Divisions 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.. He does not say we should stop baptizing because of this problem. Austin Hellier Brisbane Queensland Australia. 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. Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. Behind Divisions 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. Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. (I have been trying for a long time to get my wife to accept that!) I still have at home the Scofield Reference Bible with the index ladder drawn by him. One eye is purple and swollen! 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). 11My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 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. They were burdened about them, and they went to the right person with them. 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. When I say it gets ignored like an infomercial you probably infer what that means. This is what Paul uses as the basis for unity in this church -- not only the attitude of selflessness, which is the mind of Christ, but the responsibility to submit to his Lordship, the common responsibility that we have together. Having listened to Pauls words and the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ, how important is unity to each of us today? What Was Dividing the Corinthian Church Some are of Ritchie, and some are of Roper, and a few of Stedman! In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. the background of the Corinthian Church By focusing on Jesus we can see how important the parts of church really are. Whatever you say, I believe." There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. 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. 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. Corinthians Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. However, I would like to approach this in a different way than the comments already present here. 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. This issue was so important that Paul devotes the first four chapters of I Corinthians to divisions in the church. After all, he was one of the first apostles that Jesus himself called." Some considered Paul their leader, others Apollos, still others Peter. 3- The presence of an immoral member. Instead of tearing themselves apart, he urges them to be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. The Greek word used here literally means to say the same thing. What is a clique? The Factions At Corinth On Friday of this week we will gather again to consider the cross of Christ. The better the orator, the higher the fee, and the more disciples he will attract. 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. There was nothing wrong with them, they were very helpful, but it was not very long before they became status symbols, and they were used to put down, not always intentionally, those who did not have them. That is why the apostle appeals to it. Her nose is bloody! The word divisions comes from the Greek word schismata, from which we get our English word schism. I lead a small group so I sometimes have to sit in meetings where the pastor shares things about the vision of our church. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. WebDivisions in the Church. One of these influencing factors is consumerism which finds its way into even the way Christians think. His followers in the Corinthian church may have viewed Christianity as a philosophy rather than a relationship with a Person Jesus Christ. 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?. 3- The presence of an immoral member. He addresses them as brethren. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful Paul is putting his finger right on the problem when he asks, "Was Paul crucified for you?" It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. Yet, in reality as long as correct biblical doctrine is being taught no pastor should be viewed in comparison to one another. Some people will pick other matters of doctrine to affirm. Chapter Summary 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 Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. WebWhat were the causes of division in the Corinthian Church? The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. There are the Calvinists and the Arminians and the Dispensationalists -- these are some of the things that are held up as the "summum bonum," the highest good, in theology. 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. In her book, The Key to a Loving Heart, Karen Mains includes a parable about the church entitled The Brawling Bride. And I say that because some people focus on PREACHER instead of THE SAVIOR. That is what they were doing with baptism here in Corinth. In this parable, the groom is Christ. the background of the Corinthian Church They read only his books or listen only to his tapes. I'm nobody, just like you!" 4-The churchs failure to discipline. 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. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. 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 think that if you put the teachings of a man over the teachings of Scripture then you have a problem. 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. 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. in the Corinthian Church It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. 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. A young pastor who was facing that problem in his church called me this week from another state. is the history and significance of the church The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. Offshoots had disturbed the church. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. In Jesus' name, Amen. We all know what a clique is. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. 2- The Churchs division. Still others say, "We are of Schaeffer," and others, "We are of Graham," or, "We are of C.S. in the Corinthian Church Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. That is why Paul calls us back to it. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? On a large jigsaw puzzle of a thousand pieces or more, its almost impossible to put it together upside down! He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. 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. The bride is limping! Ones honor and reputation were valued highly and if someone attacked your reputation it was expected that you would defend yourself and retaliate by publicly bashing your attacker. His dissertation was published as Jesus the Bridegroom by Pickwick Books in 2012. That does not mean that everybody has to think alike. Divisions There is not a single Christian teacher who ever lived who can help us be forgiven one single sin, not one. Doesnt He deserve better than this? the author asks. 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. 