I think that some of the ways we have failed to de-paganize is because we are still so focused on the little things that make up the church. I hang on every word you say. Near the cross, O Lamb of God, bring its scenes before me. There has been no other cure that I know of through the years. 10 I appeal to you, brothers,[ a] 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. But when doctrinal beliefs keep churches from working together to further the gospel. When everybody decides to put the things of Christ first, and is willing to suffer loss that the honor and glory of Christ might be advanced, that is what brings harmony in a congregation. Members follow him blindly and whatever they do seems right to them. Their relationship to Christ was the unifying factor of the church. Just as there was competiveness for honor and prestige among the orators of the first century, it also seems like there is competition between the pastors and churches of today. Other divisions were to follow. 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. I still have at home the Scofield Reference Bible with the index ladder drawn by him. WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. There are many other things that do cause serious problems stemming from the outside world. Thanks for the thoughtful comment Austin. 10 I appeal to you, brothers,[ a] 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. Its not just the denominations per se any more theres also a proliferation of house churches too. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. We worry about how the power points are going to look, if we should have one or two singers, drums or no drums, electric guitars or none at all (I feel like you get my point) its almost as if we worship these things! And he speaks in the name of or by the authority of, our Lord Jesus Christ. Corinthians My answer was that it all depends on the motive. They were also not afraid to be mentioned in Pauls letter to the church. The better the orator, the higher the fee, and the more disciples he will attract. DIVISIONS IN THE CHURCH I Corinthians 1 I would like to approach it from an evangelistic standpoint. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. We see similar situations today, with political debates often devolving into a shouting match in which the person who yells their opinion the loudest and the longest is the winner. I dont remember Paul seeing any thing like these issues as other than trivial. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). But even if there are multiple house churches founded by different leaders, Paul passionately argues that the body of Christ cannot be divided in this way. I do not think things have improved much since the first century. They were burdened about them, and they went to the right person with them. 4-The churchs failure to discipline. In her book, The Key to a Loving Heart, Karen Mains includes a parable about the church entitled The Brawling Bride. We all know what a clique is. WebDivisions in the Church. This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. Paul, however, was a good leader. Its pastors, bishops and others who fear the loss of their livlihoods as their former sheep move on in God towards the new wine skins of revival that want to maintain the old wine skins which brought them an income. (I have been trying for a long time to get my wife to accept that!) The Greek word used here literally means to say the same thing. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. Therefore, the only basis upon which you can get Christians to agree is by setting before them the Person of the Lord Jesus, and calling them back to that fundamental base. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. Alexandria was a center for learning and philosophy. This is what Paul does here. This consumerism that we face today in the end doesnt seem all that much different from the way the Christian faith was treated like just another philosophy back in the days of Paul. The content of their messages was in agreement, but the followers of these men probably focused on personality differences and distorted their teachings. The first and perhaps biggest is denominations. Here are our first clues as to what is wrong with this kind of cliquishness in a church. When you follow one man you are getting a view of Christ, but there is no teacher in the church who has ever come along -- including the Apostle Paul himself -- who has ever had a totally complete view of Christ. Because I am a little defensive it seems like they are almost my enemy. Some boasted of their special spiritual gifts; others felt left out. So undoubtedly there was a big group that followed Paul. But you could always tell a Navigator because there were three things that he always had: First, he had a Scofield Reference Bible tucked under his arm. Then comes that great Christological passage where he describes how Christ, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). It tells about the most climactic moment in a wedding ceremony. Many of us are familiar with this common phenomenon in human psychology of thinking that some symbolic thing that is of use to us is so important that we finally make it a badge of the group to which we belong. John 12:37-50, THE PARADOX OF LIFE FROM DEATH John 12:20-26, THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM JOHN 12:9-19, SPIRITUAL LIGHT AND DARKNESS John 9:35-41. The third danger of groups is given in the latter part of Verse13, and on through the next few verses: Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? Christ did not send me to take scalps or to cut notches on my gun handle as to how many converts I've won." Still others say, "We are of Schaeffer," and others, "We are of Graham," or, "We are of C.S. 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. (1Corinthians 1:10 RSV). I lead a small group so I sometimes have to sit in meetings where the pastor shares things about the vision of our church. Are we willing to love each other as Christ loved us? When you divide up among men you lose something, that is what he is saying. That is not the work of men; that is the work of God himself. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. Some people will pick other matters of doctrine to affirm. 3- The presence of an immoral member. This is what Paul uses as the basis for unity in this church -- not only the attitude of selflessness, which is the mind of Christ, but the responsibility to submit to his Lordship, the common responsibility that we have together. When the Corinthians divided into factions, it wasnt so much about core doctrine (nature of God, nature of Christ, the Gospel, the nature of man). That is what they were doing with baptism here in Corinth. in the Corinthian Church But if it is to escape pressures and difficulties and problems in the congregation, then it is absolutely wrong and the worst thing he could do, because it sets before the watching world a false testimony concerning the church of Jesus Christ. So, just a few texts and there are so many more. He was introduced in a rather extended and flowery way, but he came on and in his great, booming voice said, "I'm not Dr.Oswald Hoffman, the great preacher of the Lutheran Hour. WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. Now, in one verse he introduces to us the cure for these divisions (Verse17): For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom [literally, "wisdom of words"], lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. The followers of Jesus may have believed in Jesus words only, and did not believe that the writings of Peter, Paul, and the other apostles were really Scripture. For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. I agree with P. Longs last statement in that things have not improved much since the first century. These preachers draw in masses of people every week who are eager to hear them speak. They read only his books or listen only to his tapes. It wipes out all the petty distinctions that men make among themselves. The ground, of course, is the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. What Was Dividing the Corinthian Church He's a great preacher, a warm, capable, eloquent man, who can make the Old Testament come alive!". Now, we all have our favorite preacher, and up to a point that is not wrong. Divisions There was nothing wrong with them, they were very helpful, but it was not very long before they became status symbols, and they were used to put down, not always intentionally, those who did not have them. Christians are all disciples, or better, stewards and servants of the mysteries of God (1 Cor 4:1). They failed to take seriously the power of evil; their behavior caused divisions in the church and led to a lack of concern for other members. Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? Conclusion. If I was not raised in a Christian home, I think that I would have the same concerns. He recognizes that we share a common life if we have come to Christ; we are brothers and sisters because we have his life in us. (1Corinthians 1:12 RSV), Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. And if you were really on the inside circle, your ladder was drawn by none other than Dawson Trotman himself! Phil Long is correct, we have not improved much since the first century. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). In 1 Corinthians, Paul consciously avoids disciple-teacher language. They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful I thank God that only a few of you can say that about me." As bad as it is, it makes sense for the people of Pauls day to be concerned with whatever home church has the best orator, and then argue for them to other potential followers. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. We came to life in Christ by Paul, and Paul is the one we're going to listen to above all others." He is the ground, always, of unity. Having listened to Pauls words and the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ, how important is unity to each of us today? In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? (Phil Long). 4-The churchs failure to discipline. In verse 17, Paul says that his calling of God was to preach the Gospel, and the focus of the Gospel is the cross of Christ. Chapter Summary Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. It was considered honorable for you to stand up for yourself in this way. WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. Now to this, there should be a division that exists considering that there are some denominations that do teach correct biblical doctrine, while other churches deviate from correct biblical doctrine in order to teach their own false doctrines. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. All are mere teachers; there is only one Lord. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls.

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