It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. Church has become about the pastor and not about his message. The words made complete mean to be perfectly joined together, like a jigsaw puzzle. 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. Some boasted of their special spiritual gifts; others felt left out. And there are others who are drawn to some speaking style that has attracted them. Todays church is a lot like the church of Corinthians. I appreciate the perspective given by the author and agree 100% that the body of Christ is divided. WebDivisions in the Church. Aside from this acceptable division within the modern church, there are also two other reasons for division which should not exist. They were also not afraid to be mentioned in Pauls letter to the church. 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. We came to life in Christ by Paul, and Paul is the one we're going to listen to above all others." 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. Conclusion. The basic meaning is to put back together and make one again something that was broken or separated. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. It is extremely important. 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. Its a lot harder! These were not schisms yet; they had not split off into other congregations, but there were four cliques, or factions within the congregation. 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? There are still others today who follow after some school of thought. Let's get back to the beginnings. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. 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." Faith rests on Gods shoulders alone- its not by our wisdom and ability (Polhill 237). He started this church. The church is never called to having everybody think exactly alike. 11My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. When I say it gets ignored like an infomercial you probably infer what that means. Subject to permissions policy, all rights reserved. It was a glorious work. A. 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. God is all about people, not money, and I feel sorry for anyone who tries to take over the current move of God, put it in a box, stick a label on it, and own it they will be swept away. What happens when you get a tear in a piece of clothing and you keep washing and wearing that piece of clothing with the tear in it? Now, he is not saying that it is wrong to baptize; he himself did it, and acknowledges that he did. All rights reserved. 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. The same viewpoints are still dividing people. They read only his books or listen only to his tapes. I personally experienced this at work about a year and a half ago. Christ belongs fully to every believer in His spiritual body, the Church. Yet, in reality as long as correct biblical doctrine is being taught no pastor should be viewed in comparison to one another. (1Corinthians 1:12 RSV), Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. The members started to develop division following different leaders. However, I would like to approach this in a different way than the comments already present here. Now to this, there should be a division that exists considering that there are some denominations that do teach correct biblical doctrine, while other churches deviate from correct biblical doctrine in order to teach their own false doctrines. Im not saying its wrong to stick to what you believe. 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.. WebWhat were the causes of division in the Corinthian Church? That is what Paul speaks about. My answer was that it all depends on the motive. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). 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. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). Now, Paul says this is all basically, fundamentally wrong. There should be unanimous agreement. 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. The most well known one is having worship on Sundays instead of the Sabbath. God is not confused, and He does not contradict Himself. I. PAULS APPEAL FOR UNITY (verses 10-12). Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. 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 those who have a financial interest in their own wellbeing, that divide the sheep up into different folds. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. The cross of Christ is what will heal the fragmentation of Christians wherever they are. He didnt focus on himself being superior to all the rest of the church leaders. Paul was the apostle to the gentiles. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. Whenever this attitude of gathering around a man is allowed to perpetuate itself, it is the source of much trouble and difficulty. Will we do so by the strength which God alone can and will supply? 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. Now, you do not have to be very old to recognize that that is still a problem in the church. We all know what a clique is. 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. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). I told them GBC and they said something along the lines of, Oh a Bible college? After all, he was one of the first apostles that Jesus himself called." Her gown is ripped and covered with mud! Galatians: Freedom through Gods Grace (Wipf & Stock, 2019). WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. The first and perhaps biggest is denominations. Not when we hear of churches with factions or cliques of people who sit on opposite sides of the aisle. This is really what is behind his disclaimer on baptism in 1 Cor 1:14-16. Thank you, Father, for this time here contemplating the cross. Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. 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. I do not think things have improved much since the first century. Everybody has their denomination and they cling relentless to their doctrinal beliefs. 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. In 2019 he published a commentary. 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. 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. So he says, "I didn't baptize many of you. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. 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. "I appeal to you," he says, "by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Offshoots had disturbed the church. Were you baptized into the name of Paul? The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. That was the mark, that was the identification badge. They were drawing themselves up and saying, "Well, you may be of Paul or of Peter or of Apollos, but we are of Christ! WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. Dio Chrysostom visited Corinth about A.D. 89-96. For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. 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? 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. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. They were burdened about them, and they went to the right person with them. It is possible, though, that the divisions among One of these influencing factors is consumerism which finds its way into even the way Christians think. Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. Ridiculous? 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. 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. I used to attend a Navigator group which met in Honolulu on Sunday afternoons. How important is it that there be unity in the Church where you fellowship? He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. As we read through First Corinthians, I think we will see how very much like modern day churches this ancient church of Corinth was. They became symbols of prestige and standing that became divisive factors among the men. 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). I think today if church leaders focus on Jesus and only Jesus we would be so much healthier. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. 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. 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. We are all equally undeserving of salvation and a relationship with Jesus Christ. We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. The members started to develop division following different leaders. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. 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. It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). 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). (1Corinthians 1:13b-16 RSV). It was considered honorable for you to stand up for yourself in this way. He does not say we should stop baptizing because of this problem. 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. If I was not raised in a Christian home, I think that I would have the same concerns. The other reason is the division among churches of the same denomination. In the body of Christ at large there are many who can make a contribution to the understanding of Christ. Sometimes two or three hundred sailors, all of them Christians, would be there. Four groups had formed in the Corinthian church. I think that if you put the teachings of a man over the teachings of Scripture then you have a problem. 2 Corinthians 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). It was expected. The members started to develop division following different leaders. No man would ever have planned the cross. 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. There are those who are emotionally attached to some great Christian leader who has helped them, and they will only listen to him. 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. By focusing on Jesus we can see how important the parts of church really are. Now, in Verse13 you understand why. 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. 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. They were hard to get in those war years, and every shipment that came in went out like hot cakes. 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. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. I've not forgotten that incident because it seems to me to capture the very attitude Paul is describing here. 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. In fact, these divisions are a sign of worldliness. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. Phillip J. His most recent book is The Book of Enoch for Beginners: A Guide to Expand Your Understanding of the Biblical World (Rockridge, 2022). 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. It took four viewpoints to report his earthly life and ministry accurately enough to us. In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? (Phil Long). In her book, The Key to a Loving Heart, Karen Mains includes a parable about the church entitled The Brawling Bride. 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. One eye is purple and swollen! The content of their messages was in agreement, but the followers of these men probably focused on personality differences and distorted their teachings. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. Paul, however, was a good leader. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. It is sad to see that our world appears just as divided today as it did back in the first century. These preachers draw in masses of people every week who are eager to hear them speak. Now, we all have our favorite preacher, and up to a point that is not wrong. Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. 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. Now these things were good. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. All that mattered to Paul was Jesus! Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. Then there were the stylists, those who were attracted by the different kinds of preaching, and they had especially been drawn to Apollos. The news went out but no one had seen the little fellow. 3- The presence of an immoral member. Offshoots had disturbed the church. It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. Have you ever tried to put a jigsaw puzzle together with the pieces turned upside down so that they are all blank? 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.". Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who If we are, all our differences and difficulties would soon come to an end. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. In this passage of Scripture, Paul is very careful to focus the attention on Christ and not on himself. There was still a fourth group, and in some ways I think they were probably the worst. Here in Verse10 he briefly shows us the ground of unity, and the nature of unity in a church. 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. 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. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. Luke says in Acts 4:12, And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men, by which we must be saved. The ground is level at the cross. 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. Offshoots had disturbed the church. I would like to approach it from an evangelistic standpoint. 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. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who We must allow him the privilege of doing that. I find there are these tendencies right here in Peninsula Bible Church. 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. A. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. Their relationship to Christ was the unifying factor of the church. 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. One day in Africa, a small boy was lost. They take an innocent teaching medium, in this case baptism, and make it into an identification badge. It wipes out all the petty distinctions that men make among themselves. 2 Corinthians Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. Like the world, Christians are too concerned with being right and having our way. It tells about the most climactic moment in a wedding ceremony. Paul exhorts them to agree. 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. Do we need to be looking for results? In this parable, the groom is Christ. 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.