Conclusion. Was Paul crucified for you? Bruises show on her arm! His most recent book is The Book of Enoch for Beginners: A Guide to Expand Your Understanding of the Biblical World (Rockridge, 2022). Like the world, Christians are too concerned with being right and having our way. No man is the Savior; no man can deliver us except Jesus. Other divisions were to follow. 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. That is the problem, and it is still going on today. 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 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. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. 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). The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. Yes, we have the core beliefs that most Christians will agree upon, but the rest is still very confusing to non-believers. 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 verses 10-17 of Chapter 1, Paul establishes the fact that there are divisions and begins to deal with them. 4-The churchs failure to discipline. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. 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. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. But when it comes to the clear teachings of Gods Word, there cannot be two conflicting views that are both right. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. They are his family in Christ. Now, Paul says this is all basically, fundamentally wrong. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. Unfortunately, this has effected our outreach. Why? This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. It is possible, though, that the divisions among 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). 11My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 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." In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). Who are we, that we should put our interests and our desires ahead of that of the Lord for his church? WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). And he speaks in the name of or by the authority of, our Lord Jesus Christ. If so, what results are we shooting for? The bibles need to match the pews which need to match the carpet which need to match the wall color. Chapter Summary We all know what a clique is. If we sacrifice quality for numbers I dont think we are being good stewards of our gift of leadership. Their relationship to Christ was the unifying factor of the church. 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. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. 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). 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. On a large jigsaw puzzle of a thousand pieces or more, its almost impossible to put it together upside down! This is really what is behind his disclaimer on baptism in 1 Cor 1:14-16. (Even non-denominationals do this, just without claiming a denominational title). Not when some people in the congregation wont look at, speak to, or even acknowledge the existence of certain other people in the congregation. We are so proud of them when they look right, but when things start to fall apart, the church begins to fall apart as well. We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. The groom and his attendants are in their places. 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. Now to this, there should be a division that exists considering that there are some denominations that do teach correct biblical doctrine, while other churches deviate from correct biblical doctrine in order to teach their own false doctrines. I told them GBC and they said something along the lines of, Oh a Bible college? That, of course, is as it should be. One of his biggest goals is to double our congregation so we have 5,000 members. 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." As we read through First Corinthians, I think we will see how very much like modern day churches this ancient church of Corinth was. Causes After all, he was one of the first apostles that Jesus himself called." is the history and significance of the church The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. Behind Divisions He come to Corinth to create a community of disciples from which he might receive patronage and prestige. His Word does not disagree with itself. 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. Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. 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. 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. The words made complete mean to be perfectly joined together, like a jigsaw puzzle. No man would ever have planned the cross. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. I have had to do some degree of battle with this myself. 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. Everybody has their denomination and they cling relentless to their doctrinal beliefs. 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. Alexandria was a center for learning and philosophy. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. 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, church unity is a very important matter, and, because of its significance, Paul puts it first in the list of problems he has to deal with here at Corinth. When I say it gets ignored like an infomercial you probably infer what that means. If you will turn in your Bibles with me to John 17:20-23, I will read the passage to you. 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. He said so himself. 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. 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. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. Thats not the way a jigsaw puzzle was meant to be put together. But when doctrinal beliefs keep churches from working together to further the gospel. There are the Calvinists and the Arminians and the Dispensationalists -- these are some of the things that are held up as the "summum bonum," the highest good, in theology. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. We came to life in Christ by Paul, and Paul is the one we're going to listen to above all others." Subject to permissions policy, all rights reserved. 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. 4-The churchs failure to discipline. He addresses them as brethren. 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. The better the orator, the higher the fee, and the more disciples he will attract. The real problem behind the divisions is that the church continues to act like Christianity is just another philosophy, and teachers are in competition with each other just as the Greek orators competed. In the body of Christ at large there are many who can make a contribution to the understanding of Christ. Now, almost every group does this. There was still a fourth group, and in some ways I think they were probably the worst. We must allow him the privilege of doing that. Divisions It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. Her hair is messed up! It was expected. 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. 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. His bride, the Church, has been fighting again!. Since November 2021, Reading Acts is edited by Sarah Westphal. 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. Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. You could spot the Navigators going up and down the streets of Honolulu. So we have the possibility for this very thing right here. We become followers of out Pastors and churches rather than of Christ. There should be oneness of mind, no matter how long it takes. From the book of Acts we learn that Apollos was an outstanding orator in a world that loved and appreciated oratory. Every Navigator had to have a Scofield Reference Bible; that was the only "Authorized Version." Other divisions were to follow. So undoubtedly there was a big group that followed Paul. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). Its all about who looks the best, how much money is made, and how big our churches are. Anyone who claims that he or she has an exclusive part in Christ is wrong. This also brings up another Pagan influence which is naming the days of the week after the planets. Sometimes two or three hundred sailors, all of them Christians, would be there. Still others say, "We are of Schaeffer," and others, "We are of Graham," or, "We are of C.S. 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. And I say that because some people focus on PREACHER instead of THE SAVIOR. Aside from this acceptable division within the modern church, there are also two other reasons for division which should not exist. With all the differences among us, it is impossible to get people to think alike. "I appeal to you," he says, "by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Now these things were good. DIVISIONS IN THE CHURCH I Corinthians 1 The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. We are of Peter." In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. Its pathetic that people should get so angry about whether drums are used or if the AC unit is kept at 71 or 70. 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). 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. It is extremely important. In my experience though, I find that it is carnal and unspiritual leaders that put up walls and fences between members of the body. He gathers disciples and establishes a church, a meeting place for educating his disciples. Having listened to Pauls words and the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ, how important is unity to each of us today? 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. We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. The other reason is the division among churches of the same denomination. 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. Polhill says, every Corinthian had their own favorite preacher (237). 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. The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. In fact, Paul never claims disciples. 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." 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. He appeals to them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. 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. In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. The countless denominations and different beliefs of Christianity are often not appealing to non-believers. The word divisions comes from the Greek word schismata, from which we get our English word schism. We all know what a clique is. There are several important terms in this passage. Some boasted of their special spiritual gifts; others felt left out. I am sure there were many in Corinth who were saying, "Oh, I love to hear Apollos! Some considered Paul their leader, others Apollos, still others Peter. So they said, "When Peter came, we really felt that we were on solid ground. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. What he says we'll listen to, not Paul or Peter or anyone else -- it makes no difference to us." Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. In my church it seems like they are all about numbers. Now, how could that be? 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. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. The first and perhaps biggest is denominations. 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. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. Then there were the stylists, those who were attracted by the different kinds of preaching, and they had especially been drawn to Apollos. Even as Christians, there seems to be the desire of wanting to uphold one pastor over another by comparison and ultimately glorifying certain pastors. The members started to develop division following different leaders. For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. Christians are all disciples, or better, stewards and servants of the mysteries of God (1 Cor 4:1). They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). Unless its mended, the tear gets bigger and bigger, doesnt it? To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. What is a clique? It seems so bland compared to all the other choices out there when really it presents and encourages people to live out a very different and exciting life in the opposite direction of the world.