what caused divisions in the corinthian church what caused divisions in the corinthian church

It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. 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. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. Paul continues in verse 10 by saying that there be no divisions among you. 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). So, just a few texts and there are so many more. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. My impression is that the same sorts of problems evident in Corinth are clearly evident in the contemporary church, whether that is West Michigan or Brisbane. Webdivided. 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). In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. A young pastor who was facing that problem in his church called me this week from another state. 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. 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. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. A number of churches in this postmodern era have begun to resemble the Corinthian church in alarming ways. 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. 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. In my church it seems like they are all about numbers. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). They are springing up all over the place, including Downunder (Australia) where I live here in Brisbane. Thank you, Father, for this time here contemplating the cross. On a large jigsaw puzzle of a thousand pieces or more, its almost impossible to put it together upside down! He then goes on to describe for us the mind of Christ, which is a willingness to give up rights and personal privileges and give in and take a lower place. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). Since I was working at that time in the ship's service department in Pearl Harbor, we ordered great quantities of these Bibles. It was expected. He was a rhetorician who was especially capable in the allegorical style of teaching of the Old Testament. Message transcript and recording 1978 by Ray Stedman Ministries, owner of sole copyright by assignment from the author. Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). As we read through First Corinthians, I think we will see how very much like modern day churches this ancient church of Corinth was. The most well known one is having worship on Sundays instead of the Sabbath. No man is the Savior; no man can deliver us except Jesus. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). The facts in the gospel are what will set us free, and particularly, he says, the word of the cross. Offshoots had disturbed the church. 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. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. All that mattered to Paul was Jesus! 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.. There was nothing wrong with Paul baptizing people, but Paul didnt want people to boast about the fact that he baptized them. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. 3- The presence of an immoral member. They take an innocent teaching medium, in this case baptism, and make it into an identification badge. I remember a few years ago being at a family congress in St. Louis, Missouri, when one of the evening speakers was Dr.Oswald Hoffman, the very capable and powerful preacher on the Lutheran Hour radio program. 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. 3- The presence of an immoral member. Paul enters this world of wretched Sophists and preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul here introduces that which can cure divisions, both negatively and positively. Were you baptized into the name of Paul? Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? At that time it was under the leadership of its founder, Dawson Trotman, and it was my privilege and delight to be a close friend of his, to have spent a good deal of time with him and to come under the influence of his teaching and his methods. WebDivisions in the Church. Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. Its all about who looks the best, how much money is made, and how big our churches are. 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. 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. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). That does not mean that everybody has to think alike. Others were saying, "Well, Apollos himself baptized me." (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. He called to ask whether I thought that would be right or wrong to do. In desperation, they returned and held a meeting. 17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospelnot with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 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. They were boasting over who had baptized them. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. How important is it that there be unity in the Church where you fellowship? 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. 3- The presence of an immoral member. 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." 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. 2- The Churchs division. "One is your master; all of you are brothers," (Matthew 23:8 KJV). Faith rests on Gods shoulders alone- its not by our wisdom and ability (Polhill 237). 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." The organ begins the bridal march, and everyone stands. These preachers draw in masses of people every week who are eager to hear them speak. His most recent book is The Book of Enoch for Beginners: A Guide to Expand Your Understanding of the Biblical World (Rockridge, 2022). Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). Verse 12 tells us the source of this problem. We are of Peter." Like Greg, I recognize this tension in some of the churches I have served in and find it appalling (1 Corinthians 3:18-19). 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. That is what they were doing with baptism here in Corinth. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. 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. And I say that because some people focus on PREACHER instead of THE SAVIOR. This introduces one of the greatest passages in the Bible, setting forth the difference between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God. We all know what a clique is. 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. 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 year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. The elders should make their decisions with the same mind and the same judgment. 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. 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 Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. He come to Corinth to create a community of disciples from which he might receive patronage and prestige. He begins the process of developing them into leaders who will also preach the gospel and found more churches. They were hard to get in those war years, and every shipment that came in went out like hot cakes. Have you ever tried to put a jigsaw puzzle together with the pieces turned upside down so that they are all blank? 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. Sometimes two or three hundred sailors, all of them Christians, would be there. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. Now, he describes the nature of unity this way, "that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment." Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). And some of them are really gross. The anxiety of the childs mother continued to grow, for she knew that her boy was somewhere out in the darkness where wild animals were constantly on the prowl. 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. When everybody decides to put the things of Christ first, and is willing to suffer loss that the honor and glory of Christ might be advanced, that is what brings harmony in a congregation. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. That was a mark of status with them. He didnt focus on himself being superior to all the rest of the church leaders. Now, in one verse he introduces to us the cure for these divisions (Verse17): For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom [literally, "wisdom of words"], lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. We came to life in Christ by Paul, and Paul is the one we're going to listen to above all others." There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. 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). Four groups had formed in the Corinthian church. There were, first of all, the loyalists who said, "We are of Paul. People begin to think things about him that are not true, and expect things from him that he is unable to deliver. We see similar situations today, with political debates often devolving into a shouting match in which the person who yells their opinion the loudest and the longest is the winner. Unity in the church is something that requires cooperation with each other and with the Spirit of God. The words made complete mean to be perfectly joined together, like a jigsaw puzzle. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. One of his biggest goals is to double our congregation so we have 5,000 members. 