplace, Articles W