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Now, Paul says this is all basically, fundamentally wrong. 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). The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. It is possible, though, that the divisions among It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. So we have the possibility for this very thing right here. Their conflicts undoubtedly had its theological and philosophical dimensions, but it was social as well, human and petty, high on pride and low on love (Polhill 233). Other divisions were to follow. Unless its mended, the tear gets bigger and bigger, doesnt it? (I have been trying for a long time to get my wife to accept that!) 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. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. I do not think things have improved much since the first century. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. 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. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful Some pigged out at the Lord Supper; others had barely enough to eat. The human condition is, unfortunately, one of comparison that seeks to place oneself or their beliefs over another. 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. 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. WebDivisions in the Church. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). 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). 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. Her gown is ripped and covered with mud! Now, how could that be? I dont remember Paul seeing any thing like these issues as other than trivial. 3- The presence of an immoral member. It wipes out all the petty distinctions that men make among themselves. They were burdened about them, and they went to the right person with them. Now, he describes the nature of unity this way, "that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment." It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). They became symbols of prestige and standing that became divisive factors among the men. How important is it that there be unity in the Church where you fellowship? The countless denominations and different beliefs of Christianity are often not appealing to non-believers. All rights reserved. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. That was the mark, that was the identification badge. WebWhat were the causes of division in the Corinthian Church? I have had to do some degree of battle with this myself. 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. Now, almost every group does this. Some considered Paul their leader, others Apollos, still others Peter. Polhill says, every Corinthian had their own favorite preacher (237). Paul, however, was a good leader. If Paul could see the divisions between the various denominations of today, what would he say? Doesnt He deserve better than this? the author asks. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. We are of Peter." Its all about who looks the best, how much money is made, and how big our churches are. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. Help us to judge these in the light of the cross, and, by its light, to walk before thee. Peter was an uneducated, common man and may have appealed to that group of people in Corinth. There is not a single Christian teacher who ever lived who can help us be forgiven one single sin, not one. We need to be perfectly joined together in the love of Christ. There are even discrepancies inside single denominations (which means we have division inside our divisions, great). Now, he is not saying that it is wrong to baptize; he himself did it, and acknowledges that he did. They did not try to hide the problems. Christ belongs fully to every believer in His spiritual body, the Church. No man is the Savior; no man can deliver us except Jesus. 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 individual leaders should only point them to Christ. 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). 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. They were also not afraid to be mentioned in Pauls letter to the church. 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. I find there are these tendencies right here in Peninsula Bible Church. WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. Some people will pick other matters of doctrine to affirm. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. 2 Corinthians In verses 10-12, Paul begins by giving an appeal for unity. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. I think that if you put the teachings of a man over the teachings of Scripture then you have a problem. Paul is going to go on to describe this radical force that is so different than anything else there is nothing like it in the world. Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. This Bible was pushed by the Navigators, and everybody had to have one. We may not all agree on the way to do church but there is definitely more than one effective way. The anxiety of the childs mother continued to grow, for she knew that her boy was somewhere out in the darkness where wild animals were constantly on the prowl. Todays church is a lot like the church of Corinthians. 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. Other divisions were to follow. If we sacrifice quality for numbers I dont think we are being good stewards of our gift of leadership. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. In verses 14 to 16, Paul uses himself as an example. If so, what results are we shooting for? 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. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. 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. Christians are all disciples, or better, stewards and servants of the mysteries of God (1 Cor 4:1). (1Corinthians 1:10 RSV). Paul, however, was a good leader. He addresses them as brethren. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. 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. It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. The basic meaning is to put back together and make one again something that was broken or separated. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). I told them that I do not foresee and end to these divisions anytime soon (sadly). There are several things that split the church today. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. He begins the process of developing them into leaders who will also preach the gospel and found more churches. The families have been seated. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. When you get men's eyes off all these status symbols, and call them back away from following men to the Person of Christ and his cross, all the divisions will disappear. Because I am a little defensive it seems like they are almost my enemy. