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. 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. Doesnt He deserve better than this? the author asks. We all know what a clique is. In verses 14 to 16, Paul uses himself as an example. He finds that there is a great deal of parallels between the disciple-teacher relationship in the culture of Corinth and the problem of divisions in the church over the authority of teachers. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. 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 are so proud of them when they look right, but when things start to fall apart, the church begins to fall apart as well. Although the modern church has improved in many ways compared to the ancient churches, there is still the issue of division that exists among differing churches as was in the ancient churches. 11My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. They were drawing themselves up and saying, "Well, you may be of Paul or of Peter or of Apollos, but we are of Christ! Now, it cannot. Let's get back to the beginnings. 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. Then there were the traditionalists (there always are), those that say, "Well, I don't know about Paul or Apollos. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. There was still a fourth group, and in some ways I think they were probably the worst. A. The cross of Christ cuts across all human value systems. Obviously, here at Peninsula Bible Church we cannot do that. Yet, in reality as long as correct biblical doctrine is being taught no pastor should be viewed in comparison to one another. For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. The bride is limping! And, after all, Peter even walked on water!" Yes, we have the core beliefs that most Christians will agree upon, but the rest is still very confusing to non-believers. Offshoots had disturbed the church. He was a rhetorician who was especially capable in the allegorical style of teaching of the Old Testament. Some of them were saying, "Well, Paul baptized me." In verses 10-17 of Chapter 1, Paul establishes the fact that there are divisions and begins to deal with them. 3- The presence of an immoral member. It is the popular thing today to cry, "Back to the Reformation!" So they were splitting and arguing and quarreling over the relative merit and authority of these various teachers. He chooses various channels through which to work. We are all equally undeserving of salvation and a relationship with Jesus Christ. The first noticeable division would be among differing denominations. He has Masters degrees in Biblical Exposition and Old Testament from Talbot School of Theology (BIOLA) and a PhD in New Testament from Andrews University. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. 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. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. He begins the process of developing them into leaders who will also preach the gospel and found more churches. And some of them are really gross. [Then he thinks of another group that he had baptized] (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Other divisions were to follow. WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. 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. If Paul were to visit one of these churches, he would see a good-looking man in a custom suit standing over everybody else, and his mind would go straight to the orators of his day. 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. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. What is a clique? We become followers of out Pastors and churches rather than of 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. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. Now, Paul says this is all basically, fundamentally wrong. And there are others who are drawn to some speaking style that has attracted them. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. How important was unity to our Lord Jesus Christ? Furthermore, would the apostle not also be concerned with other divisions within the individual church body? 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. Paul was the apostle to the gentiles. Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. 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! WebWhat were the causes of division in the Corinthian Church? We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. Paul did not want to present the Gospel as an orator, competing for students as they did. Now, how could that be? In verses 10-12, Paul begins by giving an appeal for unity. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). The countless denominations and different beliefs of Christianity are often not appealing to non-believers. So undoubtedly there was a big group that followed Paul. As a young Christian in my early twenties during World WarII, I was stationed in Hawaii, and I became acquainted with the work of the Navigators. Christ did not send me to take scalps or to cut notches on my gun handle as to how many converts I've won." We pray that it may be rich and real in our hearts as we live this week together. 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. Weve seen how important unity was to the apostle Paul. They became symbols of prestige and standing that became divisive factors among the men. 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. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. 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). 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 families have been seated. I have to admit though that sometimes I think about numbers and recognition and want that. There should be oneness of mind, no matter how long it takes. 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 possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. Its all about who looks the best, how much money is made, and how big our churches are. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful Now, almost every group does this. I have had people say to me, "Oh, Mr. Stedman, when you speak I see so clearly! 4-The churchs failure to discipline. All are mere teachers; there is only one Lord. He gathers disciples and establishes a church, a meeting place for educating his disciples. I do not identify my self as being a follower of anybody but Jesus (although there are certain theologians that I do hold in higher regard than others). Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. Four groups had formed in the Corinthian church. That is the problem, and it is still going on today. Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. There are those who are emotionally attached to some great Christian leader who has helped them, and they will only listen to him. 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." 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. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). Try it some time. 2 Corinthians Just as there was competiveness for honor and prestige among the orators of the first century, it also seems like there is competition between the pastors and churches of today. Some sued their fellow Christians in the secular courts. Help me walk from day to day, with its shadows o'er me. 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. There were, first of all, the loyalists who said, "We are of Paul. 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. A. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. With all the differences among us, it is impossible to get people to think alike. Apollos was an intellectual. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. All that mattered to Paul was Jesus! Not when some people in the congregation wont look at, speak to, or even acknowledge the existence of certain other people in the congregation. 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. Teaching to be effective first needs to effect/transform the life of the teacher and then connect with those who hear. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. Remember, a believer who is at war with his brother or sister in Christ cannot be at peace with our heavenly Father. In the body of Christ at large there are many who can make a contribution to the understanding of Christ. I've not forgotten that incident because it seems to me to capture the very attitude Paul is describing here. I personally experienced this at work about a year and a half ago. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. Today we have followers of Rob Bell, Rick Warren, and even Joel Osteen (for some reason). Some pigged out at the Lord Supper; others had barely enough to eat. If you will turn in your Bibles with me to John 17:20-23, I will read the passage to you. 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. As a result, this led to the division among Christian converts and to the Christian community as a whole. 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. In the same way, thats not the way the Church was meant to be fitted together. 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. With Pauls harsh criticism of said divisions, you would think that we might have learned how to move beyond that in the 21st Century, however, that is not the case. One of his biggest goals is to double our congregation so we have 5,000 members. These preachers draw in masses of people every week who are eager to hear them speak. Thats not the way a jigsaw puzzle was meant to be put together. Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. I think that if you put the teachings of a man over the teachings of Scripture then you have a problem. Instead of tearing themselves apart, he urges them to be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. 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 there were some who said, "Well, when Peter came through, he baptized me. He called to ask whether I thought that would be right or wrong to do. Here are our first clues as to what is wrong with this kind of cliquishness in a church. It was considered honorable for you to stand up for yourself in this way. 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. 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. 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. Was Paul crucified for you? 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful No man would ever have planned the cross. 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. It was a glorious work. Just looking at America, there are political divisions that have destroyed relationships, there are social divisions that have sparked riots around the nation, and there are even religious divisions that have pitted millions against each other. (Philippians 2:6-8 RSV). 16(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) Christ belongs fully to every believer in His spiritual body, the Church. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). 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. 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. One day in Africa, a small boy was lost. Its a lot harder! Something shows up sooner or later as an identifying badge that marks them as "special," with special privilege and special status in that group. 2- The Churchs division. Sometimes two or three hundred sailors, all of them Christians, would be there. Ridiculous? 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. Unless its mended, the tear gets bigger and bigger, doesnt it? 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. 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 That, of course, is as it should be. Other divisions were to follow. I have been in many places where they were having church fights and almost invariably the thing that gives away that a church is in trouble is when people start talking about "my church," not in the sense that is perfectly proper as meaning, "The church where I go," but leaders of the church actually saying, "This is our church," and telling other people they have no rights to do something because the church belongs to them. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. To all of this Paul would say to us, as he says to Corinth, Is Christ divided? 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.. He addresses them as brethren. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. 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." There were: the followers of Paul, the followers of Apollos, the followers of Cephas or Peter, and the followers of Christ. 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. His bride, the Church, has been fighting again!. The minister is waiting, Bible in hand. Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. 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). There are even discrepancies inside single denominations (which means we have division inside our divisions, great). 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. Only the Lord Jesus Christ could pay the penalty for our sins because only He is the Son of God. If we are, all our differences and difficulties would soon come to an end. 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. This is what Paul does here. The better the orator, the higher the fee, and the more disciples he will attract. Now, in Verse13 you understand why. Phillip J. There should be unanimous agreement. 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. It is extremely important. Peter was an uneducated, common man and may have appealed to that group of people in Corinth. Acts 18:24 says that Apollos was an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man. 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. And if you were really on the inside circle, your ladder was drawn by none other than Dawson Trotman himself! 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. In other words, there must be agreement with Christ, with His will, and with His Word. (1Corinthians 1:13b-16 RSV). Galatians: Freedom through Gods Grace (Wipf & Stock, 2019). But when it comes to the clear teachings of Gods Word, there cannot be two conflicting views that are both right. That is why the apostle appeals to it. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. Unity in the church is something that requires cooperation with each other and with the Spirit of God. (Peter, evidently, had been through Corinth and had preached there.) These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. It is those who have a financial interest in their own wellbeing, that divide the sheep up into different folds. Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. Christians are all disciples, or better, stewards and servants of the mysteries of God (1 Cor 4:1). 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. Its not just the denominations per se any more theres also a proliferation of house churches too. 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. I Corinthians 12:12,13 says, For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. We are of Peter." This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. That was the mark, that was the identification badge. This issue was so important that Paul devotes the first four chapters of I Corinthians to divisions in the church. Webdivided. 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. I'm nobody, just like you!" Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. Let it do its great work of cutting down and eliminating from our lives those things over which we take pride and which separate us from others; these distinctions that make us dislike our brother or sister, and turn our backs on them. The words made complete in verse 10 are translated from a Greek word that was used to speak of mending such things as nets, bones, dislocated joints, broken utensils, and torn garments. In verse 10 we see both Pauls affection for the Corinthian church, and his authority as an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. 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. 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. Take the various mega-churches for example, whose charismatic pastors live in mansions. He says, in effect, "You don't cure divisions in a church by identification badges. The Corinthian Church. 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. Since I was working at that time in the ship's service department in Pearl Harbor, we ordered great quantities of these Bibles. 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. Now, we all have our favorite preacher, and up to a point that is not wrong. The most well known one is having worship on Sundays instead of the Sabbath. Now, you do not have to be very old to recognize that that is still a problem in the church. Divisions never really ended with Pauls letters; they just appear to have evolved into having more sophisticated names. 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.