A LETTER TO FALLEN CHRISTIANS – FACTIONS AT CORINTH
(Part 2)
1 Corinthians 1:10-17
INTRO: After his greeting and proof of his authority in the first 9 verses, Paul now turns his attention to the matters at hand that he is writing about, namely, the factions in :the Church.
This kind of reminds me of the story of Abraham Lincoln’s two sons, Willie and Tad. Mr. Lincoln had three walnuts to divide between his sons, but they each wanted two!
I. A DIVIDED CHURCH.
A. Use word study: (SKEEZO) which means: "torn garment"
1. This is different from the veil in the temple (Matt. 27:51).
2. They were divided in. who to follow. (SKEESMA).
3. Fishnet repaired (James and John called). This example is
the correct analogy.
B. This caused theological error.
1. Pride is the big problem.
a. My position is bound to be the best.
b. After all, I support him, don’t I?? = I.
c. Who I support is less important than the fact that I support
him.
2. Is Christ divided?
3. Man thinks that the other person is the guilty one.
II . CAUSED BY MISUNDERSTANDINGS.
A. Faulty thinking about God.
1. Thinking for God.
2. Not enough thinking about God.
3. C. S. Lewis said: "Pride leads to every other vice; it is
the complete anti-God state of mind!"
B. All Churches have made some problems for themselves because of
this.
1. This Church wasn’t the only one.
2. They didn’t break off, they just disagreed with each other.
III. FIGHTING THESE FACTIONS.
A. Paul pleas for unity.
1. He doesn’t expect everyone to agree with each other on every
thing, just the main doctrines.
2. When we are Perfectly joined, we will be in the same mind
and the same judgment.
B. Use the fishnet illustration again.
CONC: No matter how bad we may think our Church is, it is not near as bad as any N. T. Church was. No church today has any known adulterers as leaders, or Idol worshipers as ministers, or known crooks as members.
Our Church is the object of Gods love, in spite of us, and should be the same for ourselves, in spite of ourselves.