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. 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. 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. 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. They were dividing over this whole issue, and Paul says it is all wrong. 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 is what Paul speaks about. Church has become about the pastor and not about his message. 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. Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. I would agree that we find ourselves in much the same situations as those listening to the Greek philosophers/orators. We are all equally undeserving of salvation and a relationship with Jesus Christ. The search went on until nightfall, but no answer came to their urgent calls. God wants the local church congregation and the local community to see the beauty of a church that is unified and fitted together in love. Therefore, the only basis upon which you can get Christians to agree is by setting before them the Person of the Lord Jesus, and calling them back to that fundamental base. And he speaks in the name of or by the authority of, our Lord Jesus Christ. 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 more than that, we have a responsibility to obey him, to follow his Lordship. 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. What is a clique? WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. Not when we hear of churches with factions or cliques of people who sit on opposite sides of the aisle. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). 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 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. 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. There was nothing wrong with Paul baptizing people, but Paul didnt want people to boast about the fact that he baptized them. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. And some of them are really gross. On a large jigsaw puzzle of a thousand pieces or more, its almost impossible to put it together upside down! Now, we all have our favorite preacher, and up to a point that is not wrong. Many of the other problems were flowing out of this division within the congregation. Bruises show on her arm! 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). Aside from this acceptable division within the modern church, there are also two other reasons for division which should not exist. Faith rests on Gods shoulders alone- its not by our wisdom and ability (Polhill 237). And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. The cross of Christ cuts across all human value systems. I've not forgotten that incident because it seems to me to capture the very attitude Paul is describing here. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. Its a lot harder! It is those who have a financial interest in their own wellbeing, that divide the sheep up into different folds. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). Paul, however, was a good leader. Some of them were saying, "Well, Paul baptized me." 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 also brings up another Pagan influence which is naming the days of the week after the planets. 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. My answer was that it all depends on the motive. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. I still have at home the Scofield Reference Bible with the index ladder drawn by him. Then comes that great Christological passage where he describes how Christ, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? It seems like it would be better to ask in what ways have we been re-paganized. 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. There was extreme competition among the orators for honor and power. This is really what is behind his disclaimer on baptism in 1 Cor 1:14-16. So undoubtedly there was a big group that followed Paul. That was a mark of status with them. Why? Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. Message transcript and recording 1978 by Ray Stedman Ministries, owner of sole copyright by assignment from the author. I agree with P. Longs last statement in that things have not improved much since the first century. They are still acting just like the world. This is the challenge of the divisions in 1 Corinthians how does the modern church act just like the world? They were hard to get in those war years, and every shipment that came in went out like hot cakes. 4-The churchs failure to discipline. Conclusion. Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? "I appeal to you," he says, "by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Paul continues in verse 10 by saying that, MANS WISDOM VERSUS GODS WISDOM I Corinthians 1:18-25, WHY DONT PEOPLE BELIEVE? In Jesus' name, Amen. Then there were the stylists, those who were attracted by the different kinds of preaching, and they had especially been drawn to Apollos. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. The same viewpoints are still dividing people. From the book of Acts we learn that Apollos was an outstanding orator in a world that loved and appreciated oratory. Dio Chrysostom complained that Corinth was filled with wretched sophists, many of whom were debating one another with shouting and abuse near the temple to Poseidon. Every Navigator had to have a Scofield Reference Bible; that was the only "Authorized Version." This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. This is what Paul uses as the basis for unity in this church -- not only the attitude of selflessness, which is the mind of Christ, but the responsibility to submit to his Lordship, the common responsibility that we have together. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. Its not just the denominations per se any more theres also a proliferation of house churches too. So they were splitting and arguing and quarreling over the relative merit and authority of these various teachers. 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. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. Thank you, Father, for this time here contemplating the cross. 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. I thank God that only a few of you can say that about me." He gathers disciples and establishes a church, a meeting place for educating his disciples. 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 exhorts them to agree. There he indicates that the problem with cliquishness is that it tends to overemphasize the significance of the human leader. In my experience though, I find that it is carnal and unspiritual leaders that put up walls and fences between members of the body. 