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. WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. 3- The presence of an immoral member. Why are these thing SO important? It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. This applies also to the leadership in the church. Try it some time. That is why the apostle appeals to it. Offshoots had disturbed the church. Like Greg, I recognize this tension in some of the churches I have served in and find it appalling (1 Corinthians 3:18-19). WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. 1 Corinthians Problems in the Church 2- The Churchs division. 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. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. They forget, of course, that the church never belongs to anybody but the Lord. Paul enters this world of wretched Sophists and preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In these cases, there should be freedom to agree to disagree. 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. Because I am a little defensive it seems like they are almost my enemy. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. But when it comes to the clear teachings of Gods Word, there cannot be two conflicting views that are both right. 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? Austin Hellier Brisbane Queensland Australia. 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 Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). 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. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). Her nose is bloody! Webdivided. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. the Problems in the Corinthian Church Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. My impression is that the same sorts of problems evident in Corinth are clearly evident in the contemporary church, whether that is West Michigan or Brisbane. If we sacrifice quality for numbers I dont think we are being good stewards of our gift of leadership. 10I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. I agree with P. Longs last statement in that things have not improved much since the first century. And some of them are really gross. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. 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. Now, we are similar to the ancient world in that some people do see their pastors/teachers as a source of pride. Instead of directly saying that we follow Paul, or Apollos, we say that we are Baptist, Reformed, or even Catholic. Phil Long is correct, we have not improved much since the first century. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who While there can be problems with some (no recognised leadership, disorganised, isolated, cultishness, lack of cohesion etc) they can also produce some of the strongest disciples Ive seen for many years, and yet, they could easily claim to be that fourth division like the one at Corinth the I am of Christ division, where they have no name (no favoured preacher/teacher) but are still divided off. 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. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. 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. 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! This doesnt mean that they have to agree on the minutest points in areas where there is no clear teaching in Scripture. Gods people who are moving in revival (like we have been to experiencing right here in Brisbane these last few months) have no qualms about getting together to see the nation of Australia come to Christ. Some of them were saying, "Well, Paul baptized me." Christians are all disciples, or better, stewards and servants of the mysteries of God (1 Cor 4:1). This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. Corinthians Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. 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. There are still others today who follow after some school of thought. 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. (Even non-denominationals do this, just without claiming a denominational title). WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. In Jesus' name, Amen. In verses 14 to 16, Paul uses himself as an example. Peter was an uneducated, common man and may have appealed to that group of people in Corinth. 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 are two common causes of church divisions in the West. Message transcript and recording 1978 by Ray Stedman Ministries, owner of sole copyright by assignment from the author. The third danger of groups is given in the latter part of Verse13, and on through the next few verses: Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? Paul wants the Corinthian church to mend the broken relationships that have been caused by the divisions among its members. What is a clique? He chooses various channels through which to work. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. 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. Christ belongs fully to every believer in His spiritual body, the Church. in the Corinthian Church These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. 2 Corinthians WebDivisions in the Church. Behind Divisions Todays church is a lot like the church of Corinthians. 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. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. When I say it gets ignored like an infomercial you probably infer what that means. 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. Whenever this attitude of gathering around a man is allowed to perpetuate itself, it is the source of much trouble and difficulty. 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. Corinthians They did not try to hide the problems. Now, you do not have to be very old to recognize that that is still a problem in the church. In fact, Paul never claims disciples. Will we do so by the strength which God alone can and will supply? 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. The Corinthian Church. Subject to permissions policy, all rights reserved. This word was normally used to refer to a tear in a garment. Like I talked about in the first posting, the emerging church makes me question a lot of things they are doing. 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. That, of course, is as it should be. We must allow him the privilege of doing that. I have to admit though that sometimes I think about numbers and recognition and want that. 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. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. And he speaks in the name of or by the authority of, our Lord Jesus Christ. Ridiculous? Paul exhorts them to agree. Near the cross, O Lamb of God, bring its scenes before me. In verse 10 we see both Pauls affection for the Corinthian church, and his authority as an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. The cross of Christ is what will heal the fragmentation of Christians wherever they are. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. He says, in effect, "You don't cure divisions in a church by identification badges. Divisions in the Church A young pastor who was facing that problem in his church called me this week from another state. We become followers of out Pastors and churches rather than of Christ. Splits and Quarrels in the Church Causes Here are our first clues as to what is wrong with this kind of cliquishness in a church. His followers in the Corinthian church may have viewed Christianity as a philosophy rather than a relationship with a Person Jesus Christ. Paul was the apostle to the gentiles. