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Unless its mended, the tear gets bigger and bigger, doesnt it? Now these things were good. It is the popular thing today to cry, "Back to the Reformation!" 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. (I suppose that if Dio were commenting on the modern world, he would describe the wretched bloggers shouting abuse at the temple of WordPress!). I'm nobody, just like you!" The minister is waiting, Bible in hand. Why? This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. 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.. Going off of what Cody is saying, in todays church everything needs to be just right. 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). Like the world, Christians are too concerned with being right and having our way. You could spot the Navigators going up and down the streets of Honolulu. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? WebWhat were the causes of division in the Corinthian Church? Bruises show on her arm! We may not all agree on the way to do church but there is definitely more than one effective way. And there were some who said, "Well, when Peter came through, he baptized me. 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. 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. 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. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. 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. One of them being the reason to follow a specific pastor. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. 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. 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. One eye is purple and swollen! 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. 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. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). To all of this Paul would say to us, as he says to Corinth, Is Christ divided? I would like to close this service by reading what one man wrote about the cross: It is well that we should think sometimes of the Upper Room and the Last Supper, and of his soul, "exceeding sorrowful unto death"; of Gethsemane and the deep shadow of the olive trees; his loneliness, prayers, and disappointment with his disciples; his bloody sweat; the traitor's kiss; the binding, the blow in the face, the spitting, the buffeting, the mocking, the scourging, the crown of thorns, the smiting; the sorrowful way and the burdensome cross; the exhaustion and collapse; the stripping, the impaling, and the jeers of his foes, and the flight of his friends; the hours on the cross; the darkness, his being forsaken of God; his thirst, and the end. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). That is why Paul calls us back to it. His Word does not disagree with itself. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful What is a clique? 4-The churchs failure to discipline. 13Is Christ divided? 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. 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? Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who There was extreme competition among the orators for honor and power. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. 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.". WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. In fact, there are still many divisions that exist today in modern churches. Orators have to be so careful not to let teaching become a pride thing rather than a gift they share to better the other. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. Dio Chrysostom visited Corinth about A.D. 89-96. He is the ground, always, of unity. (I have been trying for a long time to get my wife to accept that!) 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.. I have had people say to me, "Oh, Mr. Stedman, when you speak I see so clearly! In comparison to modern churches, its easy to say that there are hardly any divisions among Christians and differing churchesbut could these divisions still exist today? One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. If Paul could see the divisions between the various denominations of today, what would he say? Yes, we have the core beliefs that most Christians will agree upon, but the rest is still very confusing to non-believers. 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. The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. Now, he describes the nature of unity this way, "that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment." Paul wants the Corinthian church to mend the broken relationships that have been caused by the divisions among its members. I hang on every word you say. Paul exhorts them to agree. (1Corinthians 1:17 RSV). Offshoots had disturbed the church. Faith rests on Gods shoulders alone- its not by our wisdom and ability (Polhill 237). There are several things that split the church today. 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. 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. In my church it seems like they are all about numbers. Subject to permissions policy, all rights reserved. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. There has been no other cure that I know of through the years. 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). Now, here the apostle makes very clear that the tendency among groupies is to distort the meaning of symbols. Paul was the apostle to the gentiles. 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. It is those who have a financial interest in their own wellbeing, that divide the sheep up into different folds. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. Help me walk from day to day, with its shadows o'er me. 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. Now, it cannot. The better the orator, the higher the fee, and the more disciples he will attract. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful The cross of Christ is what will heal the fragmentation of Christians wherever they are. One day in Africa, a small boy was lost. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. Then there were the traditionalists (there always are), those that say, "Well, I don't know about Paul or Apollos. The first and perhaps biggest is denominations. And there are others who are drawn to some speaking style that has attracted them. Four groups had formed in the Corinthian church. If we sacrifice quality for numbers I dont think we are being good stewards of our gift of leadership. Was Paul crucified for you? Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. Christ belongs fully to every believer in His spiritual body, the Church. 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? Having listened to Pauls words and the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ, how important is unity to each of us today? In 1 Corinthians, Paul consciously avoids disciple-teacher language. This Bible was pushed by the Navigators, and everybody had to have one. We need to be perfectly joined together in the love of Christ. I told them that it is a concern of mine as well. In this parable, the groom is Christ. Who are we, that we should put our interests and our desires ahead of that of the Lord for his church? From the book of Acts we learn that Apollos was an outstanding orator in a world that loved and appreciated oratory. 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. Whatever you say, I believe." In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. In desperation, they returned and held a meeting. There was nothing wrong with Paul baptizing people, but Paul didnt want people to boast about the fact that he baptized them. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. If so, what results are we shooting for? WebWhat were the causes of division in the Corinthian Church? 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). This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. 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. 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. I would agree that we find ourselves in much the same situations as those listening to the Greek philosophers/orators. When you divide up among men you lose something, that is what he is saying. 