"10 Now I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction. 11 For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers, by members of Chloe’s household, that there is rivalry among you. 12 What I am saying is this: Each of you says, “I’m with Paul,” or “I’m with Apollos,” or “I’m with Cephas,” or “I’m with Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was it Paul who was crucified for you? Or were you baptized in Paul’s name? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one can say you were baptized in my name. 16 I did, in fact, baptize the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t know if I baptized anyone else. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to evangelize—not with clever words, so that the cross of Christ will not be emptied of its effect."
I Corinthians 1:10-17
Good Morning
Welcome to worship today my beloved,
we're so glad to have you here with us
First let's bow our heads in prayer.
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for our time together today, for the honor and the privilege of worship. Thank You for prompting those hearts here, and around the world who join us today. I am grateful.
Father, we thank You for the great epistle for our study. Help us Lord, to repay You with our application and obedience to Your Word. We know that anything within us, our holiness, righteousness, even our love is because of You. For You have made us holy, because we are not ourselves holy. Our holiness is because of what Jesus did on the cross, not because of anything we can do in our own accord, for we are unworthy. Our best is but filthy rags in Your presence, Our righteousness is simply by believing in Christ, not of our own doing. Thank You, Father, that we too are holy and righteous, even though we fail, and ever though we sin, and even though, like those Corinth, we somehow just can't seem to detach ourselves from the system, yet because of Your Son, Jesus Christ, we are still made holy, and we are still saints, and we are still blessed, we are still Your children. Help us Lord, to live in complete conformity to who are now are, in You.
In Your precious and holy name we pray
Amen
Now, as you may recall in our previous studies in I Corinthians chapter 1, the church at Corinth was in a sad state. It was a mess. The fellowship of the church was divided and about to collapse. Allow me, if you would, to just remind you of a few of the things, that were occurring among the Corinthian church and see if they sound at all familiar to you: verbal accusations, differing opinions, competitive positions, power struggles, envy contention, grumbling, griping, complaining, murmuring, quarreling, attacking, and gossiping. It was believer against believer. A severe split was about to take place.
So in Paul’s letter to them, this was the first problem he dealt with because a divided church won’t last long. There were a lot of other problems that needed to be dealt with and Paul does also deal with those in this marvelously written epistle, his letter to the believers in Corinth. However, these people couldn’t deal with any of the problems if they were not one in spirit and mind.
The ministry of any church cannot effectively go on until the people of the church stand together in unity. Worship, missions, reaching out and ministering to others will all be affected if the church is divided. But thank God there is an answer to every division in every church. Amen?
The Holy Spirit, through Paul, gives eleven answers or solutions to division in a church. The answers are sound. In fact, these answers will pull any divided church together if the people are willing to listen. Paul doesn’t start giving the answers until verse 17 and the answers continue through chapter 4. Paul is addressing what tragically occurs in many churches. It occurred from the very beginning in the church. And, as you will see, it's really not much different today. Quarrels and divisions it's actually a common problem and it is certainly one that must be dealt with.
Today's Message: A Church Divided Quarrels and Corruption
In today's portion of Paul's letter, he is emphasizing the problems in the church before he gets to the answers to dealing with them.
Open with me your Bibles to I Corinthians chapter 1, verses 10-17. Allow me to read to you from our text today as you follow long with me, I Corinthians 1:10-17.
"Now I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction. For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers, by members of Chloe’s household, that there is rivalry among you. What I am saying is this: Each of you says, “I’m with Paul,” or “I’m with Apollos,” or “I’m with Cephas,” or “I’m with Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was it Paul who was crucified for you? Or were you baptized in Paul’s name? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one can say you were baptized in my name. I did, in fact, baptize the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t know if I baptized anyone else. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to evangelize—not with clever words, so that the cross of Christ will not be emptied of its effect."
Beloved, division is what happens in a church where there isn't anyone who teaches much doctrine.
There must be sound doctrine preached in the church. You likely remember, that Paul addressed the issue of divisive people back in our study of Romans chapter 16, when he said;
"Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause dissensions and obstacles contrary to the doctrine you have learned. Avoid them, for such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites. They deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattering words."