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. Thats not the way a jigsaw puzzle was meant to be put together. If we are, all our differences and difficulties would soon come to an end. I was unaware of this connection before now but it really makes sense. 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. Instead of directly saying that we follow Paul, or Apollos, we say that we are Baptist, Reformed, or even Catholic. If I was not raised in a Christian home, I think that I would have the same concerns. DIVISIONS AND PERSONALITIES IN 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. He says, in effect, "You don't cure divisions in a church by identification badges. To an unbeliever, this looks like we cannot agree on our own religion. Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. That, of course, is as it should be. DIVISIONS IN THE CHURCH I Corinthians 1 Why? Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else). And he speaks in the name of or by the authority of, our Lord Jesus Christ. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. Peter was an uneducated, common man and may have appealed to that group of people in Corinth. In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. So undoubtedly there was a big group that followed Paul. 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. Let's go back to Jerusalem. We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. Was Paul crucified for you? (1Corinthians 1:13b-16 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!). Four groups had formed in the Corinthian church. Try it some time. I was taking my break and a person I work with asked where I went to college. Corinthians As we do, I hope every one of us will understand more and more fully the character of this radical principle that God has turned loose among us, this revolutionary idea represented in the cross of Christ that wipes out all these distinctions among men. RayStedman.org/permissions. is the history and significance of the church Because I am a little defensive it seems like they are almost my enemy. Thanks for the thoughtful comment Austin. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. 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. Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? 3- The presence of an immoral member. There are several important terms in this passage. 2- The Churchs division. Corinthians His Word does not disagree with itself. Now, we all have our favorite preacher, and up to a point that is not wrong. Paul does not want to be considered a philosopher who is gathering disciples, nor does he want that for Apollos or Peter or any man. 2 Corinthians Paul enters this world of wretched Sophists and preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. He didnt focus on himself being superior to all the rest of the church leaders. 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. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). This word was normally used to refer to a tear in a garment. 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. Bruises show on her arm! Corinthians 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. Corinthians Now, here the apostle makes very clear that the tendency among groupies is to distort the meaning of symbols. Its pathetic that people should get so angry about whether drums are used or if the AC unit is kept at 71 or 70. 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. Their relationship to Christ was the unifying factor of the church. Apollos was an intellectual. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. Paul here introduces that which can cure divisions, both negatively and positively. The words made complete in verse 10 are translated from a Greek word that was used to speak of mending such things as nets, bones, dislocated joints, broken utensils, and torn garments. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. In the same way, thats not the way the Church was meant to be fitted together. Acts 18:24 says that Apollos was an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man. Alexandria was a center for learning and philosophy. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. The news went out but no one had seen the little fellow. 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. We all know what a clique is. 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. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. All rights reserved. There he indicates that the problem with cliquishness is that it tends to overemphasize the significance of the human leader. Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. God only sees one fold, (John 10) and there is only one faith, one Lord, one baptism etc. the Problems in the Corinthian Church It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). I thank God that only a few of you can say that about me." He chooses various channels through which to work. Conclusion. In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. Divisions in the Church Remember, a believer who is at war with his brother or sister in Christ cannot be at peace with our heavenly Father. His most recent book is The Book of Enoch for Beginners: A Guide to Expand Your Understanding of the Biblical World (Rockridge, 2022). (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. 16(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) From the book of Acts we learn that Apollos was an outstanding orator in a world that loved and appreciated oratory. Because the Holy Spirit has but one will, and because a church must be in complete harmony with His will, the leaders must be in complete harmony with each other in that will. Help us to judge these in the light of the cross, and, by its light, to walk before thee. 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. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. DIVISIONS AND PERSONALITIES IN THE CHURCH Now, the second thing Paul says is, "Was Paul crucified for you?" Furthermore, would the apostle not also be concerned with other divisions within the individual church body? 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. 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. Corinthians What Was Dividing the Corinthian Church But yet the apostle says they are to be of the same mind. Yes, we have the core beliefs that most Christians will agree upon, but the rest is still very confusing to non-believers. 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. The members started to develop division following different leaders. Webdivided. 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. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). 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. When everybody decides to put the things of Christ first, and is willing to suffer loss that the honor and glory of Christ might be advanced, that is what brings harmony in a congregation. "One is your master; all of you are brothers," (Matthew 23:8 KJV).