This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. If someone comes on preaching the doctrines that were emphasized during the Reformation, he will get a great following of people who think that the Reformation was the whole sum and substance of all great Christian truth. And, after all, Peter even walked on water!" Paul exhorts them to agree. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. That was the mark, that was the identification badge. 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? That does not mean that everybody has to think alike. The minister is waiting, Bible in hand. Now, it cannot. 2 Corinthians The elders should make their decisions with the same mind and the same judgment. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. 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 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. Paul always expresses great concern about the possibility of a split in the church. In verses 10-12, Paul begins by giving an appeal for unity. How important is it that there be unity in the Church where you fellowship? He's a great preacher, a warm, capable, eloquent man, who can make the Old Testament come alive!". These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. What is a clique? He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. Its all about who looks the best, how much money is made, and how big our churches are. Thank you, Father, for this time here contemplating the cross. They love to listen to someone because he turns them on emotionally. Conclusion. Alexandria was a center for learning and philosophy. It seems like this isnt a problem and doesnt affect the church much in its present state. 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. Every piece of that jigsaw puzzle is different, isnt it? One eye is purple and swollen! This Bible was pushed by the Navigators, and everybody had to have one. (Even non-denominationals do this, just without claiming a denominational title). 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 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. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. A second issue that seems to keep the church divided (the whole church and individual churches) is the little things such as the structure of the service, the type of music played for worship, whether a pastor should always wear a tie, and what color should be used in the bathroom. So rather that detailing their accomplishments as orators, Paul describes their functions (Paul planted, Apollos watered, etc.) Still others say, "We are of Schaeffer," and others, "We are of Graham," or, "We are of C.S. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. 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. In these cases, there should be freedom to agree to disagree. Everybody has their denomination and they cling relentless to their doctrinal beliefs. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). 2 Corinthians Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). God only sees one fold, (John 10) and there is only one faith, one Lord, one baptism etc. Other divisions were to follow. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Here are our first clues as to what is wrong with this kind of cliquishness in a church. The human condition is, unfortunately, one of comparison that seeks to place oneself or their beliefs over another. Then youre a Christian right? Even though our conversation could only continue for about 10 more minutes, this issue of divisions within the church arose. They will not all be the same flavor; they will not all have the same characteristics. He appeals to them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians But when doctrinal beliefs keep churches from working together to further the gospel. I was taking my break and a person I work with asked where I went to college. One of these influencing factors is consumerism which finds its way into even the way Christians think. If we sacrifice quality for numbers I dont think we are being good stewards of our gift of leadership. 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! 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.". Take the various mega-churches for example, whose charismatic pastors live in mansions. We may not all agree on the way to do church but there is definitely more than one effective way. It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. It was a glorious work. They forget, of course, that the church never belongs to anybody but the Lord. Why are these thing SO important? 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 used to attend a Navigator group which met in Honolulu on Sunday afternoons. He is the ground, always, of unity. I would like to approach it from an evangelistic standpoint. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). Gods people who are moving in revival (like we have been to experiencing right here in Brisbane these last few months) have no qualms about getting together to see the nation of Australia come to Christ. 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." It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. 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. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. 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. Webdivided. 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. Do we need to be looking for results? (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. It is sad to see that our world appears just as divided today as it did back in the first century. Today we have followers of Rob Bell, Rick Warren, and even Joel Osteen (for some reason). Message transcript and recording 1978 by Ray Stedman Ministries, owner of sole copyright by assignment from the author. Although the modern church has improved in many ways compared to the ancient churches, there is still the issue of division that exists among differing churches as was in the ancient churches. Was Paul crucified for you? The members started to develop division following different leaders. Paul, however, was a good leader. 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. On Friday of this week we will gather again to consider the cross of Christ. His bride, the Church, has been fighting again!. And he speaks in the name of or by the authority of, our Lord Jesus Christ. 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. God, therefore, has designed that there be many teachers, many preachers, many viewpoints, in a church. Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? Near the cross, O Lamb of God, bring its scenes before me. Some people will pick other matters of doctrine to affirm. Conclusion. The first and perhaps biggest is denominations. These were not schisms yet; they had not split off into other congregations, but there were four cliques, or factions within the congregation. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. 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. Whenever this attitude of gathering around a man is allowed to perpetuate itself, it is the source of much trouble and difficulty. WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. It is possible, though, that the divisions among Furthermore, would the apostle not also be concerned with other divisions within the individual church body? It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). With all the differences among us, it is impossible to get people to think alike. 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. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. This applies also to the leadership in the church. In this parable, the groom is Christ. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. 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." Some of them were saying, "Well, Paul baptized me." They were hard to get in those war years, and every shipment that came in went out like hot cakes. 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. 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. It wipes out all the petty distinctions that men make among themselves. As a young Christian in my early twenties during World WarII, I was stationed in Hawaii, and I became acquainted with the work of the Navigators. Other divisions were to follow. That was a mark of status with them. 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. So undoubtedly there was a big group that followed 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. The words made complete mean to be perfectly joined together, like a jigsaw puzzle. In desperation, they returned and held a meeting. It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. 3- The presence of an immoral member. 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. (1Corinthians 1:12 RSV), Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. Will we do so by the strength which God alone can and will supply? There are those who are emotionally attached to some great Christian leader who has helped them, and they will only listen to him. 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. The news went out but no one had seen the little fellow. It tells about the most climactic moment in a wedding ceremony. There were: the followers of Paul, the followers of Apollos, the followers of Cephas or Peter, and the followers of Christ. 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. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. If we are, all our differences and difficulties would soon come to an end. Teaching to be effective first needs to effect/transform the life of the teacher and then connect with those who hear. This is really what is behind his disclaimer on baptism in 1 Cor 1:14-16. Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. There are several important terms in this passage. 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. It is interesting how quickly we forget where our gifts come from and think we are the cause of success. Therefore our boasting should only be in the Lord (1 Corinthains 1:26-31). They take an innocent teaching medium, in this case baptism, and make it into an identification badge. 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. Aside from this acceptable division within the modern church, there are also two other reasons for division which should not exist. So Paul is insisting that the Corinthians, and all believers, have doctrinal unity that is clearly based on Gods Word. He chooses various channels through which to work. The same viewpoints are still dividing people. The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. They were also not afraid to be mentioned in Pauls letter to the church. Some considered Paul their leader, others Apollos, still others Peter. Like I talked about in the first posting, the emerging church makes me question a lot of things they are doing. A young pastor who was facing that problem in his church called me this week from another state. This introduces one of the greatest passages in the Bible, setting forth the difference between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God. Acts 18:24 says that Apollos was an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man. That is what Paul speaks about. It builds him up too much; it makes him a rival, to some degree, of the Lord himself. There are still others today who follow after some school of thought. 2- The Churchs division. Some are of Ritchie, and some are of Roper, and a few of Stedman! And more than that, we have a responsibility to obey him, to follow his Lordship. Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. He said so himself. I have to admit though that sometimes I think about numbers and recognition and want that. Yet, in reality as long as correct biblical doctrine is being taught no pastor should be viewed in comparison to one another. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. We get so off track of what Christianity is all aboutMark 12:30-31 and begin focusing on worldly things like Rob Bell debated are actually being held to see if this Pastor is even Christian! What he says we'll listen to, not Paul or Peter or anyone else -- it makes no difference to us." I told them that it is a concern of mine as well. 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. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. 11My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). 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. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). If it had been left up to us to plan the program by which God would change the world we would never have included a cross. Now, in Verse13 you understand why. He gathers disciples and establishes a church, a meeting place for educating his disciples. The church in Corinth was a group of people who were tearing themselves apart! I do not think things have improved much since the first century. Dio Chrysostom visited Corinth about A.D. 89-96. We do not know who the people were who belonged to the house of Cloe, but we must commend them for their courage and devotion. Now these things were good. Divisions never really ended with Pauls letters; they just appear to have evolved into having more sophisticated names. Sometimes two or three hundred sailors, all of them Christians, would be there. I told them that I do not foresee and end to these divisions anytime soon (sadly). His followers in the Corinthian church may have viewed Christianity as a philosophy rather than a relationship with a Person Jesus Christ. On a large jigsaw puzzle of a thousand pieces or more, its almost impossible to put it together upside down! In 2019 he published a commentary. