If you will turn in your Bibles with me to John 17:20-23, I will read the passage to you. This word was normally used to refer to a tear in a garment. The basic meaning is to put back together and make one again something that was broken or separated. They were dividing over this whole issue, and Paul says it is all wrong. In verses 10-12, Paul begins by giving an appeal for unity. I used to attend a Navigator group which met in Honolulu on Sunday afternoons. He gathers disciples and establishes a church, a meeting place for educating his disciples. 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. 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. 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. Unfortunately, this has effected our outreach. Some are of Ritchie, and some are of Roper, and a few of Stedman! 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. That is what they were doing with baptism here in Corinth. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. 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. Obviously, here at Peninsula Bible Church we cannot do that. And if you were really on the inside circle, your ladder was drawn by none other than Dawson Trotman himself! 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 Greek word used here literally means to say the same thing. 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? We came to life in Christ by Paul, and Paul is the one we're going to listen to above all others." 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. It is possible, though, that the divisions among Offshoots had disturbed the church. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). So rather that detailing their accomplishments as orators, Paul describes their functions (Paul planted, Apollos watered, etc.) And some of them are really gross. 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 ground, of course, is the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? (Phil Long). His most recent book is The Book of Enoch for Beginners: A Guide to Expand Your Understanding of the Biblical World (Rockridge, 2022). I hang on every word you say. 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. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. 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 thing that every Navigator had was a little black notebook covered in rough-grained leather. The families have been seated. 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. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. Alexandria was a center for learning and philosophy. Unless its mended, the tear gets bigger and bigger, doesnt it? One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. That is why Paul calls us back to it. Since November 2021, Reading Acts is edited by Sarah Westphal. They were also not afraid to be mentioned in Pauls letter to the church. 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. Still others say, "We are of Schaeffer," and others, "We are of Graham," or, "We are of C.S. RayStedman.org/permissions. 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). Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. I have to admit though that sometimes I think about numbers and recognition and want that. 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. In her book, The Key to a Loving Heart, Karen Mains includes a parable about the church entitled The Brawling Bride. Some say, "I am of Gothard," and others say, "No, I am of Bright." These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. 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. Paul exhorts them to agree. 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. Was Paul crucified for you? WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. Throughout this 2000 year process of normalizing divisions among believers, we have consistently neglected the fact we Jesus should unite us, and unless we choose to make a change, we will continue to forget this fact. 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. 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. 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. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. 2- The Churchs division. You could spot the Navigators going up and down the streets of Honolulu. God, therefore, has designed that there be many teachers, many preachers, many viewpoints, in a church. Some people will pick other matters of doctrine to affirm. In my experience though, I find that it is carnal and unspiritual leaders that put up walls and fences between members of the body. WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. I find there are these tendencies right here in Peninsula Bible Church. The members started to develop division following different leaders. Now, you do not have to be very old to recognize that that is still a problem in the church. 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! This Bible was pushed by the Navigators, and everybody had to have one. In verse 10 we see both Pauls affection for the Corinthian church, and his authority as an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). 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. Polhill says, every Corinthian had their own favorite preacher (237). Webdivided. They did not try to hide the problems. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the 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. 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. In other words, there must be agreement with Christ, with His will, and with His Word. Their relationship to Christ was the unifying factor of the church. Are we willing to love each other as Christ loved us? Conclusion. Unity in the church is something that requires cooperation with each other and with the Spirit of God. 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 Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. 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. 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. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. I dont remember Paul seeing any thing like these issues as other than trivial. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. When daylight again appeared, they looked for him with renewed energy but still without success. On Friday of this week we will gather again to consider the cross of Christ. 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. And I say that because some people focus on PREACHER instead of THE SAVIOR. And some of them are really gross. But when it comes to the clear teachings of Gods Word, there cannot be two conflicting views that are both right. There are many other things that do cause serious problems stemming from the outside world. 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." Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. 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. 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. I have had to do some degree of battle with this myself. 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. It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. 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. It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). 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. 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. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. Not when we hear of churches with factions or cliques of people who sit on opposite sides of the aisle. Will we do so by the strength which God alone can and will supply? 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). 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. WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. 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." Were you baptized into the name of Paul? Every piece of that jigsaw puzzle is different, isnt it? 4-The churchs failure to discipline. 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. Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. 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.. We all know what a clique is. That does not mean that everybody has to think alike. The cross of Christ is what will heal the fragmentation of Christians wherever they are. He come to Corinth to create a community of disciples from which he might receive patronage and prestige. Then comes that great Christological passage where he describes how Christ, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. I told them that it is a concern of mine as well. Paul did not want to present the Gospel as an orator, competing for students as they did. They were burdened about them, and they went to the right person with them. He chooses various channels through which to work. I always have, and always will believe that this overly exaggerated concept of denominations is a problem. 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. 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 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. (1Corinthians 1:13b-16 RSV). These preachers draw in masses of people every week who are eager to hear them speak. The church is never called to having everybody think exactly alike. Ridiculous? And the glory which You gave Me I have given them; that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. (NKJV). God is not confused, and He does not contradict Himself. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). Near the cross, O Lamb of God, bring its scenes before me. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. Subject to permissions policy, all rights reserved. But when doctrinal beliefs keep churches from working together to further the gospel. He does not say we should stop baptizing because of this problem. It was a glorious work. 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 Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. All are mere teachers; there is only one Lord. In verse 17, Paul says that his calling of God was to preach the Gospel, and the focus of the Gospel is the cross of Christ. Orators have to be so careful not to let teaching become a pride thing rather than a gift they share to better the other. 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. Paul was the apostle to the gentiles. The members started to develop division following different leaders. The word divisions comes from the Greek word schismata, from which we get our English word schism. 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. Christ did not send me to take scalps or to cut notches on my gun handle as to how many converts I've won." What should our evaluation of a ministry look like I wonder if its not by numbers? 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). 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.
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