What is a clique? I still have at home the Scofield Reference Bible with the index ladder drawn by him. But when it comes to the clear teachings of Gods Word, there cannot be two conflicting views that are both right. That, of course, is as it should be. 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). Now, Paul says this is all basically, fundamentally wrong. 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. Ones honor and reputation were valued highly and if someone attacked your reputation it was expected that you would defend yourself and retaliate by publicly bashing your attacker. This is what Paul does here. 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. Paul continues in verse 10 by saying that there be no divisions among 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. Offshoots had disturbed the church. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). 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. How important is it that there be unity within the Church? We need to be perfectly joined together in the love of Christ. I dont remember Paul seeing any thing like these issues as other than trivial. All rights reserved. 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). 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. In my church it seems like they are all about numbers. Every piece of that jigsaw puzzle is different, isnt it? 2 Corinthians "I appeal to you," he says, "by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." It was expected. Thanks for the thoughtful comment Austin. The content of their messages was in agreement, but the followers of these men probably focused on personality differences and distorted their teachings. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. 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. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. 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). This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. His bride, the Church, has been fighting again!. Paul, however, was a good leader. 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. WebDivisions in the Church. I'm nobody, just like you!" 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. In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. Were you baptized into the name of Paul? Verse 12 tells us the source of this problem. His followers in the Corinthian church may have viewed Christianity as a philosophy rather than a relationship with a Person Jesus Christ. We are all equally undeserving of salvation and a relationship with Jesus Christ. 17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospelnot with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. Her gown is ripped and covered with mud! 4-The churchs failure to discipline. Paul doesnt want these divisions to continue, so he offers them an alternative. The Corinthian Church. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. 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? Who are we, that we should put our interests and our desires ahead of that of the Lord for his church? It is possible, though, that the divisions among I understand the fact that people have different beliefs and would like to stick to those (it is good to sick to what you believe) but when you get so segregated that you cannot work together anymore, it becomes a serious problem. And he speaks in the name of or by the authority of, our Lord Jesus Christ. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. Lewis.". A number of churches in this postmodern era have begun to resemble the Corinthian church in alarming ways. Unity in the church is something that requires cooperation with each other and with the Spirit of God. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. Austin Hellier Brisbane Queensland Australia. 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. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. Some considered Paul their leader, others Apollos, still others Peter. 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. The same viewpoints are still dividing people. Paul always expresses great concern about the possibility of a split in the church. 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. Other divisions were to follow. A young pastor who was facing that problem in his church called me this week from another state. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, and whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. You and I cant have more of the Lord Jesus Christ, but we can give Him more of ourselves, and experience more fully what is already ours as children of God. 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. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. Remember, a believer who is at war with his brother or sister in Christ cannot be at peace with our heavenly Father. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. Help me walk from day to day, with its shadows o'er me. In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. Many of the other problems were flowing out of this division within the congregation. I thank God that only a few of you can say that about me." These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). Four groups had formed in the Corinthian church. What should our evaluation of a ministry look like I wonder if its not by numbers? So he says, "I didn't baptize many of you. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. Paul knew this and said in 1 Corinthians 2:1-2, When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed the testimony about God. The better the orator, the higher the fee, and the more disciples he will attract. Bruises show on her arm! There has been no other cure that I know of through the years. Christians are all disciples, or better, stewards and servants of the mysteries of God (1 Cor 4:1). One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. Now, in Verse13 you understand why. He does not say we should stop baptizing because of this problem. I hang on every word you say. Now, how could that be? I would like to close this service by reading what one man wrote about the cross: It is well that we should think sometimes of the Upper Room and the Last Supper, and of his soul, "exceeding sorrowful unto death"; of Gethsemane and the deep shadow of the olive trees; his loneliness, prayers, and disappointment with his disciples; his bloody sweat; the traitor's kiss; the binding, the blow in the face, the spitting, the buffeting, the mocking, the scourging, the crown of thorns, the smiting; the sorrowful way and the burdensome cross; the exhaustion and collapse; the stripping, the impaling, and the jeers of his foes, and the flight of his friends; the hours on the cross; the darkness, his being forsaken of God; his thirst, and the end. Phillip J. The basic meaning is to put back together and make one again something that was broken or separated. Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? Phil Long is correct, we have not improved much since the first century. There were, first of all, the loyalists who said, "We are of Paul. But when doctrinal beliefs keep churches from working together to further the gospel. For permission to use this content, please review How important was unity to our Lord Jesus Christ? Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. This issue was so important that Paul devotes the first four chapters of I Corinthians to divisions in the church. That is what they were doing with baptism here in Corinth. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. The third thing that every Navigator had was a little black notebook covered in rough-grained leather. 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. Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. Faith rests on Gods shoulders alone- its not by our wisdom and ability (Polhill 237). Here in Verse10 he briefly shows us the ground of unity, and the nature of unity in a church. Every Navigator had to have a Scofield Reference Bible; that was the only "Authorized Version." 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. 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. How important is it that there be unity in the Church where you fellowship? (Philippians 2:6-8 RSV). 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. I think that if you put the teachings of a man over the teachings of Scripture then you have a problem. One day in Africa, a small boy was lost. 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. There is not a single Christian teacher who ever lived who can help us be forgiven one single sin, not one. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. 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). 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. 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. That was the mark, that was the identification badge. The first thing Paul says is that it tends to chop up Christ and parcel him out as though his person and his work came in various packages, thus you lose perspective of the whole of Christian theology. 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.". Unfortunately, this has effected our outreach. 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. 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. I told them GBC and they said something along the lines of, Oh a Bible college? What is a clique? 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. So we have the possibility for this very thing right here. And more than that, we have a responsibility to obey him, to follow his Lordship. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful And some of them are really gross. