Every family, every organization and every movement struggles with the problem of internal divisions. Not only is there division on the outside, but there is division on the inside. Many internal conflicts result from a struggle over control. I’m here to let you know this morning that if everyone would learn to give the Lord control for whatever they are responsible for, many internal divisions can be eliminated. Without the Lord’s leading, there will always be divisions.
This church at Corinth was in a sad state. The fellowship among believers had deteriorated to such a degree that it was about to crumble and collapse. There was severe division and dissension in the ranks; there were verbal accusations, differing of opinions, competitive positions, power struggles, envy, grumbling, complaining, murmuring, quarreling, attacking and gossiping. Believer stood against believer, and there was no give in any corner. In other words, nobody wanted to give in. Everybody wanted their own way, and nobody could see the other person’s point of view.
Disaster was about to strike; the church was divided and a severe spit was threatened.
This was the first problem that Paul had to deal with. Paul had to deal with it first because the bible says, a house divided against itself cannot stand. There were other problems in the church, other matters that had to be handled, but the people could not handle them unless the people were brought together in one spirit and mind.
The ministry and mission of the church could not effectively go on until the people stood together.
The worship service was affected, the evangelizing ministry was affected, the prayer life of the church and individuals were affected, and their spiritual growth was affected simply because of the divisions that existed in that church.
Divisions were caused by believers following different leaders. In all of this, the people were guilty of putting the messenger ahead of the message. They were being selfish and creating a “Me and My Church” rather than “A Jesus Church.”
The church had split over who the leader should be – Paul had to bring them back to who the leader really was. “It’s the Lord Jesus!” He is the head of the church. Jesus said upon this rock I will build “My” church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
This Corinthian church had formed cliques around certain men of the church. In one group were the proud pupils of Paul. In another group were the adorning admirers of Apollos. Then there were some who liked Peter, or Cephus, and like always there were those who claimed to be on nobody’s side and they believed that they were the only true followers of Christ.
Division within the church is one of the most serious problems a church could ever face, if not the most serious. Divisions can devastate the church’s fellowship, the church’s worship, the church’s mission and witness to the world unless it is solved quickly.
No matter how much a church has going for it, division can render it ineffective. The word di-vision is made up of the prefix “di” which means two. That’s where we get the word divide which means to split in 2.
That’s where we get the word divorce which means to make 1 into 2. That’s where we get the word dialogue which means 2 people speaking. In other words division means double vision.
Double vision can be dangerous. If you are seeing two of everything you need to make a trip to the eye doctor. If there are two visions in the church, then there needs to be some spiritual doctoring.
As an apostle, Paul was giving the Corinthians strong advice and recommendations. He is urging them to act upon the preaching and teaching that he has already given them. In a very serious manner, Paul says, “Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose.
This church was strong and mature, but it had problems. It was wrecked by divisions. The members of the church were fighting with each other. There were those who were backbiting and backstabbing others who didn’t agree with their point of view. There were people who were murmuring and complaining because things weren’t exactly how they would like them to be. There were those who weren’t worshipping because the preacher they wanted was not up preaching. Although they were in the church, the church was not in them. This was a sign of spiritual immaturity among the members of the church.
Paul urged this church that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and with the same purpose.
Paul’s exhortation to the church was to allow no dissention or division. The word division in the Greek means to split, to tear apart, to break up. This division was not outside the church; it was not in the world, but it was inside the church. The Corinthian church was not working to bring peace, love and brotherhood to the world, this divided church was not out in the world evangelizing, but it was inside the walls fuming and fighting.
There were Cliques in the church. Cliques make a person a man-follower. This is tragic, because a genuine believer is always baptized in the name of the Lord, not in the name of a man. In his baptism the believer confessed the Lord and gave testimony that he was committing his life to follow the Lord. We ought to confess loyalty to the Lord. We ought to stand for Christ and his righteousness.
We can easily get our eyes on other folk. We can become followers of men and not the Lord. That’s what happened at Corinth when they lost sight of the Lord Jesus. They began to focus on the personalities around them rather than the person who saved them. They began to focus on the leaders of the church instead of the founder of the church. They began to focus on what they were getting out of the church instead of what they were putting into the church.
We can also get our eyes on the problems. The people of Corinth began to focus on the problems they were facing with others, instead of focusing on the problem solvers. They began to argue and fuss and even began to take each other to court.
We can get our eyes onto other priorities. Even in church we can often get our eyes on the wrong priorities.
The priorities of the Corinthian believers began to be what they desired. They began to live according to their appetites thus becoming carnal rather than the spiritual people they were supposed to be. This lead to the abuse of spiritual gifts and the abuse of the Lord’s supper.
I’m mighty afraid that some of the same situations that existed in the 1st Church are still relevant in our churches today. Paul will have us see that not only are such divisions contrary to the gospel, they should be set aside by the gospel.
I want to let you know this morning that our priorities should always be to be what God wants us to become. We ought not to be the same church today as we were yesterday. We ought not to be the same church tomorrow as we are today.
Our churches ought not be divided because we have one Messiah and one Savior. Our churches ought not be divided because we have one Lord not 2 Lords, , One Faith not 2 faiths, and One Baptism, not 2 baptisims. Our churches ought not be divided because we have one mission and that is to go ye therefore into all the world to preach the gospel, baptizing them in the name of the father, son and Holy Ghost. Our churches ought not be divided, because we have one message. It is the message of the cross. Paul says, “For I am determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”
I need to tell you today, that we are being watched. When we become angry and divided, we are not only robbed of our joy, we are robbed of our effectiveness. When we lack unity, our credibility is worthless. Our testimony is useless.
Our examples are a waste of time. The gospel is good news, but there is no good news in fussing and fighting.
The reality is God designed the church of today and He knew that the church would be filled with imperfect people. But a church filled with imperfect people needed to learn how to get along, how to forgive one another , how to die to self, how to live for Christ and in process mature in the faith for the glory of Kingdom of God. Not to only be hearers of the word, but to be doers of the word.
How can we proclaim reconciliation to others when we are not ourselves reconciled. How can we tell the world, that the wages of sin is death when we are busy trying to destroy one another. How can we call the world to unity when we remain disunited.
God created the world out of nothing and as long as we realize we are nothing, God can make something out of us. We must realize today, that without God, I can do nothing, without God I would fail. Without God, my life would be rugged, like a ship without a sail.
I want to let you know this morning that together we can stand, but divided we will fall. If we wish to stand against Satan than the church needs to remain united. In Ecclesiastes 4:12, “Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him, and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
There is strength and unity in numbers, and if we desire to impact our community, our city, our world, than we need to stand together.
(Psalm 133:1) Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”
As I go to my seat, I have 3 things I want to leave with you this morning.
#1 Don’t loose your composure… don’t let pride stand in your way; don’t let your own self-importance get in the way of the Lord’s priority for the church.
#2 Don’t loose your comprehension… keep the big picture… we are about Jesus, our hope is in Jesus, our hope is not in Progress, but our hope is in the Lord. We are to bring glory to his name. Not in our own name, for the bible says that neither is there salvation in any other name, except the name of Jesus.
#3 Don’t loose your commission-- Our mission is to proclaim Christ, to live Christ, to be the new creatures he has created us to be. We have a charge to keep and a God to glorify and every dying soul to save and fit it for the sky.
We must be able to be an effective witness. We must be able to tell the world that One Friday evening, One crucified savior died for one sinful world. But not only that, but early one Sunday morning he got up with all power in heaven and earth in his hand. He’s coming back after 1 church. He’s coming back
