Conclusion. The elders should make their decisions with the same mind and the same judgment. Faith rests on Gods shoulders alone- its not by our wisdom and ability (Polhill 237). 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. Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. Austin Hellier Brisbane Queensland Australia. Not when one part of the congregation meets in one part of the building, and the other part of the congregation meets in another spot. WebWhat were the causes of division in the Corinthian Church? The families have been seated. The facts in the gospel are what will set us free, and particularly, he says, the word of the cross. It is possible, though, that the divisions among It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. Some of them were saying, "Well, Paul baptized me." 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. There was nothing wrong with Paul baptizing people, but Paul didnt want people to boast about the fact that he baptized them. You could spot the Navigators going up and down the streets of Honolulu. They take an innocent teaching medium, in this case baptism, and make it into an identification badge. The basic meaning is to put back together and make one again something that was broken or separated. 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. Teaching to be effective first needs to effect/transform the life of the teacher and then connect with those who hear. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. I told them GBC and they said something along the lines of, Oh a Bible college? No man would ever have planned the cross. 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. Other divisions were to follow. One of them being the reason to follow a specific pastor. 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. All are mere teachers; there is only one Lord. Since November 2021, Reading Acts is edited by Sarah Westphal. He said so himself. Some say, "I am of Gothard," and others say, "No, I am of Bright." I still have at home the Scofield Reference Bible with the index ladder drawn by him. 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? Phillip J. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. In her book, The Key to a Loving Heart, Karen Mains includes a parable about the church entitled The Brawling Bride. No man is the Savior; no man can deliver us except Jesus. 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. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. I dont remember Paul seeing any thing like these issues as other than trivial. They did not try to hide the problems. Offshoots had disturbed the church. WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. This applies also to the leadership in the church. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who And there were some who said, "Well, when Peter came through, he baptized me. As a result, this led to the division among Christian converts and to the Christian community as a whole. Christ belongs fully to every believer in His spiritual body, the Church. This is a very propitious time for us to consider the cross for this is Palm Sunday, commemorating the day when our Lord entered Jerusalem for his last week. I was taking my break and a person I work with asked where I went to college. The anxiety of the childs mother continued to grow, for she knew that her boy was somewhere out in the darkness where wild animals were constantly on the prowl. What should our evaluation of a ministry look like I wonder if its not by numbers? (I have been trying for a long time to get my wife to accept that!) They were burdened about them, and they went to the right person with them. It is extremely important. 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. Help me walk from day to day, with its shadows o'er me. Every Navigator had to have a Scofield Reference Bible; that was the only "Authorized Version." The groom and his attendants are in their places. 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. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. I told them that it is a concern of mine as well. One of his biggest goals is to double our congregation so we have 5,000 members. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. 13Is Christ divided? Conclusion. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). Dio Chrysostom visited Corinth about A.D. 89-96. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). Webdivided. 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). The church is never called to having everybody think exactly alike. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. They were dividing over this whole issue, and Paul says it is all wrong. Offshoots had disturbed the church. This issue was so important that Paul devotes the first four chapters of I Corinthians to divisions in the church. There are several things that split the church today. Help us to judge these in the light of the cross, and, by its light, to walk before thee. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). It was expected. Message transcript and recording 1978 by Ray Stedman Ministries, owner of sole copyright by assignment from the author. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. 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? 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. There is not a single teacher who ever lived who can heal the hurt of a broken heart, or supply energy and adequacy to someone who feels worthless and unable to function in society, not one. 2 Corinthians Instead of directly saying that we follow Paul, or Apollos, we say that we are Baptist, Reformed, or even Catholic. But when each piece is fitted together into its proper place in the puzzle, you have a beautiful and complete picture. Are we willing to love each other as Christ loved us? The countless denominations and different beliefs of Christianity are often not appealing to non-believers. Paul, however, was a good leader. 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. Some considered Paul their leader, others Apollos, still others Peter. The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. The Corinthian Church. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Acts 18:24 says that Apollos was an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man. That was the mark, that was the identification badge. 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. The bridesmaids have come down the aisle. We tend to deify men, and people look at them as if they can do no wrong, can made no errors, that they know everything and can settle all questions. A gasp bursts from the guests! This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. 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 members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. 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?. Then there were the traditionalists (there always are), those that say, "Well, I don't know about Paul or Apollos. If you survey the church scene all over America today, you find people dividing up this way. (Peter, evidently, had been through Corinth and had preached there.) It is a serious threat to the life of a church to find people choosing favorite preachers, to the degree, at least, that they do not want to listen to anyone else. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. Bruises show on her arm! This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. 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. Her nose is bloody! 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. I personally experienced this at work about a year and a half ago. 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. Was Paul crucified for you? Paul here introduces that which can cure divisions, both negatively and positively. Then there were the stylists, those who were attracted by the different kinds of preaching, and they had especially been drawn to Apollos. And some of them are really gross. 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. Her gown is ripped and covered with mud! By focusing on Jesus we can see how important the parts of church really are. Unfortunately, this has effected our outreach. 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. Long has taught full time at Grace Christian University since 1998, specializing in Bible and Biblical languages. 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 Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. We need to be perfectly joined together in the love of Christ. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. They are his family in Christ. The word divisions comes from the Greek word schismata, from which we get our English word schism. They read only his books or listen only to his tapes. 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. So undoubtedly there was a big group that followed Paul. Not when we hear of churches with factions or cliques of people who sit on opposite sides of the aisle. Believers who are joined in heart should not find it difficult to be joined in hand, working together for the common good and for the glory of Christ. We pray that it may be rich and real in our hearts as we live this week together. I have had people say to me, "Oh, Mr. Stedman, when you speak I see so clearly! That is why Paul calls us back to it. For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. 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. "One is your master; all of you are brothers," (Matthew 23:8 KJV). In the same way, thats not the way the Church was meant to be fitted together. 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. They will not all be the same flavor; they will not all have the same characteristics. The cross of Christ cuts across all human value systems. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. Thank you, Father, for this time here contemplating the cross. Church has become about the pastor and not about his message. How many of you have ever put together a jigsaw puzzle? Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. Paul then goes on to give us three very carefully stated clues in Verse13 as to what is wrong with this kind of thing. 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. On a large jigsaw puzzle of a thousand pieces or more, its almost impossible to put it together upside down! The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. These preachers draw in masses of people every week who are eager to hear them speak. 3- The presence of an immoral member. 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. Paul is putting his finger right on the problem when he asks, "Was Paul crucified for you?" The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. How can the presence of divisions be described as worldly?, Bruce Winter details the Greco-Roman practice of discipleship in the second chapter of After Paul Left Corinth. They forget, of course, that the church never belongs to anybody but the Lord. The content of their messages was in agreement, but the followers of these men probably focused on personality differences and distorted their teachings. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful So, just a few texts and there are so many more. There are even discrepancies inside single denominations (which means we have division inside our divisions, great). His bride, the Church, has been fighting again!. 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. 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.. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. Now, Paul says this is all basically, fundamentally wrong. Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? He's a great preacher, a warm, capable, eloquent man, who can make the Old Testament come alive!". 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! It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. 2- The Churchs division. Do we need to be looking for results? 3- The presence of an immoral member. 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. This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. 11My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 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. There was still a fourth group, and in some ways I think they were probably the worst. That is what Paul speaks about. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). I think that some of the ways we have failed to de-paganize is because we are still so focused on the little things that make up the church. It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). 2- The Churchs division. Paul continues in verse 10 by saying that, MANS WISDOM VERSUS GODS WISDOM I Corinthians 1:18-25, WHY DONT PEOPLE BELIEVE? 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. Public arguments were commonplace in the Greco-Roman world at the time that Paul was writing to the Corinthian church. The same viewpoints are still dividing people. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. How important is it that there be unity in the Church where you fellowship? Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. 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. People begin to think things about him that are not true, and expect things from him that he is unable to deliver. Why are these thing SO important? It wipes out all the petty distinctions that men make among themselves. Paul continues in verse 10 by saying that there be no divisions among you. 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 spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. With all the differences among us, it is impossible to get people to think alike. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. Its a lot harder! 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. Were you baptized into the name of Paul? WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. 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). That is not the work of men; that is the work of God himself. So they were splitting and arguing and quarreling over the relative merit and authority of these various teachers. There he indicates that the problem with cliquishness is that it tends to overemphasize the significance of the human leader. 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. In the body of Christ at large there are many who can make a contribution to the understanding of Christ. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. I appreciate the perspective given by the author and agree 100% that the body of Christ is divided. Paul, however, was a good leader. 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. 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. Other divisions were to follow. That is the mind Paul is talking about. In my church it seems like they are all about numbers. 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. We all know what a clique is. The cross of Christ is what will heal the fragmentation of Christians wherever they are. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. 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. 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? Will we do so by the strength which God alone can and will supply? This doesnt mean that they have to agree on the minutest points in areas where there is no clear teaching in Scripture. If I was not raised in a Christian home, I think that I would have the same concerns. A. The Corinthian Church. We all know what a clique is. But when doctrinal beliefs keep churches from working together to further the gospel. The bibles need to match the pews which need to match the carpet which need to match the wall color. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. The bride is limping! That is the problem, and it is still going on today. 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 were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). And, after all, Peter even walked on water!" The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. For permission to use this content, please review 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. And more than that, we have a responsibility to obey him, to follow his Lordship. There were, first of all, the loyalists who said, "We are of Paul. Whatever you say, I believe." WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. Because I am a little defensive it seems like they are almost my enemy. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). Now, in Verse13 you understand why. Whenever this attitude of gathering around a man is allowed to perpetuate itself, it is the source of much trouble and difficulty. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. And some of them are really gross. He addresses them as brethren. 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. Now, you do not have to be very old to recognize that that is still a problem in the church. His followers in the Corinthian church may have viewed Christianity as a philosophy rather than a relationship with a Person Jesus Christ. 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 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.
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