Paul begins by exhorting them to agree. Notice that Paul doesn’t have fire in his eyes or a fight in his heart. There’s no trace of anger when he writes. His heart is tender and full of joy. He graciously appeals to the Corinthians. He says, “I appeal to you.” He pleads and begs them. He calls them brothers twice in just two verses.
The exhortation is strong. It’s direct and straightforward. There should be no problem in understanding it, because it is plainly and simply stated. Paul exhorts them to agree in speech, to quit speaking against each other, accusing, attacking, murmuring, grumbling, griping, complaining, and gossiping. Quit using the tongue to stir dissension and division.
He tells them to allow no dissension "among you." This division is not outside the church. But rather it is inside. Paul saw this church as fuming and fighting from within. All of these problems weren't arising from outside the church and causing the division. No, they started from within, from inside the church, believer against believer.
Paul asks them to be "perfectly united in mind and thought." The Greek words used in this verse gives the idea of a torn net being repaired and mended, or a man’s broken and dislocated limb being restored to its proper place. The union is to be both in mind and thought. So the exhortation is for the Corinthian church to restore itself—not just to be united together—they are to be perfectly united together in mind and thought.
Then, in verse 11 he writes, "For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers, by members of Chloe’s household, that there is rivalry among you."
The problem of quarreling had become so bad, that some believer within the church went to Paul about the matter. Exactly who he was is not known. We only know that he was from the house of Chloe, who was apparently a believer well known to the Corinthians.
Chloe was probably a citizen of Ephesus and not of Corinth because Paul would never have identified his source of information if that person had lived in Corinth. Some of the arguing parties might turn against Chloe and her household. Paul was writing to Corinth from Ephesus, so a member of Chloe’s household probably reported the matter to Paul on some return trip from Corinth.
The nature of the division of the church is more clearly defined by the word "quarrels." There was an upset, a severe strife between factions and cliques within the church.
Verse 12-13 says, "What I am saying is this: Each of you says, “I’m with Paul,” or “I’m with Apollos,” or “I’m with Cephas,” or “I’m with Christ." Is Christ divided? Was it Paul who was crucified for you? Or were you baptized in Paul’s name?"
Paul is writing this because everyone seemed to be exalting some former minister over the other ministers of the church. Those who weren’t exalting one minister over the other were becoming super spiritual by proclaiming they were followers of Christ, and not of man.
So, let’s take a quick look at what were likely the three basic problems causing this division within the church.
First, there was the problem in preaching ability and style. There was no difference in the messages preached by Paul and Apollos. They both preached the gospel of Christ, but there was a difference in their style of preaching and ministering. Acts 18:24 teaches us that "Apollos was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures." II Corinthians 10:10, says Paul was not a great orator. In fact, it reads, "For it is said, “His letters are weighty and powerful, but his physical presence is weak, and his public speaking is despicable."
So some undervalued Paul as a preacher and supported Apollos. They failed to see God’s distinct call and gifts to each minister. Paul was gifted in understanding the Scriptures and as an administrator in church order. Paul excelled in strengthening believers, in growing disciples, and in establishing churches. He was a church planter. Based upon what we read in verse 12, it looks like the Apollos followers began to intellectualize and socialize Christianity and were turning away from why the church existed which was to follow the doctrine of salvation in Christ and that believers needed to walk in Christ day by day.
Then, in II Corinthians 11:6, Paul says, "Though untrained in public speaking, I am certainly not untrained in knowledge. Indeed, we have always made that clear to you in everything."
Then, the second problem was the problem of turning liberty into license. Cephas is mentioned. That’s Peter. Peter’s emphasis had to deal with the tradition and rituals of the church because he was the apostle to the Jews. Some wanted the traditions and rituals to be stressed more and that Paul’s emphasis on doctrine, salvation, and the daily walk of the believer be stressed less. So the two groups began to gather around the name of the two apostles and form cliques. Frankly, that’s the difference in several denominations today. Some prefer the ritual over the walk.
