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). Splits and Quarrels in the Church Corinthians That is the mind Paul is talking about. The words made complete mean to be perfectly joined together, like a jigsaw puzzle. 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. We must allow him the privilege of doing that. As a result, this led to the division among Christian converts and to the Christian community as a whole. Long has taught full time at Grace Christian University since 1998, specializing in Bible and Biblical languages. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. 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. The better the orator, the higher the fee, and the more disciples he will attract. The members started to develop division following different leaders. His Word does not disagree with itself. You could spot the Navigators going up and down the streets of Honolulu. Doesnt He deserve better than this? the author asks. We are of Peter." We go back to the Lord alone. 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). This issue was so important that Paul devotes the first four chapters of I Corinthians to divisions in the church. There are several things that split the church today. When you divide up among men you lose something, that is what he is saying. Here in Verse10 he briefly shows us the ground of unity, and the nature of unity in a church. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). 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. Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. WebDivisions in the Church. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. We pray that it may be rich and real in our hearts as we live this week together. The church is never called to having everybody think exactly alike. I think that if you put the teachings of a man over the teachings of Scripture then you have a problem. The news went out but no one had seen the little fellow. In Jesus' name, Amen. The members started to develop division following different leaders. Let's go back to Jerusalem. On a large jigsaw puzzle of a thousand pieces or more, its almost impossible to put it together upside down! Corinthians It wipes out all the petty distinctions that men make among themselves. But first, it is very clear that he is deeply troubled by this. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. 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. 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. I'm nobody, just like you!" 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. For a local church to be spiritually healthy and effective, and for there to be harmony in the local church, there must be doctrinal unity. the background of the Corinthian Church There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. Ridiculous? 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. the background of the Corinthian Church Paul, however, was a good leader. 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 have Jesus only groups even today. In verse 10 we see both Pauls affection for the Corinthian church, and his authority as an apostle of the Lord Jesus 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. Because I am a little defensive it seems like they are almost my enemy. Orators have to be so careful not to let teaching become a pride thing rather than a gift they share to better the other. Now, we all have our favorite preacher, and up to a point that is not wrong. Some of them were saying, "Well, Paul baptized me." The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. If we sacrifice quality for numbers I dont think we are being good stewards of our gift of leadership. The same viewpoints are still dividing people. Paul, however, was a good leader. Conclusion. Who are we, that we should put our interests and our desires ahead of that of the Lord for his church? 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. Still others say, "We are of Schaeffer," and others, "We are of Graham," or, "We are of C.S. So they said, "When Peter came, we really felt that we were on solid ground. the background of the Corinthian Church God is not confused, and He does not contradict Himself. He chooses various channels through which to work. "I appeal to you," he says, "by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." There has been no other cure that I know of through the years. I used to attend a Navigator group which met in Honolulu on Sunday afternoons. He is the ground, always, of unity. 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 enters this world of wretched Sophists and preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Corinthians 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). 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. Corinthians Like I talked about in the first posting, the emerging church makes me question a lot of things they are doing. Try it some time. DIVISIONS AND PERSONALITIES IN THE CHURCH Having listened to Pauls words and the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ, how important is unity to each of us today? 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. Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. Then there were the stylists, those who were attracted by the different kinds of preaching, and they had especially been drawn to Apollos. Now, you do not have to be very old to recognize that that is still a problem in the church. Will we do so by the strength which God alone can and will supply? 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. How many of you have ever put together a jigsaw puzzle? Some are of Ritchie, and some are of Roper, and a few of Stedman! They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. 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. When you follow one man you are getting a view of Christ, but there is no teacher in the church who has ever come along -- including the Apostle Paul himself -- who has ever had a totally complete view of Christ. Were you baptized into the name of Paul? 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." So, just a few texts and there are so many more. Paul doesnt want these divisions to continue, so he offers them an alternative. DIVISIONS IN THE CHURCH I Corinthians 1 These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. 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. If so, what results are we shooting for? Conclusion. The Factions At Corinth Her gown is ripped and covered with mud! Not when we hear of churches with factions or cliques of people who sit on opposite sides of the aisle. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). 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). So we have the possibility for this very thing right here. 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. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). Whatever you say, I believe." 2 Corinthians What is a clique? WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. 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. Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. That is why the apostle appeals to it. How important is it that there be unity in the Church where you fellowship? Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. 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. Now, he describes the nature of unity this way, "that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment." 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. To all of this Paul would say to us, as he says to Corinth, Is Christ divided? The congregation then is to submit to the elders because it has confidence that their decisions were made under the Holy Spirits direction and power. This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. The facts in the gospel are what will set us free, and particularly, he says, the word of the cross. Teaching to be effective first needs to effect/transform the life of the teacher and then connect with those who hear. Paul continues in verse 10 by saying that, MANS WISDOM VERSUS GODS WISDOM I Corinthians 1:18-25, WHY DONT PEOPLE BELIEVE? One eye is purple and swollen! DIVISIONS AND PERSONALITIES IN THE CHURCH As bad as it is, it makes sense for the people of Pauls day to be concerned with whatever home church has the best orator, and then argue for them to other potential followers. That is always the unifying factor in a church, and that is the mind that is to be among us, the mind that does not consider itself the most important thing. 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.. Now, the second thing Paul says is, "Was Paul crucified for you?" WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. And some of them are really gross. