This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. (Even non-denominationals do this, just without claiming a denominational title). 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. 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). Why? Its pathetic that people should get so angry about whether drums are used or if the AC unit is kept at 71 or 70. There was still a fourth group, and in some ways I think they were probably the worst. Subject to permissions policy, all rights reserved. The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. 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. 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. Church has become about the pastor and not about his message. Dio Chrysostom visited Corinth about A.D. 89-96. I find there are these tendencies right here in Peninsula Bible Church. Orators have to be so careful not to let teaching become a pride thing rather than a gift they share to better the other. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. In verses 14 to 16, Paul uses himself as an example. Thank you, Father, for this time here contemplating the cross. These were not schisms yet; they had not split off into other congregations, but there were four cliques, or factions within the congregation. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). Every piece of that jigsaw puzzle is different, isnt it? It took four viewpoints to report his earthly life and ministry accurately enough to us. Paul always expresses great concern about the possibility of a split in the church. And, after all, Peter even walked on water!" Here in Verse10 he briefly shows us the ground of unity, and the nature of unity in a church. The bridesmaids have come down the aisle. Here are our first clues as to what is wrong with this kind of cliquishness in a church. Bruises show on her arm! Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. Webdivided. As we read through First Corinthians, I think we will see how very much like modern day churches this ancient church of Corinth was. 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. For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. I personally experienced this at work about a year and a half ago. Weve seen how important unity was to the apostle Paul. They love to listen to someone because he turns them on emotionally. He come to Corinth to create a community of disciples from which he might receive patronage and prestige. 2 Corinthians WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. There are some people who minister to us better than others, and it is only natural that we should listen to them and follow them. In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. Message transcript and recording 1978 by Ray Stedman Ministries, owner of sole copyright by assignment from the author. So rather that detailing their accomplishments as orators, Paul describes their functions (Paul planted, Apollos watered, etc.) 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. In verses 10-17 of Chapter 1, Paul establishes the fact that there are divisions and begins to deal with them. 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. He says, in effect, "You don't cure divisions in a church by identification badges. 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. Having listened to Pauls words and the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ, how important is unity to each of us today? He appeals to them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 11My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. Now, you do not have to be very old to recognize that that is still a problem in the church. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). Lewis.". (Peter, evidently, had been through Corinth and had preached there.) On a large jigsaw puzzle of a thousand pieces or more, its almost impossible to put it together upside down! In my church it seems like they are all about numbers. The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. We are of Peter." 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. 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. In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? (Phil Long). We all know what a clique is. 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. 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. In her book, The Key to a Loving Heart, Karen Mains includes a parable about the church entitled The Brawling Bride. It wipes out all the petty distinctions that men make among themselves. Now these things were good. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. 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 divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. It is possible, though, that the divisions among I lead a small group so I sometimes have to sit in meetings where the pastor shares things about the vision of our church. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. 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. The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. The members started to develop division following different leaders. His dissertation was published as Jesus the Bridegroom by Pickwick Books in 2012. WebWhat were the causes of division in the Corinthian Church? We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. 2 Corinthians Some are of Ritchie, and some are of Roper, and a few of Stedman! 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.. If we sacrifice quality for numbers I dont think we are being good stewards of our gift of leadership. Austin Hellier Brisbane Queensland Australia. If I was not raised in a Christian home, I think that I would have the same concerns. Now, we are similar to the ancient world in that some people do see their pastors/teachers as a source of pride. He then goes on to explain that it was the Corinthian wisdom that created so much disunity. Paul, however, was a good leader. 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. This introduces one of the greatest passages in the Bible, setting forth the difference between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God. The other reason is the division among churches of the same denomination. Instead of tearing themselves apart, he urges them to be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 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. 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.. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. Paul enters this world of wretched Sophists and preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul doesnt want these divisions to continue, so he offers them an alternative. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). Her hair is messed up! A gasp bursts from the guests! These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. (1Corinthians 1:13 RSV). 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. 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. 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. Only the Lord Jesus Christ could pay the penalty for our sins because only He is the Son of God. Its a lot harder! Since November 2021, Reading Acts is edited by Sarah Westphal. 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. In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. Yet, in reality as long as correct biblical doctrine is being taught no pastor should be viewed in comparison to one another. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who The word divisions comes from the Greek word schismata, from which we get our English word schism. This doesnt mean that they have to agree on the minutest points in areas where there is no clear teaching in Scripture. They take an innocent teaching medium, in this case baptism, and make it into an identification badge. 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. Paul did not want to present the Gospel as an orator, competing for students as they did. 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. Still others say, "We are of Schaeffer," and others, "We are of Graham," or, "We are of C.S. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. 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. The minister is waiting, Bible in hand. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). 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). Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. 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. I Corinthians 12:12,13 says, For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. Now, the Apostle Paul is very concerned about this matter of incipient division in the church at Corinth, and he begins dealing with it in this powerful appeal for unity in Verse10: I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. They were burdened about them, and they went to the right person with them. 3- The presence of an immoral member. Now, he describes the nature of unity this way, "that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment." Try it some time. We pray that it may be rich and real in our hearts as we live this week together. They were dividing over this whole issue, and Paul says it is all wrong. He started this church. