Now, almost every group does this. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. 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. 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. WebDivisions in the Church. Sometimes two or three hundred sailors, all of them Christians, would be there. 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. 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. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). Paul then goes on to give us three very carefully stated clues in Verse13 as to what is wrong with this kind of thing. In 1 Corinthians, Paul consciously avoids disciple-teacher language. 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. Teaching to be effective first needs to effect/transform the life of the teacher and then connect with those who hear. (1Corinthians 1:12 RSV), Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. 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. 4-The churchs failure to discipline. The words made complete mean to be perfectly joined together, like a jigsaw puzzle. 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. His followers in the Corinthian church may have viewed Christianity as a philosophy rather than a relationship with a Person Jesus Christ. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. He's a great preacher, a warm, capable, eloquent man, who can make the Old Testament come alive!". They were dividing over this whole issue, and Paul says it is all wrong. 1 Corinthians Problems in the Church Obviously, here at Peninsula Bible Church we cannot do that. Now these things were good. God only sees one fold, (John 10) and there is only one faith, one Lord, one baptism etc. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. The third thing that every Navigator had was a little black notebook covered in rough-grained leather. Aside from this acceptable division within the modern church, there are also two other reasons for division which should not exist. (I suppose that if Dio were commenting on the modern world, he would describe the wretched bloggers shouting abuse at the temple of WordPress!). 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. Even though the churches within a certain denomination agree to the same biblical teachings, some churches within those denominations may begin to disagree with the biblical teachings and break away from the denomination to become affiliated with another denomination that aligns with their beliefs. Corinthians You could spot the Navigators going up and down the streets of Honolulu. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. The bride is limping! That is what Paul speaks about. WebWhat were the causes of division in the Corinthian Church? I was unaware of this connection before now but it really makes sense. A. (Philippians 2:6-8 RSV). His bride, the Church, has been fighting again!. 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. 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. Polhill says, every Corinthian had their own favorite preacher (237). To all of this Paul would say to us, as he says to Corinth, Is Christ divided? Anyone who claims that he or she has an exclusive part in Christ is wrong. A young pastor who was facing that problem in his church called me this week from another state. They are his family in Christ. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. My answer was that it all depends on the motive. With all the differences among us, it is impossible to get people to think alike. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. Divisions 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. 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. In fact, these divisions are a sign of worldliness. When the Corinthians divided into factions, it wasnt so much about core doctrine (nature of God, nature of Christ, the Gospel, the nature of man). The bridesmaids have come down the aisle. 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). 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. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 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. While there can be problems with some (no recognised leadership, disorganised, isolated, cultishness, lack of cohesion etc) they can also produce some of the strongest disciples Ive seen for many years, and yet, they could easily claim to be that fourth division like the one at Corinth the I am of Christ division, where they have no name (no favoured preacher/teacher) but are still divided off. Paul was the apostle to the gentiles. Offshoots had disturbed the church. Its not just the denominations per se any more theres also a proliferation of house churches too. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. For permission to use this content, please review God is not confused, and He does not contradict Himself. Their relationship to Christ was the unifying factor of the church. Have you ever tried to put a jigsaw puzzle together with the pieces turned upside down so that they are all blank? Chapter Summary It wipes out all the petty distinctions that men make among themselves. The facts in the gospel are what will set us free, and particularly, he says, the word of the cross. No man would ever have planned the cross. Divisions Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. What Was Dividing the Corinthian Church Other divisions were to follow. Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. Was Paul crucified for you? 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. Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. Paul continues in verse 10 by saying that, MANS WISDOM VERSUS GODS WISDOM I Corinthians 1:18-25, WHY DONT PEOPLE BELIEVE? (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). 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. Corinthians Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). DIVISIONS IN THE CHURCH I Corinthians 1 in the Corinthian Church 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. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. 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. Austin Hellier Brisbane Queensland Australia. 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. These preachers draw in masses of people every week who are eager to hear them speak. 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.. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. After all, he was one of the first apostles that Jesus himself called." And, after all, Peter even walked on water!" Its a lot harder! 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. We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. Divisions I do not think things have improved much since the first century. Church has become about the pastor and not about his message. Divisions in the Church It is those who have a financial interest in their own wellbeing, that divide the sheep up into different folds. It is possible, though, that the divisions among They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. 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. In verse 10 we see both Pauls affection for the Corinthian church, and his authority as an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. The families have been seated. In verses 14 to 16, Paul uses himself as an example. Who are we, that we should put our interests and our desires ahead of that of the Lord for his church? WebDivisions in the Church. 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. This word was normally used to refer to a tear in a garment. Webdivided. 4-The churchs failure to discipline. Others were saying, "Well, Apollos himself baptized me." 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). (1Corinthians 1:17 RSV). One eye is purple and swollen! Divisions There are still others today who follow after some school of thought. They did not try to hide the problems. I agree with P. Longs last statement in that things have not improved much since the first century. This is really what is behind his disclaimer on baptism in 1 Cor 1:14-16. Behind Divisions Maybe if they are getting rid of core doctrine it is a justifiable anger but I can definitely see how the church is very much the same as 2000 years ago. So they said, "When Peter came, we really felt that we were on solid ground. 