(1Corinthians 1:13 RSV). 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. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). God only sees one fold, (John 10) and there is only one faith, one Lord, one baptism etc. 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. [Then he thinks of another group that he had baptized] (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. I lead a small group so I sometimes have to sit in meetings where the pastor shares things about the vision of our church. 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. I find there are these tendencies right here in Peninsula Bible Church. He addresses them as brethren. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. 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. 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. 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. Paul continues in verse 10 by saying that there be no divisions among you. Phillip J. It wipes out all the petty distinctions that men make among themselves. It took four viewpoints to report his earthly life and ministry accurately enough to us. Other divisions were to follow. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). Many of the other problems were flowing out of this division within the congregation. 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.. I dont remember Paul seeing any thing like these issues as other than trivial. 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. 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. Paul, however, was a good leader. This Bible was pushed by the Navigators, and everybody had to have one. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. Are we willing to love each other as Christ loved us? 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. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. 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.". 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. This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. Then there were the traditionalists (there always are), those that say, "Well, I don't know about Paul or Apollos. Splits and Quarrels in the Church 3- The presence of an immoral member. A young pastor who was facing that problem in his church called me this week from another state. They love to listen to someone because he turns them on emotionally. 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. (1Corinthians 1:17 RSV). Whatever you say, I believe." The Greek word used here literally means to say the same thing. There is not a single teacher who ever lived who can heal the hurt of a broken heart, or supply energy and adequacy to someone who feels worthless and unable to function in society, not one. Divisions in the Church Because I am a little defensive it seems like they are almost my enemy. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. They will not all be the same flavor; they will not all have the same characteristics. Something shows up sooner or later as an identifying badge that marks them as "special," with special privilege and special status in that group. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). Paul doesnt want these divisions to continue, so he offers them an alternative. 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. 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. Divisions The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. Paul, however, was a good leader. 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 news went out but no one had seen the little fellow. Church has become about the pastor and not about his message. 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. Chapter Summary Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. Corinthians This doesnt mean that they have to agree on the minutest points in areas where there is no clear teaching in Scripture. Some of them were saying, "Well, Paul baptized me." Corinthians And there were some who said, "Well, when Peter came through, he baptized me. I used to attend a Navigator group which met in Honolulu on Sunday afternoons. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. I was taking my break and a person I work with asked where I went to college. 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. One of his biggest goals is to double our congregation so we have 5,000 members. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. They were boasting over who had baptized them. We must allow him the privilege of doing that. 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. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. Apollos was an intellectual. 4-The churchs failure to discipline. 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. They are springing up all over the place, including Downunder (Australia) where I live here in Brisbane. This also brings up another Pagan influence which is naming the days of the week after the planets. It was considered honorable for you to stand up for yourself in this way. The better the orator, the higher the fee, and the more disciples he will attract. 2 Corinthians 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. Why? There are several important terms in this passage. One eye is purple and swollen! 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. Corinthians It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. We came to life in Christ by Paul, and Paul is the one we're going to listen to above all others." is the history and significance of the church Some had no problem with consuming meat that had been sacrificed to idols; for others, it was a real offense. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). 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. WebWhat were the causes of division in the Corinthian Church? is the history and significance of the church 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. As we read through First Corinthians, I think we will see how very much like modern day churches this ancient church of Corinth was. That is the mind Paul is talking about. Corinthians Near the cross, O Lamb of God, bring its scenes before me. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian 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. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. How many of you have ever put together a jigsaw puzzle? Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. They are his family in Christ. No man is the Savior; no man can deliver us except Jesus. Corinthians Therefore, the only basis upon which you can get Christians to agree is by setting before them the Person of the Lord Jesus, and calling them back to that fundamental base. Paul always expresses great concern about the possibility of a split in the church. Since I was working at that time in the ship's service department in Pearl Harbor, we ordered great quantities of these Bibles. In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? We all know what a clique is. In the body of Christ at large there are many who can make a contribution to the understanding of Christ. the Problems in the Corinthian Church There was nothing wrong with Paul baptizing people, but Paul didnt want people to boast about the fact that he baptized them. 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. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. 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. 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. The members started to develop division following different leaders. I told them that it is a concern of mine as well. For a local church to be spiritually healthy and effective, and for there to be harmony in the local church, there must be doctrinal unity. Christians are all disciples, or better, stewards and servants of the mysteries of God (1 Cor 4:1). Why are these thing SO important? 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. I hang on every word you say. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. He started this church. There is not a single Christian teacher who ever lived who can help us be forgiven one single sin, not one. So we have the possibility for this very thing right here. Offshoots had disturbed the church. Splits and Quarrels in the Church They were also not afraid to be mentioned in Pauls letter to the church. Now, the second thing Paul says is, "Was Paul crucified for you?" For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. So Paul is insisting that the Corinthians, and all believers, have doctrinal unity that is clearly based on Gods Word. They were hard to get in those war years, and every shipment that came in went out like hot cakes. Will we do so by the strength which God alone can and will supply? They were drawing themselves up and saying, "Well, you may be of Paul or of Peter or of Apollos, but we are of Christ! 2 Corinthians The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. 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). 2- The Churchs division. His followers in the Corinthian church may have viewed Christianity as a philosophy rather than a relationship with a Person Jesus Christ. Who are we, that we should put our interests and our desires ahead of that of the Lord for his church? We become followers of out Pastors and churches rather than of Christ. However, I would like to approach this in a different way than the comments already present here. Instead of directly saying that we follow Paul, or Apollos, we say that we are Baptist, Reformed, or even Catholic. 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. He chooses various channels through which to work. These preachers draw in masses of people every week who are eager to hear them speak. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status.
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