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. Now, he is not saying that it is wrong to baptize; he himself did it, and acknowledges that he did. But first, it is very clear that he is deeply troubled by this. We are all equally undeserving of salvation and a relationship with Jesus Christ. It is those who have a financial interest in their own wellbeing, that divide the sheep up into different folds. 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). Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. I agree with P. Longs last statement in that things have not improved much since the first century. Her nose is bloody! The search went on until nightfall, but no answer came to their urgent calls. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. Subject to permissions policy, all rights reserved. This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. 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. Try it some time. It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). 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? In 2019 he published a commentary. In Philippians 2:9 Paul said of Christ, Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name. No Christian, no Christian minister, is to put himself in Christs place, or allow himself to be put in Christs place, and take the authority and honor that is due to Christ alone. Polhill says, every Corinthian had their own favorite preacher (237). 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? The individual leaders should only point them 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. On Friday of this week we will gather again to consider the cross of Christ. 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. Phillip J. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). Divisions never really ended with Pauls letters; they just appear to have evolved into having more sophisticated names. If you survey the church scene all over America today, you find people dividing up this way. 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). The groom and his attendants are in their places. 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. The followers of Jesus may have believed in Jesus words only, and did not believe that the writings of Peter, Paul, and the other apostles were really Scripture. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. 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. It was expected. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. [Then he thinks of another group that he had baptized] (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. 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. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. 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." 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. 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 burdened about them, and they went to the right person with them. In the body of Christ at large there are many who can make a contribution to the understanding of Christ. 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. That is what they were doing with baptism here in Corinth. From the book of Acts we learn that Apollos was an outstanding orator in a world that loved and appreciated oratory. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. Like the world, Christians are too concerned with being right and having our way. Paul, however, was a good leader. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. Im not saying its wrong to stick to what you believe. 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. I've not forgotten that incident because it seems to me to capture the very attitude Paul is describing here. To all of this Paul would say to us, as he says to Corinth, Is Christ divided? John 12:37-50, THE PARADOX OF LIFE FROM DEATH John 12:20-26, THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM JOHN 12:9-19, SPIRITUAL LIGHT AND DARKNESS John 9:35-41. Going off of what Cody is saying, in todays church everything needs to be just right. There are even discrepancies inside single denominations (which means we have division inside our divisions, great). We go back to the Lord alone. Within our churches, and even in our own denominations (sophisticated name for divisions), we argue about church funds, whos on the worship team, and whether the youth should have long hair. Long has taught full time at Grace Christian University since 1998, specializing in Bible and Biblical languages. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. I think that if you put the teachings of a man over the teachings of Scripture then you have a problem. There were, first of all, the loyalists who said, "We are of Paul. He begins the process of developing them into leaders who will also preach the gospel and found more churches. Its pathetic that people should get so angry about whether drums are used or if the AC unit is kept at 71 or 70. He is the ground, always, of unity. Instead of tearing themselves apart, he urges them to be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. There he indicates that the problem with cliquishness is that it tends to overemphasize the significance of the human leader. The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. Acts 18:24 says that Apollos was an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. Other divisions were to follow. Apollos was an intellectual. It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. The human condition is, unfortunately, one of comparison that seeks to place oneself or their beliefs over another. Austin Hellier Brisbane Queensland Australia. The Gentiles coming into this new Church do not seem to be able to see the differences between it and a Greco-Roman philosopher gathering disciples and educating them in a particular philosophy. The ground, of course, is the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 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. Paul did not want to present the Gospel as an orator, competing for students as they did. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. There was still a fourth group, and in some ways I think they were probably the worst. The bridesmaids have come down the aisle. Now, almost every group does this. 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). WebDivisions in the Church. 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. Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. 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. People begin to think things about him that are not true, and expect things from him that he is unable to deliver. If Paul could see the divisions between the various denominations of today, what would he say? Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. We have Jesus only groups even today. (I suppose that if Dio were commenting on the modern world, he would describe the wretched bloggers shouting abuse at the temple of WordPress!). The bibles need to match the pews which need to match the carpet which need to match the wall color. The families have been seated. Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. By focusing on Jesus we can see how important the parts of church really are. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. Paul continues in verse 10 by saying that there be no divisions among you. 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). (Philippians 2:6-8 RSV). 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. Unless its mended, the tear gets bigger and bigger, doesnt it? So undoubtedly there was a big group that followed Paul. Paul then goes on to give us three very carefully stated clues in Verse13 as to what is wrong with this kind of thing. One of these influencing factors is consumerism which finds its way into even the way Christians think. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. They forget, of course, that the church never belongs to anybody but the Lord. 4-The churchs failure to discipline. He addresses them as brethren. 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. 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. 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. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. We worry about how the power points are going to look, if we should have one or two singers, drums or no drums, electric guitars or none at all (I feel like you get my point) its almost as if we worship these things! I would like to start off with a quote (forgive me for the length) from Polhill that I found to be all to strikingly familiar of todays churches. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. "One is your master; all of you are brothers," (Matthew 23:8 KJV). They did not try to hide the problems. Not when some people in the congregation wont look at, speak to, or even acknowledge the existence of certain other people in the congregation. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. (1Corinthians 1:17 RSV). 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. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). If we sacrifice quality for numbers I dont think we are being good stewards of our gift of leadership. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). I would like to approach it from an evangelistic standpoint. We had some great meetings and great times together. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. In verses 14 to 16, Paul uses himself as an example. The minister is waiting, Bible in hand. The church in Corinth was a group of people who were tearing themselves apart! The same viewpoints are still dividing people. This consumerism that we face today in the end doesnt seem all that much different from the way the Christian faith was treated like just another philosophy back in the days of Paul. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). The words made complete mean to be perfectly joined together, like a jigsaw puzzle. 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). (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. 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. The first and perhaps biggest is denominations. We tend to deify men, and people look at them as if they can do no wrong, can made no errors, that they know everything and can settle all questions. We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). Still others say, "We are of Schaeffer," and others, "We are of Graham," or, "We are of C.S. 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. Unity in the church is something that requires cooperation with each other and with the Spirit of God. You may be reminded by his words in Verse10 of the similar passage in his letter to the Philippians where, in Chapter2, he says to that church, "So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord, and of one mind," (Philippians 2:1-2 RSV). We may not all agree on the way to do church but there is definitely more than one effective way. 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. And I say that because some people focus on PREACHER instead of THE SAVIOR. 3- The presence of an immoral member. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. It is possible, though, that the divisions among 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. 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. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. A number of churches in this postmodern era have begun to resemble the Corinthian church in alarming ways. Not even a three-fourths vote should carry a motion. We came to life in Christ by Paul, and Paul is the one we're going to listen to above all others." One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. I. PAULS APPEAL FOR UNITY (verses 10-12). In verses 10-12, Paul begins by giving an appeal for unity. 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. Now these things were good. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). It tells about the most climactic moment in a wedding ceremony. 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. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. It builds him up too much; it makes him a rival, to some degree, of the Lord himself. Some sued their fellow Christians in the secular courts. Christ did not send me to take scalps or to cut notches on my gun handle as to how many converts I've won." A. 2- The Churchs division. Do we need to be looking for results? There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. We need to be perfectly joined together in the love of Christ. 16(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) Paul always expresses great concern about the possibility of a split in the church. God, therefore, has designed that there be many teachers, many preachers, many viewpoints, in a church. As we read through First Corinthians, I think we will see how very much like modern day churches this ancient church of Corinth was. And some of them are really gross. Thats not the way a jigsaw puzzle was meant to be put together. What happens when you get a tear in a piece of clothing and you keep washing and wearing that piece of clothing with the tear in it? He's a great preacher, a warm, capable, eloquent man, who can make the Old Testament come alive!". They were drawing themselves up and saying, "Well, you may be of Paul or of Peter or of Apollos, but we are of Christ! Today we have followers of Rob Bell, Rick Warren, and even Joel Osteen (for some reason). I have had people say to me, "Oh, Mr. Stedman, when you speak I see so clearly! WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. Her hair is messed up! 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. Instead of directly saying that we follow Paul, or Apollos, we say that we are Baptist, Reformed, or even Catholic. 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. 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. 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. 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. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. If I was not raised in a Christian home, I think that I would have the same concerns. The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. The members started to develop division following different leaders. The organ begins the bridal march, and everyone stands. Even as Christians, there seems to be the desire of wanting to uphold one pastor over another by comparison and ultimately glorifying certain pastors. 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. Faith rests on Gods shoulders alone- its not by our wisdom and ability (Polhill 237). I thank God that only a few of you can say that about me." When the lifeless body of the little one was carried back to the anxious mother, she cried aloud, Oh why didnt you join hands before?. A gasp bursts from the guests! Every Navigator had to have a Scofield Reference Bible; that was the only "Authorized Version." Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? (Phil Long). It seems like this isnt a problem and doesnt affect the church much in its present state. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. That was a mark of status with them. A. 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. I do not think things have improved much since the first century. I would agree that we find ourselves in much the same situations as those listening to the Greek philosophers/orators. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. Something shows up sooner or later as an identifying badge that marks them as "special," with special privilege and special status in that group. 11My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I personally experienced this at work about a year and a half ago. You could spot the Navigators going up and down the streets of Honolulu. I am sure there were many in Corinth who were saying, "Oh, I love to hear Apollos! 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. 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! We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. Its all about who looks the best, how much money is made, and how big our churches are. Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? 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. (1Corinthians 1:12 RSV), Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. And, after all, Peter even walked on water!" This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. He recognizes that we share a common life if we have come to Christ; we are brothers and sisters because we have his life in us. (I have been trying for a long time to get my wife to accept that!) 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. That is why the apostle appeals to it. One of his biggest goals is to double our congregation so we have 5,000 members. It wipes out all the petty distinctions that men make among themselves. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. Their relationship to Christ was the unifying factor of the church. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). Orators have to be so careful not to let teaching become a pride thing rather than a gift they share to better the other. 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. Paul here introduces that which can cure divisions, both negatively and positively. RayStedman.org/permissions. He then goes on to explain that it was the Corinthian wisdom that created so much disunity. Peter was an uneducated, common man and may have appealed to that group of people in Corinth. Since November 2021, Reading Acts is edited by Sarah Westphal. Will we do so by the strength which God alone can and will supply? It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. 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. And some of them are really gross. 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. (1Corinthians 1:13 RSV). Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. Aside from this acceptable division within the modern church, there are also two other reasons for division which should not exist. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. 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. 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. 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.. Are we willing and ready to pray for unity in His Church, and work at building a stronger unity among fellow members of the congregations where we fellowship and serve? 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. 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 word was normally used to refer to a tear in a garment. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. The facts in the gospel are what will set us free, and particularly, he says, the word of the cross.