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. The news went out but no one had seen the little fellow. The bridesmaids have come down the aisle. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). They were boasting over who had baptized them. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. Instead of directly saying that we follow Paul, or Apollos, we say that we are Baptist, Reformed, or even Catholic. The other reason is the division among churches of the same denomination. If I was not raised in a Christian home, I think that I would have the same concerns. Having listened to Pauls words and the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ, how important is unity to each of us today? 4-The churchs failure to discipline. 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. 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. It was expected. 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. Her hair is messed up! 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). There are those who are emotionally attached to some great Christian leader who has helped them, and they will only listen to him. Everybody has their denomination and they cling relentless to their doctrinal beliefs. Today we have followers of Rob Bell, Rick Warren, and even Joel Osteen (for some reason). 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. 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. 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. They forget, of course, that the church never belongs to anybody but the Lord. One of his biggest goals is to double our congregation so we have 5,000 members. 3- The presence of an immoral member. The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. I will jump on the bandwagon here and say that division is definitely an issue today. In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. In 1 Corinthians, Paul consciously avoids disciple-teacher language. The cross of Christ is what will heal the fragmentation of Christians wherever they are. They are springing up all over the place, including Downunder (Australia) where I live here in Brisbane. There are several important terms in this passage. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. What he says we'll listen to, not Paul or Peter or anyone else -- it makes no difference to us." We see similar situations today, with political debates often devolving into a shouting match in which the person who yells their opinion the loudest and the longest is the winner. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who 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). In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? (Phil Long). 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. Austin Hellier Brisbane Queensland Australia. Four groups had formed in the Corinthian church. Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. 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. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. He then goes on to describe for us the mind of Christ, which is a willingness to give up rights and personal privileges and give in and take a lower place. 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. That is the problem, and it is still going on today. Yet, in reality as long as correct biblical doctrine is being taught no pastor should be viewed in comparison to one another. Are we willing to love each other as Christ loved us? 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 should be unanimous agreement. He called to ask whether I thought that would be right or wrong to do. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. 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. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. With all the differences among us, it is impossible to get people to think alike. There were: the followers of Paul, the followers of Apollos, the followers of Cephas or Peter, and the followers of Christ. Weve seen how important unity was to the apostle Paul. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. We go back to the Lord alone. I'm nobody, just like you!" I hang on every word you say. Thanks for the thoughtful comment Austin. How important was unity to our Lord Jesus Christ? (I suppose that if Dio were commenting on the modern world, he would describe the wretched bloggers shouting abuse at the temple of WordPress!). To an unbeliever, this looks like we cannot agree on our own religion. WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. We came to life in Christ by Paul, and Paul is the one we're going to listen to above all others." No, he says that is not why he was sent: "I was not sent to emphasize symbols, but, positively, I was sent to preach a whole gospel, not one emphasizing style, not in wisdom of words, but that which emphasizes content." 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. So he says, "I didn't baptize many of you. The groom and his attendants are in their places. Paul enters this world of wretched Sophists and preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Why are these thing SO important? (1Corinthians 1:13b-16 RSV). 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! Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. 2- The Churchs division. 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. The first noticeable division would be among differing denominations. He was a rhetorician who was especially capable in the allegorical style of teaching of the Old Testament. Since I was working at that time in the ship's service department in Pearl Harbor, we ordered great quantities of these Bibles. What is a clique? (1Corinthians 1:13 RSV). 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. 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. Paul did not want to present the Gospel as an orator, competing for students as they did. 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. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. "One is your master; all of you are brothers," (Matthew 23:8 KJV). A. In fact, these divisions are a sign of worldliness. 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? Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who The better the orator, the higher the fee, and the more disciples he will attract. In the same way, thats not the way the Church was meant to be fitted together. 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. It is interesting how quickly we forget where our gifts come from and think we are the cause of success. Therefore our boasting should only be in the Lord (1 Corinthains 1:26-31). 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." 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. 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. Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. Every piece of that jigsaw puzzle is different, isnt it?