Thirdly, there was the problem of those who claimed to follow Christ. These were probably fed up with the other groups and set themselves up as being more spiritual than the others. They thought of themselves as being too spiritual to be involved with any clique. They may have even thought of themselves as the only true spiritual Christians in Corinth.
The Corinthians in general considered themselves to be so advanced in maturity that it gave them a privileged position. They set themselves up to be the judge of others. They bypassed God’s authority and took it upon themselves to judge teachers, to judge the wise and the unwise, to establish their own set of moral standards and to judge the gifted and the gifts. So there we have the problem.
Verses 13-16, "Is Christ divided? Was it Paul who was crucified for you? Or were you baptized in Paul’s name? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one can say you were baptized in my name. I did, in fact, baptize the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t know if I baptized anyone else."
The problem with these cliques in the church is threefold. Let's look at verse 13 again, where Paul shows us in this one verse how cliques strike. And, beloved, they do strike!
"Is Christ divided? Was it Paul who was crucified for you? Or were you baptized in Paul’s name?"
Paul is teaching us, that these cliques strike at the Person of Christ or His Lordship, at the crucifixion or death of Christ and at the baptism or witness of the believer.
Let's quickly examine each of these, shall we?
First, cliques divide Christ. Cliques divide Christ. A clique always thinks it is right, no matter how wrong it is, and a clique wants its own way and far too often, it is willing to pursue its own way, at any cost. A clique sets itself up as Lord, as the person who is able to judge what is right and what is wrong for the church. So, essentially, a clique attempts the impossible: it tries to divide Christ, to take Christ over to its side. A clique often claims that Christ supports its position, that Christ would hold the position and do exactly what the clique is doing.
But note the question: Is Christ divided? Is part of Him over here with this group and part of Him over there with that group? Who rules the church? Who is Lord? Who has the right to judge and say what is right and wrong, the Lord within the church, or cliques within the church?
Beloved, Jesus cannot be divided. There is only One Lord and I want to make it very, very clear, He cannot be divided.
Secondly, cliques elevate men to be saviors. Paul wasn’t crucified for the Corinthians so he wasn’t the savior of the Corinthians nor of any other body of believers. So if Paul wasn’t their savior then no other preacher of leader of a clique was a savior. Believers don’t owe their allegiance to preachers and leaders of cliques.
We are to obey and follow the will of Christ as dictated in Scripture, and we are to support the servants of the Lord whom He places in our midst to minster to us.
Lastly, cliques make a person a follower of man. Cliques make a person a follower of man.
They don’t go in a direction because of their beliefs or their doctrine. They go in the direction that the others go, not following the Lord and His leading, but following one another, following man.
In Closing...
I find this to be particularly sad because when a believer is baptized, they confess and give testimony to the Lord that they are committing themselves to follow Jesus. They are not confessing loyalty to any man, no matter how great and wonderful that man may be. They are not committing themselves to follow any man.
The apostle Paul ends this portion of his letter by adamantly denying that he ever attempted to secure a personal following of believers. He thanks God that he only baptized a few believers, so that no one can accuse him of wanting to for a following or a clique.
Just for your notes, or your own knowledge before we close for today;
Crispus was the leading ruler of the Jewish synagogue at Corinth. He was led to Christ and baptized by Paul personally.
Gaius was Paul’s host when he was in Corinth. Since Paul baptized Gaius, Paul probably led him to the Lord as well. We're not sure if this is the same Gaius who served as a missionary to Paul in Acts 19:29.
May be although the name was common. Stephanas was one of three messengers who delivered the Corinthian letter to Paul. Paul baptized the members of his household.
Beloved, I'd like to close with one final thought for you to consider.
In John 17:20-22, Jesus prayed to the Father saying, "I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in Me through their message. May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You.
May they also be one in Us, so the world may believe You sent Me. I have given them the glory You have given Me. May they be one as We are one." Christ is not and cannot be divided! When you choose to split, when you choose to divide, you are reflecting on Jesus Christ.
The church is one because Christ is one and Christ is one because God is one.
May it be so..
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
Copyright © 2019-2020 All Rights Reserved