He started this church. They may have carried Pauls teachings of justification by faith and freedom from the Law to an extreme and felt free to do whatever they wanted. I was taking my break and a person I work with asked where I went to college. What he says we'll listen to, not Paul or Peter or anyone else -- it makes no difference to us." Now, in Verse13 you understand why. Unity in the church is something that requires cooperation with each other and with the Spirit of God. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). Christ belongs fully to every believer in His spiritual body, the Church. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. What is a clique? 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. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. They read only his books or listen only to his tapes. 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. We all know what a clique is. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. In desperation, they returned and held a meeting. 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. Thats not the way a jigsaw puzzle was meant to be put together. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). 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. 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. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. (1Corinthians 1:17 RSV). They were hard to get in those war years, and every shipment that came in went out like hot cakes. I think today if church leaders focus on Jesus and only Jesus we would be so much healthier. 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. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. This introduces one of the greatest passages in the Bible, setting forth the difference between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God. In her book, The Key to a Loving Heart, Karen Mains includes a parable about the church entitled The Brawling Bride. Now, he describes the nature of unity this way, "that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment." The word divisions comes from the Greek word schismata, from which we get our English word schism. These preachers draw in masses of people every week who are eager to hear them speak. In this passage of Scripture, Paul is very careful to focus the attention on Christ and not on himself. 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. Something shows up sooner or later as an identifying badge that marks them as "special," with special privilege and special status in that group. 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. Whatever you say, I believe." Now, it cannot. Have you ever tried to put a jigsaw puzzle together with the pieces turned upside down so that they are all blank? Perhaps, in their individual efforts, they had missed some spots; so the suggestion was made, Lets all join hands and go through the long grass again. Finally, the child was found, but it was too late. Doesnt He deserve better than this? the author asks. You may recall also that in writing to the church at Ephesus, he exhorted the elders there to be careful to "maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," (Ephesians 4:3 RSV). Instead of tearing themselves apart, he urges them to be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. He come to Corinth to create a community of disciples from which he might receive patronage and prestige. He then goes on to describe for us the mind of Christ, which is a willingness to give up rights and personal privileges and give in and take a lower place. It is extremely important. For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. 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. 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. 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). 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. This Bible was pushed by the Navigators, and everybody had to have one. This applies also to the leadership in the church. 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. His followers in the Corinthian church may have viewed Christianity as a philosophy rather than a relationship with a Person Jesus Christ. Galatians: Freedom through Gods Grace (Wipf & Stock, 2019). I find there are these tendencies right here in Peninsula Bible Church. Paul did not want to present the Gospel as an orator, competing for students as they did. Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. 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. So they were splitting and arguing and quarreling over the relative merit and authority of these various teachers. They would have the Scofield Reference Bible and a notebook under one arm, and you knew that if you examined their Bibles you would find the ladder index on the pages. I agree with P. Longs last statement in that things have not improved much since the first century. Then there were the stylists, those who were attracted by the different kinds of preaching, and they had especially been drawn to Apollos. Try it some time. 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. As a result, this led to the division among Christian converts and to the Christian community as a whole. In my experience though, I find that it is carnal and unspiritual leaders that put up walls and fences between members of the body. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. 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 first noticeable division would be among differing denominations. When I say worn out I mean people say that it is not usable in the modern world so its words become little more than foot rests in the pew. 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. God is not confused, and He does not contradict Himself. Every Navigator had to have a Scofield Reference Bible; that was the only "Authorized Version." Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. Other divisions were to follow. We are of Peter." They were also not afraid to be mentioned in Pauls letter to the church. Bruises show on her arm! And he speaks in the name of or by the authority of, our Lord Jesus Christ. That is what Paul speaks about. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). Her nose is bloody! Remember, a believer who is at war with his brother or sister in Christ cannot be at peace with our heavenly Father. The ground, of course, is the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Anyone who claims that he or she has an exclusive part in Christ is wrong. 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. The bridesmaids have come down the aisle. But when each piece is fitted together into its proper place in the puzzle, you have a beautiful and complete picture. When daylight again appeared, they looked for him with renewed energy but still without success. 