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. On Friday of this week we will gather again to consider the cross of Christ. They will not all be the same flavor; they will not all have the same characteristics. Apollos was an intellectual. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. A. The bridesmaids have come down the aisle. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who (1Corinthians 1:10 RSV). 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. In fact, these divisions are a sign of worldliness. As a result, this led to the division among Christian converts and to the Christian community as a whole. A gasp bursts from the guests! One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. Instead of tearing themselves apart, he urges them to be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. Webdivided. Yet, in reality as long as correct biblical doctrine is being taught no pastor should be viewed in comparison to one another. Paul, however, was a good leader. The most well known one is having worship on Sundays instead of the Sabbath. We have Jesus only groups even today. No man would ever have planned the cross. Now, in Verse13 you understand why. But it is the exclusiveness that Paul is concerned about here -- people who do not even want to come to a service if someone other than their favorite is preaching. Ridiculous? There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. Im not saying its wrong to stick to what you believe. Since I was working at that time in the ship's service department in Pearl Harbor, we ordered great quantities of these Bibles. Peter was an uneducated, common man and may have appealed to that group of people in Corinth. 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. 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. He then goes on to explain that it was the Corinthian wisdom that created so much disunity. It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). This applies also to the leadership in the church. It seems so bland compared to all the other choices out there when really it presents and encourages people to live out a very different and exciting life in the opposite direction of the world. Lewis.". It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). In her book, The Key to a Loving Heart, Karen Mains includes a parable about the church entitled The Brawling Bride. 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." Not when we hear of churches with factions or cliques of people who sit on opposite sides of the aisle. Some sued their fellow Christians in the secular courts. He gathers disciples and establishes a church, a meeting place for educating his disciples. They were boasting over who had baptized them. There was still a fourth group, and in some ways I think they were probably the worst. There are still others today who follow after some school of thought. Paul continues in verse 10 by saying that, MANS WISDOM VERSUS GODS WISDOM I Corinthians 1:18-25, WHY DONT PEOPLE BELIEVE? It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. Whenever this attitude of gathering around a man is allowed to perpetuate itself, it is the source of much trouble and difficulty. We worry about how the power points are going to look, if we should have one or two singers, drums or no drums, electric guitars or none at all (I feel like you get my point) its almost as if we worship these things! The Corinthian Church. 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. The organ begins the bridal march, and everyone stands. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. 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. No, he says that is not why he was sent: "I was not sent to emphasize symbols, but, positively, I was sent to preach a whole gospel, not one emphasizing style, not in wisdom of words, but that which emphasizes content." This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. But when it comes to the clear teachings of Gods Word, there cannot be two conflicting views that are both right. That does not mean that everybody has to think alike. "One is your master; all of you are brothers," (Matthew 23:8 KJV). Christ did not send me to take scalps or to cut notches on my gun handle as to how many converts I've won." Doesnt He deserve better than this? the author asks. He called to ask whether I thought that would be right or wrong to do. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. Conclusion. 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. It is extremely important. Its pathetic that people should get so angry about whether drums are used or if the AC unit is kept at 71 or 70. 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. I think that if you put the teachings of a man over the teachings of Scripture then you have a problem. Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? 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. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. In these cases, there should be freedom to agree to disagree. 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. 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. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). 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. 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. (Even non-denominationals do this, just without claiming a denominational title). In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. Weve seen how important unity was to the apostle Paul. 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. And if you were really on the inside circle, your ladder was drawn by none other than Dawson Trotman himself! 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? 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. 3- The presence of an immoral member. They did not try to hide the problems. 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. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. This unintentional mindset causes people to treat the Bible and its words like it is a product that can wear out, and ignored like an infomercial. I have had to do some degree of battle with this myself. The word divisions comes from the Greek word schismata, from which we get our English word schism. 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. 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. 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. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). Webdivided. Obviously, here at Peninsula Bible Church we cannot do that. He begins the process of developing them into leaders who will also preach the gospel and found more churches. The content of their messages was in agreement, but the followers of these men probably focused on personality differences and distorted their teachings. (1Corinthians 1:13 RSV). This introduces one of the greatest passages in the Bible, setting forth the difference between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God. All rights reserved. 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. They love to listen to someone because he turns them on emotionally. The same viewpoints are still dividing people. Austin Hellier Brisbane Queensland Australia. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. Anyone who claims that he or she has an exclusive part in Christ is wrong. 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? That is not the work of men; that is the work of God himself. Near the cross, O Lamb of God, bring its scenes before me. Now, we are similar to the ancient world in that some people do see their pastors/teachers as a source of pride. A young pastor who was facing that problem in his church called me this week from another state. In verses 10-12, Paul begins by giving an appeal for unity. When daylight again appeared, they looked for him with renewed energy but still without success. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. And more than that, we have a responsibility to obey him, to follow his Lordship. It was considered honorable for you to stand up for yourself in this way. 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. Was Paul crucified for you? Have you ever tried to put a jigsaw puzzle together with the pieces turned upside down so that they are all blank? 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 issue was so important that Paul devotes the first four chapters of I Corinthians to divisions in the church. 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.