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WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. Corinthians Yes, we have the core beliefs that most Christians will agree upon, but the rest is still very confusing to non-believers. If Paul could see the divisions between the various denominations of today, what would he say? WebWhat were the causes of division in the Corinthian Church? 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. Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. Her hair is messed up! All rights reserved. A young pastor who was facing that problem in his church called me this week from another state. They are still acting just like the world. This is the challenge of the divisions in 1 Corinthians how does the modern church act just like the world? Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). 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! 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. 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. When the lifeless body of the little one was carried back to the anxious mother, she cried aloud, Oh why didnt you join hands before?. Christ did not send me to take scalps or to cut notches on my gun handle as to how many converts I've won." Corinthians He gathers disciples and establishes a church, a meeting place for educating his disciples. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. This issue was so important that Paul devotes the first four chapters of I Corinthians to divisions in the church. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. (Philippians 2:6-8 RSV). 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. Offshoots had disturbed the church. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. 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? Now, almost every group does this. What is a clique? This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. Phillip J. Behind Divisions The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. Now these things were good. This word was normally used to refer to a tear in a garment. 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. But that is a very dangerous attitude, and yet we tend to think of people as being the channel by which deliverance can come to our heart. The Corinthian Church. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. 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. I am sure there were many in Corinth who were saying, "Oh, I love to hear Apollos! Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. 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. 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 10-12, Paul begins by giving an appeal for unity. Doesnt He deserve better than this? the author asks. In fact, there are still many divisions that exist today in modern churches. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. God is not confused, and He does not contradict Himself. Causes Help me walk from day to day, with its shadows o'er me. 2- The Churchs division. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful I told them that I do not foresee and end to these divisions anytime soon (sadly). Since November 2021, Reading Acts is edited by Sarah Westphal. 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. 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. This also brings up another Pagan influence which is naming the days of the week after the planets. 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. He was a rhetorician who was especially capable in the allegorical style of teaching of the Old Testament. Offshoots had disturbed the church. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. There were: the followers of Paul, the followers of Apollos, the followers of Cephas or Peter, and the followers of Christ. Their relationship to Christ was the unifying factor of the church. He appeals to them in the name of our Lord Jesus 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). In this parable, the groom is Christ. 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. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. From the book of Acts we learn that Apollos was an outstanding orator in a world that loved and appreciated oratory. 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. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. Long has taught full time at Grace Christian University since 1998, specializing in Bible and Biblical languages. One day in Africa, a small boy was lost. There is not a single Christian teacher who ever lived who can help us be forgiven one single sin, not one. 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. Now, you do not have to be very old to recognize that that is still a problem in the church. It was considered honorable for you to stand up for yourself in this way. Divisions The elders should make their decisions with the same mind and the same judgment. 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. 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. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. 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. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). But yet the apostle says they are to be of the same mind. Paul is putting his finger right on the problem when he asks, "Was Paul crucified for you?" 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). If we sacrifice quality for numbers I dont think we are being good stewards of our gift of leadership. Its not just the denominations per se any more theres also a proliferation of house churches too. I do not think things have improved much since the first century. People begin to think things about him that are not true, and expect things from him that he is unable to deliver. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. 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. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. 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. Like the world, Christians are too concerned with being right and having our way. 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. If you will turn in your Bibles with me to John 17:20-23, I will read the passage to you. I have to admit though that sometimes I think about numbers and recognition and want that. 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. I agree with P. Longs last statement in that things have not improved much since the first century. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. I've not forgotten that incident because it seems to me to capture the very attitude Paul is describing here. Offshoots had disturbed the church. So undoubtedly there was a big group that followed Paul. Four groups had formed in the Corinthian church. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). 