Divisions in the Church
Today we start studying the book of 1st Corinthians.
Corinth’s importance in the ancient world was considerable. It was the densely populated capital of the Roman province of Achaia (a prefecture within contemporary Greece bears the name still), a busy commercial centre, and subject, therefore, to many outside influences. A thriving port city, it was infamous for its sexual vice and immorality.
Located on the route from Rome to the East, its key geographical position was ideal for the spread of the gospel as merchants and travelers from many places passed through it.
We could say that the fame of Corinth would be comparable today to cities like Las Vegas or Montreal. It was a city of culture but with a highly humanistic view of the world
Background and summary of Paul’s visit to Corinth
Paul preached the gospel in Corinth in the early 50s AD during his second missionary journey (Acts 18:1–18). When opposition grew fierce there, the Lord Jesus spoke to him in a vision assuring him that he had ‘many people’ in the city (Acts 18:10). With this encouragement, Paul stayed on for eighteen months, ‘teaching them the word of God’ (Acts 18:11). God used Paul’s ministry to bring about the birth and establishment of the church in Corinth.
1 Corinthians is unique in the New Testament in showing the wide spectrum of problems that an early church encountered.
We may identify nine major difficulties, all of which have lessons to teach us. They are:
DIVISIONS (1:10–17; 3:1–23),
SEXUAL IMMORALITY (5:1–13; 6:12–20),
LAWSUITS among Christians (6:1–11),
MARRIAGE and divorce (7:1–17),
FOOD sacrificed to idols (8:1–13),
ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR in church services (11:2–16),
DISORDER at the Lord’s Supper (11:17–34),
THE RIGHT USE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS (12:1–14:40),
UNCERTAINTY about basic Christian truth—especially the resurrection of the dead (15:1–58).
Divisions within the church at Corinth prompt Paul to spell out three Christian priorities:
Unity,
Allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ
The proclamation of his gospel
Scripture Reading - 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.
11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.
12 What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”
13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,
15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name.
16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.)
17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
Video Illustration: “Me Church” clip from Sermon Spice.com. This clip takes a humorous look at a self-centered church.
A. WHAT WAS CAUSING DIVISIONS
The word division means to “rip” or “tear” (v. 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.).
The Christians in this church were tearing the church apart – they were allowing the spirit of offense to rip out the heart and the life changing power of the church.
Every family, organization and movement struggles with the problem of internal divisions. Many internal conflicts result from a struggle over control. If everyone learns to give the Lord control for whatever they are responsible for, many internal divisions can be minimized.
We need to united in Christ not divided in Christ! The church was formed by Christ to serve one another and not to focus on ourselves. The church is not about me but about the message of Jesus and about service to the Kingdom of God! Let us examine what was happening to this New Testament Church and try to avoid the same kind of problems that they were facing.
B. THE STYLE OF PREACHING (THE PREACHER)
The divisions at Corinth may well have been over the different styles of preaching that Paul, Apollos and Cephas practised. Some perhaps distressed with these divisions, either proudly or humbly, declared that they belonged to Christ alone.
I FOLLOW PAUL
This group may have taken the attitude that Paul started this church and he will always be the leader. These are the traditionalists. They always live in the past and never want to move on into the future: They like saying leave everything the way it was this is what the Lord wants! Paul saw Christ so we will only listen to what He tells us to do! He is the founding apostle and we need to do church the way he does it!
I FOLLOW APOLOS
These people may have put great emphasis on the knowledge of Scripture. Apollos was mighty in his use of the Word (Acts 18:24, 25). These may have been the Bible intellectuals. Listen we need to follow after Apollos because man that guy can preach with charisma! Paul is dry and boring and people have even fallen asleep in his meetings! So church is all about the preaching of dynamic messages that are powerful.
I FOLLOW PETER
These people may have put great emphasis on the church and were taking the attitude that Peter had been given the keys to the kingdom, instituted the church on Pentecost, and they would follow him. They may have been great “church” men without going further. This group claimed divine apostleship as the only link to doing church the right way. They were for using a style that Peter promoted an emphasis on Jewish tradition mixed with Christianity. A in your face type church that was bold and aggressive a true apostolic church – one that followed the leading of Peter only because he lived with Jesus.
I FOLLOW CHRIST
These people may have been saying, “We don’t need anyone or anything but Jesus.” This group was the spiritual elite who said “We only do things Jesus’ way and the rest of these idol worshippers need to repent! We know the truth it’s all Jesus and these others are people chasers not God chasers!” “The fourth group could thereupon be pictured as looking down their long spiritual noses at the other three and piously saying, “We are of Christ, and therefore look to no human preacher to lead us and feed us.”
Reality Check for the this church and for the church today:
Division and dissension never comes from the Spirit of God but from the spirit of offense rooted in the “Bait of Satan” who wants to divide and conquer: 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 each other, how to die to self, and in process mature in the faith for the glory of Kingdom of God:
1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
The symptoms of the Corinthian Church are very clear today in modern Churches. The end result is described by Paul in verse 17. The cross is emptied from its power.
Very few people getting saved
Very few miracles and almost no Divine healing
Small Church growth
Paul shows how the cross is the answer to the problem.
He underlines the priority of preaching the gospel by establishing the uniqueness of the cross and its power to answer the problem of human sin.
1 Corinthians 1
18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles
We need to decide to not allow the enemy of the church, which is the spirit of offense, which is the spirit of division and dissension to tear it apart. We need to be committed to honoring the name of Jesus and doing what He called us to do! We are to be the light of the world and the preservative of this world. We need to fulfill the Great Commission and fulfill our divine purpose in life.
The question was: What do you think Jesus thinks about all this disunity in the church? Is Christ divided? The goal of the questions was to refocus the church onto Jesus and our imminent face to face encounter with Him one day.
Who is influencing your life and your choices?
Are you following Biblical teachings and Biblical values or something else?
WHO ARE YOU FOLLOWING?
What place should gospel preaching have in the life of the local church?
1 Corinthians 1
27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,
29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
Altar Call for repentance and forgiveness.
You can get the full sermon and Powerpoint for this message at http://http://tonysilveira.com/divisions-in-the-church/