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. Chapter Summary So rather that detailing their accomplishments as orators, Paul describes their functions (Paul planted, Apollos watered, etc.) Some are of Ritchie, and some are of Roper, and a few of Stedman! It is those who have a financial interest in their own wellbeing, that divide the sheep up into different folds. The words made complete mean to be perfectly joined together, like a jigsaw puzzle. That is why Paul calls us back to it. Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? It is possible, though, that the divisions among Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. (Philippians 2:6-8 RSV). Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. The Corinthian Church. 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. (1Corinthians 1:13 RSV). One of his biggest goals is to double our congregation so we have 5,000 members. In verses 10-12, Paul begins by giving an appeal for unity. It was expected. The organ begins the bridal march, and everyone stands. But when each piece is fitted together into its proper place in the puzzle, you have a beautiful and complete picture. 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.. In my church it seems like they are all about numbers. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. The countless denominations and different beliefs of Christianity are often not appealing to non-believers. I lead a small group so I sometimes have to sit in meetings where the pastor shares things about the vision of our church. It seems like this isnt a problem and doesnt affect the church much in its present state. There are even discrepancies inside single denominations (which means we have division inside our divisions, great). 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). 17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospelnot with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 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. 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 extremely important. 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. God, therefore, has designed that there be many teachers, many preachers, many viewpoints, in a church. So Paul is insisting that the Corinthians, and all believers, have doctrinal unity that is clearly based on Gods Word. 2- The Churchs division. 1 Corinthians Problems in the Church is the history and significance of the church (I suppose that if Dio were commenting on the modern world, he would describe the wretched bloggers shouting abuse at the temple of WordPress!). 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. They will not all be the same flavor; they will not all have the same characteristics. One of them being the reason to follow a specific pastor. Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. Help me walk from day to day, with its shadows o'er me. He gathers disciples and establishes a church, a meeting place for educating his disciples. It was considered honorable for you to stand up for yourself in this way. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. We are all equally undeserving of salvation and a relationship with Jesus Christ. 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. If we are, all our differences and difficulties would soon come to an end. In her book, The Key to a Loving Heart, Karen Mains includes a parable about the church entitled The Brawling Bride. Many of the other problems were flowing out of this division within the congregation. I believe that if people would take their eyes off man and stop putting man up up so high and put THE MASTER BACK FIRST in their lives it wont be so much division in our churches. Its all about who looks the best, how much money is made, and how big our churches are. 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. 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. The Factions At Corinth What Was Dividing the Corinthian Church 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. We do not know who the people were who belonged to the house of Cloe, but we must commend them for their courage and devotion. His most recent book is The Book of Enoch for Beginners: A Guide to Expand Your Understanding of the Biblical World (Rockridge, 2022). 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. 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? Divisions 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. In fact, there are still many divisions that exist today in modern churches. 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. 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. in the Corinthian Church I think today if church leaders focus on Jesus and only Jesus we would be so much healthier. For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. 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. Corinthians He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. 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. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 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." No man is the Savior; no man can deliver us except Jesus. Unity in the church is something that requires cooperation with each other and with the Spirit of God. There are those who are emotionally attached to some great Christian leader who has helped them, and they will only listen to him. I appreciate the perspective given by the author and agree 100% that the body of Christ is divided. Webdivided. I. PAULS APPEAL FOR UNITY (verses 10-12). 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 2 Corinthians 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." In fact, these divisions are a sign of worldliness. The families have been seated. They were also not afraid to be mentioned in Pauls letter to the church. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. Now, how could that be? For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. All that mattered to Paul was Jesus! 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). But even if there are multiple house churches founded by different leaders, Paul passionately argues that the body of Christ cannot be divided in this way. How important was unity to the apostle Paul, and to the Holy Spirit who moved Him to write this letter to the Church in Corinth? They take an innocent teaching medium, in this case baptism, and make it into an identification badge. Some say, "I am of Gothard," and others say, "No, I am of Bright." 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? This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. They are springing up all over the place, including Downunder (Australia) where I live here in Brisbane. 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. This is a radical principle that we need to understand, because, when you understand the cross, there will be no room left for the divisions of men. in the Corinthian Church We go back to the Lord alone. 12What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ.". 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." 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. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. Some pigged out at the Lord Supper; others had barely enough to eat. The bridesmaids have come down the aisle. Orators have to be so careful not to let teaching become a pride thing rather than a gift they share to better the other. Corinthians DIVISIONS IN THE CHURCH I Corinthians 1 4-The churchs failure to discipline. He called to ask whether I thought that would be right or wrong to do. Something shows up sooner or later as an identifying badge that marks them as "special," with special privilege and special status in that group. Here in Verse10 he briefly shows us the ground of unity, and the nature of unity in a church. 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. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. 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. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who in 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.

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