His followers in the Corinthian church may have viewed Christianity as a philosophy rather than a relationship with a Person Jesus Christ. They were dividing over this whole issue, and Paul says it is all wrong. After all, he was one of the first apostles that Jesus himself called." The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). Divisions in the Church This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. 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." In my opinion, this is one of the main reasons our churches are so split and why we act more like the world rather than more like Christ. A young pastor who was facing that problem in his church called me this week from another state. Only the Lord Jesus Christ could pay the penalty for our sins because only He is the Son 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). There has been no other cure that I know of through the years. The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. Help me walk from day to day, with its shadows o'er me. Still others say, "We are of Schaeffer," and others, "We are of Graham," or, "We are of C.S. If you survey the church scene all over America today, you find people dividing up this way. (1Corinthians 1:12 RSV), Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. How important is it that there be unity within the Church? No man would ever have planned the cross. That is the problem, and it is still going on today. DIVISIONS AND PERSONALITIES IN THE CHURCH He does not say we should stop baptizing because of this problem. Phillip J. Some say, "I am of Gothard," and others say, "No, I am of Bright." WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. Todays church is a lot like the church of Corinthians. In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? 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. 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. 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. Some pigged out at the Lord Supper; others had barely enough to eat. Paul condemns their behavior in verse 13 by saying, Has Christ been divided? In other words, have different amounts of Christ been given to different people? I am sure there were many in Corinth who were saying, "Oh, I love to hear Apollos! Do we need to be looking for results? It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. This is what Paul uses as the basis for unity in this church -- not only the attitude of selflessness, which is the mind of Christ, but the responsibility to submit to his Lordship, the common responsibility that we have together. 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. Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. My answer was that it all depends on the motive. Not even a three-fourths vote should carry a motion. There is not a single Christian teacher who ever lived who can help us be forgiven one single sin, not one. A. He then goes on to explain that it was the Corinthian wisdom that created so much disunity. A gasp bursts from the guests! (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. The Factions At Corinth There are still others today who follow after some school of thought. For permission to use this content, please review The other reason is the division among churches of the same denomination. Causes WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. 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? Going off of what Cody is saying, in todays church everything needs to be just right. I think that if you put the teachings of a man over the teachings of Scripture then you have a problem. Unfortunately, this has effected our outreach. 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. Orators have to be so careful not to let teaching become a pride thing rather than a gift they share to better the other. One of his biggest goals is to double our congregation so we have 5,000 members. 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. WebPaul goes right on, in Verse 12, to describe the forms that these divisions were taking in the church of Corinth: What I mean is that each one of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas" [another name for Peter], or "I belong to Christ." We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. The bridesmaids have come down the aisle. He come to Corinth to create a community of disciples from which he might receive patronage and prestige. 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? Polhill says, every Corinthian had their own favorite preacher (237). Some considered Paul their leader, others Apollos, still others Peter. Let's get back to the beginnings. (Peter, evidently, had been through Corinth and had preached there.) 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. Its not just the denominations per se any more theres also a proliferation of house churches too. We all know what a clique is. And there are others who are drawn to some speaking style that has attracted them. If it had been left up to us to plan the program by which God would change the world we would never have included a cross. Near the cross, O Lamb of God, bring its scenes before me. Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. They were boasting over who had baptized them. Christ belongs fully to every believer in His spiritual body, the Church. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). Webdivided. So undoubtedly there was a big group that followed Paul. This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. Take the various mega-churches for example, whose charismatic pastors live in mansions. Offshoots had disturbed the church. We had some great meetings and great times together. Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? Remember, a believer who is at war with his brother or sister in Christ cannot be at peace with our heavenly Father. WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. in the Corinthian Church Thank you, Father, for this time here contemplating the cross. God wants the local church congregation and the local community to see the beauty of a church that is unified and fitted together in love. 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. I used to attend a Navigator group which met in Honolulu on Sunday afternoons. Then there were the stylists, those who were attracted by the different kinds of preaching, and they had especially been drawn to Apollos. the background of the Corinthian Church Since November 2021, Reading Acts is edited by Sarah Westphal. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. Lewis.". 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. To all of this Paul would say to us, as he says to Corinth, Is Christ divided? When daylight again appeared, they looked for him with renewed energy but still without success. To an unbeliever, this looks like we cannot agree on our own religion. So he says, "I didn't baptize many of you. "One is your master; all of you are brothers," (Matthew 23:8 KJV). Every piece of that jigsaw puzzle is different, isnt it? Splits and Quarrels in the Church And he speaks in the name of or by the authority of, our Lord Jesus Christ. Why are these thing SO important? 1 Corinthians Problems in the Church Im not saying its wrong to stick to what you believe. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). Her nose is bloody! It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. The Corinthian Church. (1Corinthians 1:17 RSV). Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. I would agree that we find ourselves in much the same situations as those listening to the Greek philosophers/orators. I do not think things have improved much since the first century. 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. On opening it you found a loose-leaf notebook with many of the small, half-page materials that the Navigators printed their Bible helps on. WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. Divisions in the Church 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. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. Paul continues in verse 10 by saying that there be no divisions among you. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. Splits and Quarrels in the Church 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. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. What is a clique? The Navigators in those days did a great work in the Navy throughout the whole of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and hundreds of young men were led to Christ through their efforts during the war years. Corinthians These were not schisms yet; they had not split off into other congregations, but there were four cliques, or factions within the congregation. That does not mean that everybody has to think alike. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. 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. Not when some people in the congregation wont look at, speak to, or even acknowledge the existence of certain other people in the congregation. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. The Greek word used here literally means to say the same thing. But when each piece is fitted together into its proper place in the puzzle, you have a beautiful and complete picture. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic 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. 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.. Some boasted of their special spiritual gifts; others felt left out. If we are, all our differences and difficulties would soon come to an end. 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. 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. A. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful We become followers of out Pastors and churches rather than of Christ. Divisions But when doctrinal beliefs keep churches from working together to further the gospel. Corinthians Conclusion. 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. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. 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. 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. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. in the Corinthian Church They became symbols of prestige and standing that became divisive factors among the men. Paul is putting his finger right on the problem when he asks, "Was Paul crucified for you?" He is the ground, always, of unity. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. 4-The churchs failure to discipline. Some sued their fellow Christians in the secular courts. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. Now, almost every group does this. 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. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. 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. Paul, however, was a good leader. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division.