2 Corinthians The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. 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. 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. Then there were the traditionalists (there always are), those that say, "Well, I don't know about Paul or Apollos. Unfortunately, this has effected our outreach. 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. The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. Paul continues in verse 10 by saying that there be no divisions among you. He gathers disciples and establishes a church, a meeting place for educating his disciples. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. We have our theological view points, and even our philosophical ones (even though we could have less of that in our churches today in my opinion) but we also have our social dimensions as well. I dont remember Paul seeing any thing like these issues as other than trivial. That is why we have four gospels, because not even one of the disciples who was with the Lord was capable of giving us a complete enough view of Christ. Subject to permissions policy, all rights reserved. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. They were dividing over this whole issue, and Paul says it is all wrong. And some of them are really gross. And there are others who are drawn to some speaking style that has attracted them. If you will turn in your Bibles with me to John 17:20-23, I will read the passage to you. Were you baptized into the name of Paul? So they said, "When Peter came, we really felt that we were on solid ground. Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. But when doctrinal beliefs keep churches from working together to further the gospel. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. I still have at home the Scofield Reference Bible with the index ladder drawn by him. 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? 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. In fact, these divisions are a sign of worldliness. In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. Many of us are familiar with this common phenomenon in human psychology of thinking that some symbolic thing that is of use to us is so important that we finally make it a badge of the group to which we belong. Their relationship to Christ was the unifying factor of the church. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. Polhill says, every Corinthian had their own favorite preacher (237). So undoubtedly there was a big group that followed Paul. Orators have to be so careful not to let teaching become a pride thing rather than a gift they share to better the other. It tells about the most climactic moment in a wedding ceremony. (Philippians 2:6-8 RSV). (I suppose that if Dio were commenting on the modern world, he would describe the wretched bloggers shouting abuse at the temple of WordPress!). WebDivisions in the Church. Paul enters this world of wretched Sophists and preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They love to listen to someone because he turns them on emotionally. I'm nobody, just like you!" If we are, all our differences and difficulties would soon come to an end. He chooses various channels through which to work. Paul says that he does not preach in cleverness of speech because the power of the gospel lies in the facts of the gospel, and not in any mans presentation of them. 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. Near the cross, O Lamb of God, bring its scenes before me. When I say it gets ignored like an infomercial you probably infer what that means. Some are of Ritchie, and some are of Roper, and a few of Stedman! So he says, "I didn't baptize many of you. He called to ask whether I thought that would be right or wrong to do. People begin to think things about him that are not true, and expect things from him that he is unable to deliver. This also brings up another Pagan influence which is naming the days of the week after the planets. The cross of Christ cuts across all human value systems. 3- The presence of an immoral member. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. They did not try to hide the problems. WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. The elders should make their decisions with the same mind and the same judgment. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). How important is it that there be unity in the Church where you fellowship? Paul here introduces that which can cure divisions, both negatively and positively. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. But when it comes to the clear teachings of Gods Word, there cannot be two conflicting views that are both right. That is the problem, and it is still going on today. 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. Paul is putting his finger right on the problem when he asks, "Was Paul crucified for you?" 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.. That is what they were doing with baptism here in Corinth. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. How important was unity to our Lord Jesus Christ? Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. Not when some people in the congregation wont look at, speak to, or even acknowledge the existence of certain other people in the congregation. The news went out but no one had seen the little fellow. Offshoots had disturbed the church. Im not saying its wrong to stick to what you believe. I am thankful that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius; lest any one should say that you were baptized in my name. The Navigators in those days did a great work in the Navy throughout the whole of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and hundreds of young men were led to Christ through their efforts during the war years. 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. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. 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. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. 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. WebWhat were the causes of division in the Corinthian Church? A. I would agree that we find ourselves in much the same situations as those listening to the Greek philosophers/orators. I was unaware of this connection before now but it really makes sense. So we have the possibility for this very thing right here. It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). 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. The content of their messages was in agreement, but the followers of these men probably focused on personality differences and distorted their teachings. What is a clique? WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. Long has taught full time at Grace Christian University since 1998, specializing in Bible and Biblical languages. All are mere teachers; there is only one Lord.