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. Not when we hear of churches with factions or cliques of people who sit on opposite sides of the aisle. in the Corinthian Church Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who Try it some time. Now, here the apostle makes very clear that the tendency among groupies is to distort the meaning of symbols. Other divisions were to follow. He didnt focus on himself being superior to all the rest of the church leaders. Let's go back to Jerusalem. 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. Its all about who looks the best, how much money is made, and how big our churches are. In 1 Corinthians, Paul consciously avoids disciple-teacher language. the Problems in the Corinthian Church I was taking my break and a person I work with asked where I went to college. Everybody has their denomination and they cling relentless to their doctrinal beliefs. Take the various mega-churches for example, whose charismatic pastors live in mansions. 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! Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. the background of the Corinthian Church 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. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. That is what Paul speaks about. A. Some sued their fellow Christians in the secular courts. How important is it that there be unity in the Church where you fellowship? This is really what is behind his disclaimer on baptism in 1 Cor 1:14-16. Like I talked about in the first posting, the emerging church makes me question a lot of things they are doing. Public arguments were commonplace in the Greco-Roman world at the time that Paul was writing to the Corinthian church. How important is it that there be unity within the Church? Whatever you say, I believe." Corinthians If so, what results are we shooting for? Paul did not want to present the Gospel as an orator, competing for students as they did. They love to listen to someone because he turns them on emotionally. Splits and Quarrels in the Church Here are our first clues as to what is wrong with this kind of cliquishness in a church. That is not the work of men; that is the work of God himself. 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. Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. 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. 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). We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. I told them GBC and they said something along the lines of, Oh a Bible college? There are several things that split the church today. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. In verse 10 we see both Pauls affection for the Corinthian church, and his authority as an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. 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. There are those who are emotionally attached to some great Christian leader who has helped them, and they will only listen to him. 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. in the Corinthian Church There was still a fourth group, and in some ways I think they were probably the worst. So he says, "I didn't baptize many of you. So we have the possibility for this very thing right here. Instead of directly saying that we follow Paul, or Apollos, we say that we are Baptist, Reformed, or even Catholic. His bride, the Church, has been fighting again!. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). 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." 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. God only sees one fold, (John 10) and there is only one faith, one Lord, one baptism etc. Causes in the Corinthian Church 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). If I was not raised in a Christian home, I think that I would have the same concerns. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. Some boasted of their special spiritual gifts; others felt left out. I still have at home the Scofield Reference Bible with the index ladder drawn by him. They are springing up all over the place, including Downunder (Australia) where I live here in Brisbane. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. "One is your master; all of you are brothers," (Matthew 23:8 KJV). It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). 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." Corinthians 2- The Churchs division. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. I dont remember Paul seeing any thing like these issues as other than trivial. They were drawing themselves up and saying, "Well, you may be of Paul or of Peter or of Apollos, but we are of Christ! in 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. Divisions in the Church 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. It builds him up too much; it makes him a rival, to some degree, of the Lord himself. 14I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. The bride is limping! Unlike most of his other epistles, Paul plunges right into the heart of the practical problems that were affecting this church, and the first of these, the problem of divisions within the church, he begins to deal with in Chapter1, Verse10. I thank God that only a few of you can say that about me." This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. Today we have followers of Rob Bell, Rick Warren, and even Joel Osteen (for some reason). It is possible, though, that the divisions among The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. Behind Divisions Causes 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.. 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. Church has become about the pastor and not about his message. 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. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). Furthermore, would the apostle not also be concerned with other divisions within the individual church body? 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. And some of them are really gross. Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? Within our churches, and even in our own denominations (sophisticated name for divisions), we argue about church funds, whos on the worship team, and whether the youth should have long hair. Corinthians WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. Other divisions were to follow. It is those who have a financial interest in their own wellbeing, that divide the sheep up into different folds. We go back to the Lord alone. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. Luke says in Acts 4:12, And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men, by which we must be saved. The ground is level at the cross. A. It was a glorious work. Corinthians By focusing on Jesus we can see how important the parts of church really are. (1Corinthians 1:13 RSV). 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. In my experience though, I find that it is carnal and unspiritual leaders that put up walls and fences between members of the body. What Was Dividing the Corinthian Church Now, it cannot. Some of them were saying, "Well, Paul baptized me." That was a mark of status with them. 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.