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(1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. 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. 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. Today we have followers of Rob Bell, Rick Warren, and even Joel Osteen (for some reason). In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). There was still a fourth group, and in some ways I think they were probably the worst. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. Paul was the apostle to the gentiles. WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. 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. To an unbeliever, this looks like we cannot agree on our own religion. It took four viewpoints to report his earthly life and ministry accurately enough to us. Teaching to be effective first needs to effect/transform the life of the teacher and then connect with those who hear. 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. 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). The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. The followers of Jesus may have believed in Jesus words only, and did not believe that the writings of Peter, Paul, and the other apostles were really Scripture. 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. 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. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. 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. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. Help me walk from day to day, with its shadows o'er me. For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. We need to be perfectly joined together in the love of Christ. In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? (Phil Long). There are several important terms in this passage. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. The basic meaning is to put back together and make one again something that was broken or separated. We all know what a clique is. Paul goes right on, in Verse12, 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." Phillip J. Do we need to be looking for results? Now, in Verse13 you understand why. Thanks for the thoughtful comment Austin. 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. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. That is the problem, and it is still going on today. Now, the Apostle Paul is very concerned about this matter of incipient division in the church at Corinth, and he begins dealing with it in this powerful appeal for unity in Verse10: I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. This introduces one of the greatest passages in the Bible, setting forth the difference between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God. (Philippians 2:6-8 RSV). Four groups had formed in the Corinthian church. So they said, "When Peter came, we really felt that we were on solid ground. (Peter, evidently, had been through Corinth and had preached there.) 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. 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. In other words, there must be agreement with Christ, with His will, and with His Word. 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. One eye is purple and swollen! It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. Corinthians The word divisions comes from the Greek word schismata, from which we get our English word schism. 3- The presence of an immoral member. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). 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. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. It tells about the most climactic moment in a wedding ceremony. Christ did not send me to take scalps or to cut notches on my gun handle as to how many converts I've won." In the same way, thats not the way the Church was meant to be fitted together. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who 3- The presence of an immoral member. 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. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. Going off of what Cody is saying, in todays church everything needs to be just right. the background of the Corinthian Church How many of you have ever put together a jigsaw puzzle? The members started to develop division following different leaders. The bridesmaids have come down the aisle. With that spirit of self-righteous smugness, they were separating from the rest, dividing up the congregation and quarreling with one another over these things. And there were some who said, "Well, when Peter came through, he baptized me. If you survey the church scene all over America today, you find people dividing up this way. 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). So undoubtedly there was a big group that followed Paul. For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. Bruises show on her arm! 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? When daylight again appeared, they looked for him with renewed energy but still without success. 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." In verses 10-17 of Chapter 1, Paul establishes the fact that there are divisions and begins to deal with them. The Lord Jesus is praying to the Father, and this is part of His prayer for us: I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one; even as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that You sent Me. From the book of Acts we learn that Apollos was an outstanding orator in a world that loved and appreciated oratory. This word was normally used to refer to a tear in a garment. It would be great if all of you would think like me, but unfortunately there are stubborn ones among you, there are depraved ones among you, there are those who have different backgrounds than I have, and some of you just do not think like I do! 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. How important is it that there be unity within the Church? WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. I dont remember Paul seeing any thing like these issues as other than trivial. 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. Divisions No man is the Savior; no man can deliver us except Jesus. The content of their messages was in agreement, but the followers of these men probably focused on personality differences and distorted their teachings. 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. Conclusion. 1 Corinthians Problems in the Church This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. There are even discrepancies inside single denominations (which means we have division inside our divisions, great). Lewis.". 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. In her book, The Key to a Loving Heart, Karen Mains includes a parable about the church entitled The Brawling Bride. Every Navigator had to have a Scofield Reference Bible; that was the only "Authorized Version." 16(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) Everybody has their denomination and they cling relentless to their doctrinal beliefs. 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. 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. They were drawing themselves up and saying, "Well, you may be of Paul or of Peter or of Apollos, but we are of Christ! A. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian 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. In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. Sometimes two or three hundred sailors, all of them Christians, would be there. 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else). 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. Or were you baptized in the name of 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. WebWhat were the causes of division in the Corinthian Church? 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. God is not confused, and He does not contradict Himself. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. The Greek word used here literally means to say the same thing. This is really what is behind his disclaimer on baptism in 1 Cor 1:14-16. the background of the Corinthian Church There was nothing wrong with Paul baptizing people, but Paul didnt want people to boast about the fact that he baptized them. Paul doesnt want these divisions to continue, so he offers them an alternative. Their relationship to Christ was the unifying factor of the church. Webdivided. Church has become about the pastor and not about his message. Divisions never really ended with Pauls letters; they just appear to have evolved into having more sophisticated names. In this parable, the groom is Christ. Corinthians in the Corinthian Church That is what they were doing with baptism here in Corinth. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. To all of this Paul would say to us, as he says to Corinth, Is Christ divided? However, I would like to approach this in a different way than the comments already present here. We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. 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. If you will turn in your Bibles with me to John 17:20-23, I will read the passage to you. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 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. 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. 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. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). Now, it cannot. In the body of Christ at large there are many who can make a contribution to the understanding of Christ. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. 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. Long has taught full time at Grace Christian University since 1998, specializing in Bible and Biblical languages. The minister is waiting, Bible in hand. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. What Was Dividing the Corinthian Church In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. 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. Behind Divisions As we read through First Corinthians, I think we will see how very much like modern day churches this ancient church of Corinth was.
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