6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. When you divide up among men you lose something, that is what he is saying. This applies also to the leadership in the church. 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. 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. 3- The presence of an immoral member. Something shows up sooner or later as an identifying badge that marks them as "special," with special privilege and special status in that group. No man is the Savior; no man can deliver us except Jesus. He does not say we should stop baptizing because of this problem. Paul exhorts them to agree. They would have the Scofield Reference Bible and a notebook under one arm, and you knew that if you examined their Bibles you would find the ladder index on the pages. 11My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. Its all about who looks the best, how much money is made, and how big our churches are. He begins the process of developing them into leaders who will also preach the gospel and found more churches. In the body of Christ at large there are many who can make a contribution to the understanding of Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. I told them that I do not foresee and end to these divisions anytime soon (sadly). I told them GBC and they said something along the lines of, Oh a Bible college? In my church it seems like they are all about numbers. 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. That is the problem, and it is still going on today. 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. Take the various mega-churches for example, whose charismatic pastors live in mansions. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. I would like to approach it from an evangelistic standpoint. Paul knew this and said in 1 Corinthians 2:1-2, When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed the testimony about God. It was expected. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. The members started to develop division following different leaders. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. Other divisions were to follow. It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). Apollos was an intellectual. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. The church in Corinth was a group of people who were tearing themselves apart! I have to admit though that sometimes I think about numbers and recognition and want that. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. 13Is Christ divided? I do not think things have improved much since the first century. When daylight again appeared, they looked for him with renewed energy but still without success. (I have been trying for a long time to get my wife to accept that!) 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. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. 4-The churchs failure to discipline. Now, in one verse he introduces to us the cure for these divisions (Verse17): For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom [literally, "wisdom of words"], lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. Now, almost every group does this. We have our theological view points, and even our philosophical ones (even though we could have less of that in our churches today in my opinion) but we also have our social dimensions as well. I hang on every word you say. Remember, a believer who is at war with his brother or sister in Christ cannot be at peace with our heavenly Father. I was taking my break and a person I work with asked where I went to college. For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. The first and perhaps biggest is denominations. 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. That is not the work of men; that is the work of God himself. We become followers of out Pastors and churches rather than of Christ. What he says we'll listen to, not Paul or Peter or anyone else -- it makes no difference to us." Now, it cannot. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. They take an innocent teaching medium, in this case baptism, and make it into an identification badge. Paul did not want to present the Gospel as an orator, competing for students as they did. There should be unanimous agreement. Sometimes two or three hundred sailors, all of them Christians, would be there. Why are these thing SO important? They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful 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. Because the Holy Spirit has but one will, and because a church must be in complete harmony with His will, the leaders must be in complete harmony with each other in that will. Going off of what Cody is saying, in todays church everything needs to be just right. "I appeal to you," he says, "by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. There are several things that split the church today. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. I was unaware of this connection before now but it really makes sense. WebDivisions in the Church. In verse 17, Paul says that his calling of God was to preach the Gospel, and the focus of the Gospel is the cross of Christ. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. 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. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). 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. That is why the apostle appeals to it. 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.". In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. Now, you do not have to be very old to recognize that that is still a problem in the church. There are many other things that do cause serious problems stemming from the outside world. In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? But when each piece is fitted together into its proper place in the puzzle, you have a beautiful and complete picture. That was a mark of status with them. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. All that mattered to Paul was Jesus! The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. The facts in the gospel are what will set us free, and particularly, he says, the word of the cross. I think today if church leaders focus on Jesus and only Jesus we would be so much healthier. Subject to permissions policy, all rights reserved. The Greek word used here literally means to say the same thing. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. Since I was working at that time in the ship's service department in Pearl Harbor, we ordered great quantities of these Bibles. They did not try to hide the problems. Since November 2021, Reading Acts is edited by Sarah Westphal. If Paul could see the divisions between the various denominations of today, what would he say? Phil Long is correct, we have not improved much since the first century. In these cases, there should be freedom to agree to disagree. Paul always expresses great concern about the possibility of a split in the church. Peter was an uneducated, common man and may have appealed to that group of people in Corinth. That, of course, is as it should be. The words made complete mean to be perfectly joined together, like a jigsaw puzzle. 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." Paul wants the Corinthian church to mend the broken relationships that have been caused by the divisions among its members. They became symbols of prestige and standing that became divisive factors among the men. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. And some of them are really gross. 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. Some people will pick other matters of doctrine to affirm. Then not only did they have the Bible, but every Navigator who was anybody at all had to have an index drawn in on the pages of the Bible, a kind of a ladder that gave you a clue to where the books were so that with your thumb you could turn up any book in the Bible almost instantly. Help me walk from day to day, with its shadows o'er me. If you will turn in your Bibles with me to John 17:20-23, I will read the passage to you. 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. The bridesmaids have come down the aisle. 