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). 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. We have Jesus only groups even today. 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. Was Paul crucified for you? It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. Galatians: Freedom through Gods Grace (Wipf & Stock, 2019). I told them that it is a concern of mine as well. The most well known one is having worship on Sundays instead of the Sabbath. People begin to think things about him that are not true, and expect things from him that he is unable to deliver. 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. He appeals to them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Corinthian Church. Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. His most recent book is The Book of Enoch for Beginners: A Guide to Expand Your Understanding of the Biblical World (Rockridge, 2022). They were drawing themselves up and saying, "Well, you may be of Paul or of Peter or of Apollos, but we are of Christ! Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. 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. Not even a three-fourths vote should carry a motion. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. On a large jigsaw puzzle of a thousand pieces or more, its almost impossible to put it together upside down! The facts in the gospel are what will set us free, and particularly, he says, the word of the cross. Why? Paul is putting his finger right on the problem when he asks, "Was Paul crucified for you?" Let's go back to Jerusalem. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. Sometimes two or three hundred sailors, all of them Christians, would be there. Some had no problem with consuming meat that had been sacrificed to idols; for others, it was a real offense. It is those who have a financial interest in their own wellbeing, that divide the sheep up into different folds. I think today if church leaders focus on Jesus and only Jesus we would be so much healthier. Alexandria was a center for learning and philosophy. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. 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. 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. 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? These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. 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). 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. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). We may not all agree on the way to do church but there is definitely more than one effective way. Doesnt He deserve better than this? the author asks. I. PAULS APPEAL FOR UNITY (verses 10-12). Conclusion. The elders should make their decisions with the same mind and the same judgment. A. By focusing on Jesus we can see how important the parts of church really are. 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. Some boasted of their special spiritual gifts; others felt left out. The cross of Christ cuts across all human value systems. They read only his books or listen only to his tapes. Now, almost every group does this. So undoubtedly there was a big group that followed Paul. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. I will jump on the bandwagon here and say that division is definitely an issue today. 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. Its all about who looks the best, how much money is made, and how big our churches are. Webdivided. 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 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. 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.. 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. The cross of Christ is what will heal the fragmentation of Christians wherever they are. While there can be problems with some (no recognised leadership, disorganised, isolated, cultishness, lack of cohesion etc) they can also produce some of the strongest disciples Ive seen for many years, and yet, they could easily claim to be that fourth division like the one at Corinth the I am of Christ division, where they have no name (no favoured preacher/teacher) but are still divided off. A. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful 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." WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. Not when some people in the congregation wont look at, speak to, or even acknowledge the existence of certain other people in the congregation. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. If someone comes on preaching the doctrines that were emphasized during the Reformation, he will get a great following of people who think that the Reformation was the whole sum and substance of all great Christian truth. God is not confused, and He does not contradict Himself. One of these influencing factors is consumerism which finds its way into even the way Christians think. The human condition is, unfortunately, one of comparison that seeks to place oneself or their beliefs over another. Some are of Ritchie, and some are of Roper, and a few of Stedman! 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. There was still a fourth group, and in some ways I think they were probably the worst. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). That is not the work of men; that is the work of God himself. I am sure there were many in Corinth who were saying, "Oh, I love to hear Apollos! In 1 Corinthians, Paul consciously avoids disciple-teacher language. 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. He called to ask whether I thought that would be right or wrong to do. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. 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. Something shows up sooner or later as an identifying badge that marks them as "special," with special privilege and special status in that group. Acts 18:24 says that Apollos was an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man. The words made complete mean to be perfectly joined together, like a jigsaw puzzle. I've not forgotten that incident because it seems to me to capture the very attitude Paul is describing here. 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. It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). So, just a few texts and there are so many more. There should be oneness of mind, no matter how long it takes. And some of them are really gross. For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. Still others say, "We are of Schaeffer," and others, "We are of Graham," or, "We are of C.S. 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." He addresses them as brethren. It tells about the most climactic moment in a wedding ceremony. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. But first, it is very clear that he is deeply troubled by this. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). Instead of directly saying that we follow Paul, or Apollos, we say that we are Baptist, Reformed, or even Catholic. Message transcript and recording 1978 by Ray Stedman Ministries, owner of sole copyright by assignment from the author. 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. Then there were the traditionalists (there always are), those that say, "Well, I don't know about Paul or Apollos. If it had been left up to us to plan the program by which God would change the world we would never have included a cross. 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. It builds him up too much; it makes him a rival, to some degree, of the Lord himself. The bibles need to match the pews which need to match the carpet which need to match the wall color. 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. In 2019 he published a commentary. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. The members started to develop division following different leaders. And there were some who said, "Well, when Peter came through, he baptized me. So they said, "When Peter came, we really felt that we were on solid ground. He was a rhetorician who was especially capable in the allegorical style of teaching of the Old Testament. The church in Corinth was a group of people who were tearing themselves apart! 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. Some of them were saying, "Well, Paul baptized me." 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. 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. There are several things that split the church today. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. 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. I appreciate the perspective given by the author and agree 100% that the body of Christ is divided. Now, the second thing Paul says is, "Was Paul crucified for you?" Not when we hear of churches with factions or cliques of people who sit on opposite sides of the aisle. There is no other name big enough, great enough, glorious enough, and powerful enough to gather everybody together, despite the diversity of viewpoint and the differences of background or status in life, than the name of Jesus. If we are, all our differences and difficulties would soon come to an end. 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. 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. They were hard to get in those war years, and every shipment that came in went out like hot cakes. The organ begins the bridal march, and everyone stands. However, I would like to approach this in a different way than the comments already present here. 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.
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