This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. If so, what results are we shooting for? I've not forgotten that incident because it seems to me to capture the very attitude Paul is describing here. I remember a few years ago being at a family congress in St. Louis, Missouri, when one of the evening speakers was Dr.Oswald Hoffman, the very capable and powerful preacher on the Lutheran Hour radio program. 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? Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. 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. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. When you divide up among men you lose something, that is what he is saying. They were hard to get in those war years, and every shipment that came in went out like hot cakes. I agree with P. Longs last statement in that things have not improved much since the first century. 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. 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. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. This introduces one of the greatest passages in the Bible, setting forth the difference between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. The countless denominations and different beliefs of Christianity are often not appealing to non-believers. I have had people say to me, "Oh, Mr. Stedman, when you speak I see so clearly! Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. (I suppose that if Dio were commenting on the modern world, he would describe the wretched bloggers shouting abuse at the temple of WordPress!). In verses 10-12, Paul begins by giving an appeal for unity. 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. They were dividing over this whole issue, and Paul says it is all wrong. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. 2- The Churchs division. Divisions never really ended with Pauls letters; they just appear to have evolved into having more sophisticated names. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. The content of their messages was in agreement, but the followers of these men probably focused on personality differences and distorted their teachings. (Philippians 2:6-8 RSV). Remember, a believer who is at war with his brother or sister in Christ cannot be at peace with our heavenly Father. 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. I told them that it is a concern of mine as well. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). 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. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. 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. 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 the popular thing today to cry, "Back to the Reformation!" Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who There was still a fourth group, and in some ways I think they were probably the worst. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. And there were some who said, "Well, when Peter came through, he baptized me. 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. We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. Paul is putting his finger right on the problem when he asks, "Was Paul crucified for you?" Whenever this attitude of gathering around a man is allowed to perpetuate itself, it is the source of much trouble and difficulty. That is why the apostle appeals to it. What is a clique? The news went out but no one had seen the little fellow. 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? The cross of Christ cuts across all human value systems. We all know what a clique is. 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. 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. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. In other words, there must be agreement with Christ, with His will, and with His Word. Yet, in reality as long as correct biblical doctrine is being taught no pastor should be viewed in comparison to one another. 3- The presence of an immoral member. 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 popularized in the movie Mean Girls. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. Now, how could that be? They read only his books or listen only to his tapes. The families have been seated. Message transcript and recording 1978 by Ray Stedman Ministries, owner of sole copyright by assignment from the author. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. Her gown is ripped and covered with mud! In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). 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. 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. 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. Some say, "I am of Gothard," and others say, "No, I am of Bright." Will we do so by the strength which God alone can and will supply? But if it is to escape pressures and difficulties and problems in the congregation, then it is absolutely wrong and the worst thing he could do, because it sets before the watching world a false testimony concerning the church of Jesus Christ. This is what Paul does here. However, I would like to approach this in a different way than the comments already present here. His followers in the Corinthian church may have viewed Christianity as a philosophy rather than a relationship with a Person Jesus Christ. Like the orators wanted more money from the fees they charged, many pastors just want more people to look better and have a bigger budget. It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. If you will turn in your Bibles with me to John 17:20-23, I will read the passage to you. In the body of Christ at large there are many who can make a contribution to the understanding of Christ. As a result, this led to the division among Christian converts and to the Christian community as a whole. It was expected. If Paul could see the divisions between the various denominations of today, what would he say? I find there are these tendencies right here in Peninsula Bible Church. No man is the Savior; no man can deliver us except Jesus. WebDivisions in the Church. 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. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. Church has become about the pastor and not about his message. There are many other things that do cause serious problems stemming from the outside world. Teaching to be effective first needs to effect/transform the life of the teacher and then connect with those who hear. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful He didnt focus on himself being superior to all the rest of the church leaders. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, and whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. You and I cant have more of the Lord Jesus Christ, but we can give Him more of ourselves, and experience more fully what is already ours as children of God. That does not mean that everybody has to think alike. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. Having listened to Pauls words and the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ, how important is unity to each of us today? 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? He's a great preacher, a warm, capable, eloquent man, who can make the Old Testament come alive!". The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. This is really what is behind his disclaimer on baptism in 1 Cor 1:14-16. Instead of directly saying that we follow Paul, or Apollos, we say that we are Baptist, Reformed, or even Catholic. The human condition is, unfortunately, one of comparison that seeks to place oneself or their beliefs over another. In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? (Phil Long). 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. Some boasted of their special spiritual gifts; others felt left out. They are springing up all over the place, including Downunder (Australia) where I live here in Brisbane. "I appeal to you," he says, "by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Now, we are similar to the ancient world in that some people do see their pastors/teachers as a source of pride. "One is your master; all of you are brothers," (Matthew 23:8 KJV). 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. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. Instead of tearing themselves apart, he urges them to be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. Now, he describes the nature of unity this way, "that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment." The Greek word used here literally means to say the same thing. Subject to permissions policy, all rights reserved. I dont remember Paul seeing any thing like these issues as other than trivial. 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? 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. And some of them are really gross. When it comes to seeking the spiritually lost for Christ, we can be much more effective if we are perfectly joined together in an unfailing zeal for Gods glory, not our own. 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. Peter was an uneducated, common man and may have appealed to that group of people in Corinth. 