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. He was a rhetorician who was especially capable in the allegorical style of teaching of the Old Testament. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. 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. 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. Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. Divisions never really ended with Pauls letters; they just appear to have evolved into having more sophisticated names. WebDivisions in the Church. 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). He called to ask whether I thought that would be right or wrong to do. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. That does not mean that everybody has to think alike. To an unbeliever, this looks like we cannot agree on our own religion. Now, in Verse13 you understand why. 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. They were dividing over this whole issue, and Paul says it is all wrong. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). They are springing up all over the place, including Downunder (Australia) where I live here in Brisbane. 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. 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. One of these influencing factors is consumerism which finds its way into even the way Christians think. 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. Paul continues in verse 10 by saying that there be no divisions among you. This word was normally used to refer to a tear in a garment. We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. They are his family in Christ. 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. This also brings up another Pagan influence which is naming the days of the week after the planets. 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. 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. Today we have followers of Rob Bell, Rick Warren, and even Joel Osteen (for some reason). And some of them are really gross. Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. These preachers draw in masses of people every week who are eager to hear them speak. Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. And if you were really on the inside circle, your ladder was drawn by none other than Dawson Trotman himself! As a result, this led to the division among Christian converts and to the Christian community as a whole. Its not just the denominations per se any more theres also a proliferation of house churches too. Her gown is ripped and covered with mud! When I say it gets ignored like an infomercial you probably infer what that means. We get so off track of what Christianity is all aboutMark 12:30-31 and begin focusing on worldly things like Rob Bell debated are actually being held to see if this Pastor is even Christian! 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. Paul here introduces that which can cure divisions, both negatively and positively. I used to attend a Navigator group which met in Honolulu on Sunday afternoons. In 2019 he published a commentary. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who Having listened to Pauls words and the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ, how important is unity to each of us today? Others were saying, "Well, Apollos himself baptized me." The most well known one is having worship on Sundays instead of the Sabbath. Alexandria was a center for learning and philosophy. 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. 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. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. It seems like this isnt a problem and doesnt affect the church much in its present state. I appreciate the perspective given by the author and agree 100% that the body of Christ is divided. 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 is not a single Christian teacher who ever lived who can help us be forgiven one single sin, not one. Four groups had formed in the Corinthian church. Offshoots had disturbed the church. 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. In verses 14 to 16, Paul uses himself as an example. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. Was Paul crucified for you? Obviously, here at Peninsula Bible Church we cannot do that. The same viewpoints are still dividing people. 3- The presence of an immoral member. The first noticeable division would be among differing denominations. That is the mind Paul is talking about. So undoubtedly there was a big group that followed Paul. You could spot the Navigators going up and down the streets of Honolulu. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. He's a great preacher, a warm, capable, eloquent man, who can make the Old Testament come alive!". And he speaks in the name of or by the authority of, our Lord Jesus Christ. All rights reserved. There he indicates that the problem with cliquishness is that it tends to overemphasize the significance of the human leader. 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. 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). Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. 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. They were drawing themselves up and saying, "Well, you may be of Paul or of Peter or of Apollos, but we are of Christ! There was extreme competition among the orators for honor and power. 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? 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. There was nothing wrong with Paul baptizing people, but Paul didnt want people to boast about the fact that he baptized them. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). And there were some who said, "Well, when Peter came through, he baptized me. God only sees one fold, (John 10) and there is only one faith, one Lord, one baptism etc. We have Jesus only groups even today. Doesnt He deserve better than this? the author asks. 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. (Philippians 2:6-8 RSV). This is really what is behind his disclaimer on baptism in 1 Cor 1:14-16. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). Some boasted of their special spiritual gifts; others felt left out. In this parable, the groom is Christ. Christ belongs fully to every believer in His spiritual body, the Church. 16(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) How important is it that there be unity in the Church where you fellowship? It seems unbelievable at first to think that this kind of division exists within the modern church, but more often than not it is actually one of the most common reasons for division. But you could always tell a Navigator because there were three things that he always had: First, he had a Scofield Reference Bible tucked under his arm. Instead of directly saying that we follow Paul, or Apollos, we say that we are Baptist, Reformed, or even Catholic. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. We came to life in Christ by Paul, and Paul is the one we're going to listen to above all others." I'm nobody, just like you!" Now, we are similar to the ancient world in that some people do see their pastors/teachers as a source of pride. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. I am sure there were many in Corinth who were saying, "Oh, I love to hear Apollos! We pray that it may be rich and real in our hearts as we live this week together. Now, how could that be? The better the orator, the higher the fee, and the more disciples he will attract. He has Masters degrees in Biblical Exposition and Old Testament from Talbot School of Theology (BIOLA) and a PhD in New Testament from Andrews University. Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. 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! 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. A young pastor who was facing that problem in his church called me this week from another state. The search went on until nightfall, but no answer came to their urgent calls. Other divisions were to follow. 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. 2 Corinthians 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..
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