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who I've not forgotten that incident because it seems to me to capture the very attitude Paul is describing here. 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. There is no other name big enough, great enough, glorious enough, and powerful enough to gather everybody together, despite the diversity of viewpoint and the differences of background or status in life, than the name of Jesus. 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. They forget, of course, that the church never belongs to anybody but the Lord. We become followers of out Pastors and churches rather than of Christ. Divisions never really ended with Pauls letters; they just appear to have evolved into having more sophisticated names. Offshoots had disturbed the church. Today we have followers of Rob Bell, Rick Warren, and even Joel Osteen (for some reason). (I have been trying for a long time to get my wife to accept that!) You could spot the Navigators going up and down the streets of Honolulu. I have had people say to me, "Oh, Mr. Stedman, when you speak I see so clearly! 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. Instead of directly saying that we follow Paul, or Apollos, we say that we are Baptist, Reformed, or even Catholic. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. Im not saying its wrong to stick to what you believe. They became symbols of prestige and standing that became divisive factors among the men. Conclusion. In Jesus' name, Amen. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). The organ begins the bridal march, and everyone stands. 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. He gathers disciples and establishes a church, a meeting place for educating his disciples. Unless its mended, the tear gets bigger and bigger, doesnt it? 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. He begins the process of developing them into leaders who will also preach the gospel and found more churches. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. And some of them are really gross. Christians are all disciples, or better, stewards and servants of the mysteries of God (1 Cor 4:1). 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. 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. 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. 16(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) Was Paul crucified for you? Will we do so by the strength which God alone can and will supply? He's a great preacher, a warm, capable, eloquent man, who can make the Old Testament come alive!". In the same way, thats not the way the Church was meant to be fitted together. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. Ridiculous? We, as the modern church, say that we hold to Pauls message that we shouldnt be conformed to this world, but when we look at the world, there seem to be just as many divisions. His followers in the Corinthian church may have viewed Christianity as a philosophy rather than a relationship with a Person Jesus Christ. The Corinthian 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). Apollos was an intellectual. Obviously, here at Peninsula Bible Church we cannot do that. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. 2- The Churchs division. Some pigged out at the Lord Supper; others had barely enough to eat. 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. Have you ever tried to put a jigsaw puzzle together with the pieces turned upside down so that they are all blank? What he says we'll listen to, not Paul or Peter or anyone else -- it makes no difference to us." They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful That is the mind Paul is talking about. That was a mark of status with them. The Greek word used here literally means to say the same thing. All are mere teachers; there is only one Lord. 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. The elders should make their decisions with the same mind and the same judgment. 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. That is not the work of men; that is the work of God himself. We need to be perfectly joined together in the love of Christ. Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. In 1 Corinthians, Paul consciously avoids disciple-teacher language. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. Others were saying, "Well, Apollos himself baptized me." But yet the apostle says they are to be of the same mind. How important is it that there be unity within the Church? 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. 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. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. Other divisions were to follow. "I appeal to you," he says, "by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Their relationship to Christ was the unifying factor of the church. The groom and his attendants are in their places. There he indicates that the problem with cliquishness is that it tends to overemphasize the significance of the human leader. WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. (I suppose that if Dio were commenting on the modern world, he would describe the wretched bloggers shouting abuse at the temple of WordPress!). 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. In this parable, the groom is Christ. These preachers draw in masses of people every week who are eager to hear them speak. God is not confused, and He does not contradict Himself. There should be unanimous agreement. But first, it is very clear that he is deeply troubled by this. 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. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. 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. One eye is purple and swollen! These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. Not when some people in the congregation wont look at, speak to, or even acknowledge the existence of certain other people in the congregation. 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. They are springing up all over the place, including Downunder (Australia) where I live here in Brisbane. Going off of what Cody is saying, in todays church everything needs to be just right. It tells about the most climactic moment in a wedding ceremony. Now, the second thing Paul says is, "Was Paul crucified for you?" Are we willing to love each other as Christ loved us? Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? It seems like this isnt a problem and doesnt affect the church much in its present state. He is the ground, always, of unity. Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? 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. WebDivisions in the Church. It builds him up too much; it makes him a rival, to some degree, of the Lord himself. 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. 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. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. Paul, however, was a good leader. It is the popular thing today to cry, "Back to the Reformation!" Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow 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. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. 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. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. That does not mean that everybody has to think alike. Her nose is bloody! Paul, however, was a good leader. 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. 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. Then there were the traditionalists (there always are), those that say, "Well, I don't know about Paul or Apollos. In desperation, they returned and held a meeting. Remember, a believer who is at war with his brother or sister in Christ cannot be at peace with our heavenly Father. 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. So Paul is insisting that the Corinthians, and all believers, have doctrinal unity that is clearly based on Gods Word. It is extremely important. Now, Paul says this is all basically, fundamentally wrong. 14I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. Help us to judge these in the light of the cross, and, by its light, to walk before thee. 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. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. Other divisions were to follow. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. I do not think things have improved much since the first century. 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? Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. We came to life in Christ by Paul, and Paul is the one we're going to listen to above all others." Dio Chrysostom complained that Corinth was filled with wretched sophists, many of whom were debating one another with shouting and abuse near the temple to Poseidon. We all know what a clique is. Whatever you say, I believe." What is a clique? [Then he thinks of another group that he had baptized] (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). Near the cross, O Lamb of God, bring its scenes before me. 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.
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