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). Who are we, that we should put our interests and our desires ahead of that of the Lord for his church? We, as the modern church, say that we hold to Pauls message that we shouldnt be conformed to this world, but when we look at the world, there seem to be just as many divisions. 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. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). You may be reminded by his words in Verse10 of the similar passage in his letter to the Philippians where, in Chapter2, he says to that church, "So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord, and of one mind," (Philippians 2:1-2 RSV). We are of Peter." 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. 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. And some of them are really gross. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. Here in Verse10 he briefly shows us the ground of unity, and the nature of unity in a church. In the same way, thats not the way the Church was meant to be fitted together. 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. 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.. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. 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. 2- The Churchs division. WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. The members started to develop division following different leaders. Offshoots had disturbed the church. In the body of Christ at large there are many who can make a contribution to the understanding of Christ. Apollos was an intellectual. Her gown is ripped and covered with mud! They read only his books or listen only to his tapes. It was expected. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else). They became symbols of prestige and standing that became divisive factors among the men. They did not try to hide the problems. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful We had some great meetings and great times together. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. For permission to use this content, please review All rights reserved. WebDivisions in the Church. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. We all know what a clique is. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who 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. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. He was introduced in a rather extended and flowery way, but he came on and in his great, booming voice said, "I'm not Dr.Oswald Hoffman, the great preacher of the Lutheran Hour. 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. Paul was the apostle to the gentiles. I am sure there were many in Corinth who were saying, "Oh, I love to hear Apollos! There are even discrepancies inside single denominations (which means we have division inside our divisions, great). No man is the Savior; no man can deliver us except Jesus. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. All that mattered to Paul was Jesus! It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. 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. 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. This word was normally used to refer to a tear in a garment. Because I am a little defensive it seems like they are almost my enemy. 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. All are mere teachers; there is only one Lord. Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? A. Unity in the church is something that requires cooperation with each other and with the Spirit of God. The better the orator, the higher the fee, and the more disciples he will attract. What is a clique? 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 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. 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. Christ belongs fully to every believer in His spiritual body, the Church. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. If Paul were to visit one of these churches, he would see a good-looking man in a custom suit standing over everybody else, and his mind would go straight to the orators of his day. 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. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. That is the problem, and it is still going on today. There were, first of all, the loyalists who said, "We are of Paul. 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. Four groups had formed in the Corinthian church. Not even a three-fourths vote should carry a motion. 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. Now, we are similar to the ancient world in that some people do see their pastors/teachers as a source of pride. WebWhat were the causes of division in the Corinthian Church? If you will turn in your Bibles with me to John 17:20-23, I will read the passage to you. In Jesus' name, Amen. 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. The cross of Christ cuts across all human value systems. 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. We are all equally undeserving of salvation and a relationship with Jesus Christ. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. But even if there are multiple house churches founded by different leaders, Paul passionately argues that the body of Christ cannot be divided in this way. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. 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). I think today if church leaders focus on Jesus and only Jesus we would be so much healthier. 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. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. Some pigged out at the Lord Supper; others had barely enough to eat. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. His most recent book is The Book of Enoch for Beginners: A Guide to Expand Your Understanding of the Biblical World (Rockridge, 2022). The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). So we have the possibility for this very thing right here. The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. And there were some who said, "Well, when Peter came through, he baptized me. The families have been seated. This is not what the Church was meant to be like, and I fully believe that Paul would be appalled by our actions today as a Church of believers in Jesus Christ. Just as there was competiveness for honor and prestige among the orators of the first century, it also seems like there is competition between the pastors and churches of today. Why? 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.