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." It wipes out all the petty distinctions that men make among themselves. There are even discrepancies inside single denominations (which means we have division inside our divisions, great). What should our evaluation of a ministry look like I wonder if its not by numbers? WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. In Jesus' name, Amen. 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. Take the various mega-churches for example, whose charismatic pastors live in mansions. In verses 14 to 16, Paul uses himself as an example. Their relationship to Christ was the unifying factor of the church. That, of course, is as it should be. If you limit yourself to one speaker or one teacher and feed only on him, you are getting a distorted view of Jesus Christ; you are chopping Christ up, dividing him and taking one little portion as one man reports it and ignoring the rest, thus your view of Christ is deficient and unable to satisfy you as it was intended to do. Now, we all have our favorite preacher, and up to a point that is not wrong. 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. 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. I'm nobody, just like you!" Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. The first and perhaps biggest is denominations. But yet the apostle says they are to be of the same mind. That is not the work of men; that is the work of God himself. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. (Even non-denominationals do this, just without claiming a denominational title). Paul is going to go on to describe this radical force that is so different than anything else there is nothing like it in the world. 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. How many of you have ever put together a jigsaw puzzle? 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. 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. They became symbols of prestige and standing that became divisive factors among the men. And more than that, we have a responsibility to obey him, to follow his Lordship. 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 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). 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. A. 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?. These preachers draw in masses of people every week who are eager to hear them speak. 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. It is extremely important. So they said, "When Peter came, we really felt that we were on solid ground. A number of churches in this postmodern era have begun to resemble the Corinthian church in alarming ways. It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). That is why Paul calls us back to it. 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. Faith rests on Gods shoulders alone- its not by our wisdom and ability (Polhill 237). Other divisions were to follow. That is the mind Paul is talking about. Her nose is bloody! This applies also to the leadership in the church. They were boasting over who had baptized them. Every Navigator had to have a Scofield Reference Bible; that was the only "Authorized Version." 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). Some are of Ritchie, and some are of Roper, and a few of Stedman! 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. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). He said so himself. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. I told them that I do not foresee and end to these divisions anytime soon (sadly). You could spot the Navigators going up and down the streets of Honolulu. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. In her book, The Key to a Loving Heart, Karen Mains includes a parable about the church entitled The Brawling Bride. 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). There were: the followers of Paul, the followers of Apollos, the followers of Cephas or Peter, and the followers of Christ. Ridiculous? RayStedman.org/permissions. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. 2- The Churchs division. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). 4-The churchs failure to discipline. Phillip J. So Paul is insisting that the Corinthians, and all believers, have doctrinal unity that is clearly based on Gods Word. The church was divided into factions, and one group was urging him to take half the congregation and go to another part of the city and start a new church. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). And, after all, Peter even walked on water!" 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. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. Its pathetic that people should get so angry about whether drums are used or if the AC unit is kept at 71 or 70. 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. The words made complete mean to be perfectly joined together, like a jigsaw puzzle. 4-The churchs failure to discipline. 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. 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. We pray that it may be rich and real in our hearts as we live this week together. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. What is a clique? One eye is purple and swollen! 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? 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. 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. Some people will pick other matters of doctrine to affirm. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. 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. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. Yes, we have the core beliefs that most Christians will agree upon, but the rest is still very confusing to non-believers. 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. When I say it gets ignored like an infomercial you probably infer what that means. 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. He then goes on to explain that it was the Corinthian wisdom that created so much disunity. Paul continues in verse 10 by saying that, MANS WISDOM VERSUS GODS WISDOM I Corinthians 1:18-25, WHY DONT PEOPLE BELIEVE? In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. Because I am a little defensive it seems like they are almost my enemy. Today we have followers of Rob Bell, Rick Warren, and even Joel Osteen (for some reason). How important is it that there be unity within the Church? All rights reserved. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. There he indicates that the problem with cliquishness is that it tends to overemphasize the significance of the human leader. 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. 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. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. The Corinthian Church. Not when some people in the congregation wont look at, speak to, or even acknowledge the existence of certain other people in the congregation. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else). 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. His dissertation was published as Jesus the Bridegroom by Pickwick Books in 2012. Paul enters this world of wretched Sophists and preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. Why? 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. There are those who are emotionally attached to some great Christian leader who has helped them, and they will only listen to him. Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. And he speaks in the name of or by the authority of, our Lord Jesus Christ. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church 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. They love to listen to someone because he turns them on emotionally. It is possible, though, that the divisions among That is what Paul speaks about. 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. He is the ground, always, of unity. That was the mark, that was the identification badge. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 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). 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! When daylight again appeared, they looked for him with renewed energy but still without success. And I say that because some people focus on PREACHER instead of THE SAVIOR. 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." 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. With all the differences among us, it is impossible to get people to think alike. 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. 13Is Christ divided? In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). (Peter, evidently, had been through Corinth and had preached there.) 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. 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. Acts 18:24 says that Apollos was an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man. A. Thats not the way a jigsaw puzzle was meant to be put together. Aside from this acceptable division within the modern church, there are also two other reasons for division which should not exist. 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). Now, it cannot. 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.
Adams County Geoportal,
Why Is Anthracene More Reactive Than Benzene,
Afl Membership Silver To Gold,
Articles W