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. No man is the Savior; no man can deliver us except Jesus. My answer was that it all depends on the motive. His dissertation was published as Jesus the Bridegroom by Pickwick Books in 2012. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. The bibles need to match the pews which need to match the carpet which need to match the wall color. In the same way, thats not the way the Church was meant to be fitted together. Paul wants the Corinthian church to mend the broken relationships that have been caused by the divisions among its members. "One is your master; all of you are brothers," (Matthew 23:8 KJV). Sometimes two or three hundred sailors, all of them Christians, would be there. The Greek word used here literally means to say the same thing. God only sees one fold, (John 10) and there is only one faith, one Lord, one baptism etc. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. It is possible, though, that the divisions among 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! The Corinthian Church. Lewis.". Thats not the way a jigsaw puzzle was meant to be put together. I do not think things have improved much since the first century. It builds him up too much; it makes him a rival, to some degree, of the Lord himself. 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. If Paul could see the divisions between the various denominations of today, what would he say? It is possible, though, that the divisions among 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. How can the presence of divisions be described as worldly?, Bruce Winter details the Greco-Roman practice of discipleship in the second chapter of After Paul Left Corinth. 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." A. And there are others who are drawn to some speaking style that has attracted them. Corinthians Like the world, Christians are too concerned with being right and having our way. We came to life in Christ by Paul, and Paul is the one we're going to listen to above all others." Paul here introduces that which can cure divisions, both negatively and positively. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. The Factions At Corinth If it is to expand the congregation and further the work of the Lord in that area, and he had the whole agreement of the leadership of the church behind him, then it is fine to take part of the congregation and go away and begin another work. 4-The churchs failure to discipline. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. They were burdened about them, and they went to the right person with them. Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. Then youre a Christian right? Even though our conversation could only continue for about 10 more minutes, this issue of divisions within the church arose. They are springing up all over the place, including Downunder (Australia) where I live here in Brisbane. He begins the process of developing them into leaders who will also preach the gospel and found more churches. 1 Corinthians Problems in the Church Here are our first clues as to what is wrong with this kind of cliquishness in a church. Its a lot harder! With all the differences among us, it is impossible to get people to think alike. 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. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. 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. If you will turn in your Bibles with me to John 17:20-23, I will read the passage to you. They were hard to get in those war years, and every shipment that came in went out like hot cakes. 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 Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. Do we need to be looking for results? It was a glorious work. There he indicates that the problem with cliquishness is that it tends to overemphasize the significance of the human leader. Not even a three-fourths vote should carry a motion. 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 what ways have we failed to de-paganize? 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. 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. Austin Hellier Brisbane Queensland Australia. Offshoots had disturbed the church. It tells about the most climactic moment in a wedding ceremony. 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. He says, in effect, "You don't cure divisions in a church by identification badges. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. 3- The presence of an immoral member. It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. Unless its mended, the tear gets bigger and bigger, doesnt it? 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. 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. 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. 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? I find there are these tendencies right here in Peninsula Bible Church. Divisions Paul continues in verse 10 by saying that there be no divisions among you. is the history and significance of the church 2 Corinthians Its all about who looks the best, how much money is made, and how big our churches are. I will jump on the bandwagon here and say that division is definitely an issue today. In fact, these divisions are a sign of worldliness. Not when some people in the congregation wont look at, speak to, or even acknowledge the existence of certain other people in the congregation. The minister is waiting, Bible in hand. We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. 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. Paul was the apostle to the gentiles. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western 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. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful 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. Divisions in the Church 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. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). The cross strips away our illusions and brings the pride of men tumbling down from that high place where it exalts itself against the knowledge of God. 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. 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." All are mere teachers; there is only one Lord. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who That was the mark, that was the identification badge. And there were some who said, "Well, when Peter came through, he baptized me. 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. 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. In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? (Phil Long). They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). 1 Corinthians 1-4 Division in the Church, division in the church of Corinth was over leadership, 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 Lawsuits Among Brothers, Corinthiaka in New Testament Blogs | Corinthian Matters, The Book of Enoch for Beginners: A Guide to Expand Your Understanding of the Biblical World. So Paul is insisting that the Corinthians, and all believers, have doctrinal unity that is clearly based on Gods Word. This word was normally used to refer to a tear in a garment. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). The families have been seated. 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). Offshoots had disturbed the church. There was extreme competition among the orators for honor and power. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. Christians are all disciples, or better, stewards and servants of the mysteries of God (1 Cor 4:1). 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. 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. It is those who have a financial interest in their own wellbeing, that divide the sheep up into different folds. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. Her hair is messed up! The search went on until nightfall, but no answer came to their urgent calls. 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). 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. 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. 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. The first noticeable division would be among differing denominations. 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. We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. 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). Why are these thing SO important? Help me walk from day to day, with its shadows o'er me.
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