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. Having listened to Pauls words and the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ, how important is unity to each of us today? We must allow him the privilege of doing that. WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. There is not a teacher among us today, or at any other time, who is able to open the mind and open the eyes of the heart and reveal to us the glory and majesty of God, not one. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. That is why Paul calls us back to it. 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." Still others say, "We are of Schaeffer," and others, "We are of Graham," or, "We are of C.S. Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? We are of Peter." RayStedman.org/permissions. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. They forget, of course, that the church never belongs to anybody but the Lord. Paul enters this world of wretched Sophists and preaches the Gospel of Jesus 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. In these cases, there should be freedom to agree to disagree. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. What he says we'll listen to, not Paul or Peter or anyone else -- it makes no difference to us." The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. 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. Now, we are similar to the ancient world in that some people do see their pastors/teachers as a source of pride. Corinthians (1Corinthians 1:13 RSV). 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. Conclusion. (1Corinthians 1:10 RSV). The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. Furthermore, would the apostle not also be concerned with other divisions within the individual church body? Help us to judge these in the light of the cross, and, by its light, to walk before thee. What is a clique? The Factions At Corinth There are those who are emotionally attached to some great Christian leader who has helped them, and they will only listen to him. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. 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. There has been no other cure that I know of through the years. Webdivided. 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. In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. Im not saying its wrong to stick to what you believe. However, I would like to approach this in a different way than the comments already present here. 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. This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. 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. Will we do so by the strength which God alone can and will supply? But first, it is very clear that he is deeply troubled by this. Bruises show on her arm! The members started to develop division following different leaders. I lead a small group so I sometimes have to sit in meetings where the pastor shares things about the vision of our church. The elders should make their decisions with the same mind and the same judgment. Thats not the way a jigsaw puzzle was meant to be put together. 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 other reason is the division among churches of the same denomination. in the Corinthian Church 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. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. 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? Then there were the stylists, those who were attracted by the different kinds of preaching, and they had especially been drawn to Apollos. Corinthians This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. 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. Four groups had formed in the Corinthian church. I will jump on the bandwagon here and say that division is definitely an issue today. There he indicates that the problem with cliquishness is that it tends to overemphasize the significance of the human leader. 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 content of their messages was in agreement, but the followers of these men probably focused on personality differences and distorted their teachings. If so, what results are we shooting for? Phillip J. DIVISIONS AND PERSONALITIES IN THE CHURCH There should be oneness of mind, no matter how long it takes. Other divisions were to follow. The organ begins the bridal march, and everyone stands. Instead of directly saying that we follow Paul, or Apollos, we say that we are Baptist, Reformed, or even Catholic. 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. So undoubtedly there was a big group that followed Paul. Some people will pick other matters of doctrine to affirm. I think today if church leaders focus on Jesus and only Jesus we would be so much healthier. Instead of tearing themselves apart, he urges them to be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. He says, in effect, "You don't cure divisions in a church by identification badges. It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. Corinthians I always have, and always will believe that this overly exaggerated concept of denominations is a problem. 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. Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. 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. But if it is to escape pressures and difficulties and problems in the congregation, then it is absolutely wrong and the worst thing he could do, because it sets before the watching world a false testimony concerning the church of Jesus Christ. Paul continues in verse 10 by saying that there be no divisions among you. It is the popular thing today to cry, "Back to the Reformation!" WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. It is possible, though, that the divisions among If you survey the church scene all over America today, you find people dividing up this way. There should be unanimous agreement. I told them that it is a concern of mine as well. 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. 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. We all know what a clique is. No man is the Savior; no man can deliver us except Jesus. in the Corinthian Church So, just a few texts and there are so many more. Paul exhorts them to agree. 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 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. That was the mark, that was the identification badge. 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). They were burdened about them, and they went to the right person with them. The minister is waiting, Bible in hand. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. 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. 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 have had to do some degree of battle with this myself. The cross strips away our illusions and brings the pride of men tumbling down from that high place where it exalts itself against the knowledge of God. 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. By focusing on Jesus we can see how important the parts of church really are. 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). Causes It was expected. 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. 2 Corinthians That is the mind Paul is talking about. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful in the Corinthian Church Message transcript and recording 1978 by Ray Stedman Ministries, owner of sole copyright by assignment from the author. Going off of what Cody is saying, in todays church everything needs to be just right. WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. Its pathetic that people should get so angry about whether drums are used or if the AC unit is kept at 71 or 70. All are mere teachers; there is only one Lord. Her gown is ripped and covered with mud! One day in Africa, a small boy was lost. These were not schisms yet; they had not split off into other congregations, but there were four cliques, or factions within the congregation. 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! In the body of Christ at large there are many who can make a contribution to the understanding of Christ. When the Corinthians divided into factions, it wasnt so much about core doctrine (nature of God, nature of Christ, the Gospel, the nature of man). They are springing up all over the place, including Downunder (Australia) where I live here in Brisbane. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. There were, first of all, the loyalists who said, "We are of Paul. He addresses them as brethren. The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. He gathers disciples and establishes a church, a meeting place for educating his disciples.