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?. I am sure there were many in Corinth who were saying, "Oh, I love to hear Apollos! Her gown is ripped and covered with mud! And some of them are really gross. 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. What should our evaluation of a ministry look like I wonder if its not by numbers? One eye is purple and swollen! It is the popular thing today to cry, "Back to the Reformation!" Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who Paul, however, was a good leader. 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. The ground, of course, is the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then there were the traditionalists (there always are), those that say, "Well, I don't know about Paul or Apollos. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. It is those who have a financial interest in their own wellbeing, that divide the sheep up into different folds. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. They are his family in Christ. How important was unity to our Lord Jesus Christ? WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. 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. Now, in Verse13 you understand why. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. The bridesmaids have come down the aisle. I think today if church leaders focus on Jesus and only Jesus we would be so much healthier. They forget, of course, that the church never belongs to anybody but the Lord. 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. Every piece of that jigsaw puzzle is different, isnt it? 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. Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. Christ belongs fully to every believer in His spiritual body, the Church. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. In verses 10-17 of Chapter 1, Paul establishes the fact that there are divisions and begins to deal with them. They will not all be the same flavor; they will not all have the same characteristics. He finds that there is a great deal of parallels between the disciple-teacher relationship in the culture of Corinth and the problem of divisions in the church over the authority of teachers. I've not forgotten that incident because it seems to me to capture the very attitude Paul is describing here. The third thing that every Navigator had was a little black notebook covered in rough-grained leather. The families have been seated. 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). 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. The members started to develop division following different leaders. 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). Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. If Paul could see the divisions between the various denominations of today, what would he say? What is a clique? The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. The cross of Christ is what will heal the fragmentation of Christians wherever they are. I do not think things have improved much since the first century. Some are of Ritchie, and some are of Roper, and a few of Stedman! What happens when you get a tear in a piece of clothing and you keep washing and wearing that piece of clothing with the tear in it? For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. Now these things were good. Why are these thing SO important? I think we have failed to de-paganize the art of preaching/teaching if pastors/leaders are looking for patronage, prestige, and numbers over relationships, service, and transformation. The congregation then is to submit to the elders because it has confidence that their decisions were made under the Holy Spirits direction and power. Every Navigator had to have a Scofield Reference Bible; that was the only "Authorized Version." 2- The Churchs division. The search went on until nightfall, but no answer came to their urgent calls. To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. 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. There are several things that split the church today. Paul condemns their behavior in verse 13 by saying, Has Christ been divided? In other words, have different amounts of Christ been given to different people? 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." A. 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. Whenever this attitude of gathering around a man is allowed to perpetuate itself, it is the source of much trouble and difficulty. 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. 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. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. In verse 10 we see both Pauls affection for the Corinthian church, and his authority as an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is sad to see that our world appears just as divided today as it did back in the first century. 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. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. 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. 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. 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. Its a lot harder! When daylight again appeared, they looked for him with renewed energy but still without success. [Then he thinks of another group that he had baptized] (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. His dissertation was published as Jesus the Bridegroom by Pickwick Books in 2012. 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. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else). This applies also to the leadership in the church. Paul, however, was a good leader. Im not saying its wrong to stick to what you believe. Conclusion. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, and whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. You and I cant have more of the Lord Jesus Christ, but we can give Him more of ourselves, and experience more fully what is already ours as children of God. 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. We pray that it may be rich and real in our hearts as we live this week together. Like I talked about in the first posting, the emerging church makes me question a lot of things they are doing. In these cases, there should be freedom to agree to disagree. 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. Some had no problem with consuming meat that had been sacrificed to idols; for others, it was a real offense. Acts 18:24 says that Apollos was an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man. The bibles need to match the pews which need to match the carpet which need to match the wall color. 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! Ridiculous? How many of you have ever put together a jigsaw puzzle? So we have the possibility for this very thing right here. WebDivisions in the Church. Lewis.". A gasp bursts from the guests! In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? (Phil Long). 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. 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.". This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. There was extreme competition among the orators for honor and power. Church has become about the pastor and not about his message. With all the differences among us, it is impossible to get people to think alike. Its not just the denominations per se any more theres also a proliferation of house churches too. 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. But yet the apostle says they are to be of the same mind. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). Paul then goes on to give us three very carefully stated clues in Verse13 as to what is wrong with this kind of thing. I used to attend a Navigator group which met in Honolulu on Sunday afternoons. 13Is Christ divided? He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. There are several important terms in this passage. There has been no other cure that I know of through the years. 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. In the body of Christ at large there are many who can make a contribution to the understanding of Christ. In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? Paul continues in verse 10 by saying that, MANS WISDOM VERSUS GODS WISDOM I Corinthians 1:18-25, WHY DONT PEOPLE BELIEVE? 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. 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. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. (I have been trying for a long time to get my wife to accept that!) This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. We need to be perfectly joined together in the love of Christ. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. WebDivisions in the Church. 11My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 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. This is really what is behind his disclaimer on baptism in 1 Cor 1:14-16. Now, almost every group does this. Other divisions were to follow. Some considered Paul their leader, others Apollos, still others Peter. Let's get back to the beginnings. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. They were dividing over this whole issue, and Paul says it is all wrong. In Jesus' name, Amen. I'm nobody, just like you!" Let's go back to Jerusalem. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. Other divisions were to follow. 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. Public arguments were commonplace in the Greco-Roman world at the time that Paul was writing to the Corinthian church.