The Indignity Of Division

The INDIGNITY Of DIVISION—1Corinthians 1:10-17

Attention:

In my trucking days...The flat tire on the interstate on I-95 in FL.

It completely stopped the progress of the truck.

Need:

The Corinthian church was afflicted/troubled by the indignity of internal division.

Paul urged the Corinthian church to distance themselves from the indignity of internal division.

Viable ministry is undermined thru the indignity of internal division.

What can pull us away from the indignity of division?

How can we pull away from the indignity of division?

3 urgings away from the indignity of division.

1—Pulling us away from the indignity of division is...

Unified SPEECH(:10-12)

Explanation: (:10-12)

:10—“Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, & that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind & in the same judgment.”

Paul writes as an apostle to the Corinthian church & begins by “pleading” with or exhorting the brethren.

Exhort= ‘ To urge by strong, often stirring argument, admonition, advice, or appeal.’

Paul exhorts those whom he accepts as brothers to him. They are siblings thru the blood of Christ. Brothers in Christ stand in need of exhortation.

The power of Paul’s “pleading” comes from the name of a common Lord. Both the exhorter & the exhortees hold in common Jesus Christ as Lord.

Paul exhorts the Corinthians to “speak the same thing” or be in agreement with one another surrounding the gospel, or rather allowing themselves to be surrounded by the Gospel. If this attitude is allowed to bear fruit then, regardless of who presents it(See :12-13), the Gospel is heard & God in Christ is glorified, & thereby, unity prevails.

Lack of agreement means that “division” is present. “Division” is an undesirable element to have in the Church.

Jn. 13:34-35—““A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.””

Rom. 13:8-10—“Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” & if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

Gal. 5:14-15—“For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite & devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!”

Gal. 5:22-26—“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions & desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”

Upon what should they be in agreeance?(Doctrinal issues/God’s messengers).

Brothers in Christ must be of the same mind & judgment regarding the things of God no matter the deliverer & his/her unique presentation of those things(:12). And when Christians are of the “same” “speech”, “mind” & “judgment” we are made complete, presenting an untainted, true & viable witness of Christ to the world.

Conversely we are incomplete when we are not of the same “speech”, “mind”, & “judgment.” As a result, such an incomplete body of believers exemplifies “divisiveness”(:12-13) rather than unity centered around Christ.

“Plead/Beseech/Exhort/Appeal”—parakalew—1) To call to one's side, call for, summon; 2) To address, speak to, (call to, call upon), which may be done in the way of exhortation, entreaty, comfort, instruction, etc. Strong—To call near, i.e. Invite, invoke(by imploration, hortation or consolation).

“Speak the same thing/Agree”—auto leghte—From—legw—1) To say, to speak. Strong—a primary verb; properly--To "lay" forth, i.e. figuratively--Relate(in words [usually of systematic or set discourse, by implication--To mean.—&—autov3X—Pronoun—1) Himself, herself, themselves, itself; 2) He, she, it; 3) The same.

“Divisions”—scisma—1) A rent; 2) metaph. A division, dissension. Scisma is actual division, separation. [whereas] airesiv is rather the separating tendency. Strong—A split or gap ("schism"), literally or figuratively. used 8X.

“Perfectly joined together/Made complete/Perfectly united/Knit together”—katartizw—1) To render, i.e. to fit, sound, complete. Strong—To complete thoroughly, i.e. Repair (literally or figuratively) or adjust.

:11—“For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you.”

Chloe must have been a trustworthy witness, otherwise Paul would not have given her press.

Paul had been informed of the existence of “contentions” in the church. “Contentions” are an evidence of division. James speaks to this by the Holy Spirit of God: