what caused divisions in the corinthian church

Some say, "I am of Gothard," and others say, "No, I am of Bright." Let's get back to the beginnings. 10I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. Subject to permissions policy, all rights reserved. DIVISIONS IN THE CHURCH I Corinthians 1 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. in the Corinthian Church Austin Hellier Brisbane Queensland Australia. They would have the Scofield Reference Bible and a notebook under one arm, and you knew that if you examined their Bibles you would find the ladder index on the pages. Unless its mended, the tear gets bigger and bigger, doesnt it? Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. 1 Corinthians 1-4 Division in the Church, division in the church of Corinth was over leadership, 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 Lawsuits Among Brothers, Corinthiaka in New Testament Blogs | Corinthian Matters, The Book of Enoch for Beginners: A Guide to Expand Your Understanding of the Biblical World. 2 Corinthians This doesnt mean that they have to agree on the minutest points in areas where there is no clear teaching in Scripture. WebWhat were the causes of division in the Corinthian Church? Thats not the way a jigsaw puzzle was meant to be put together. Many of the other problems were flowing out of this division within the congregation. Help me walk from day to day, with its shadows o'er me. 2- The Churchs division. 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. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). Unlike most of his other epistles, Paul plunges right into the heart of the practical problems that were affecting this church, and the first of these, the problem of divisions within the church, he begins to deal with in Chapter1, Verse10. What is a clique? Something shows up sooner or later as an identifying badge that marks them as "special," with special privilege and special status in that group. A. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. We do not know who the people were who belonged to the house of Cloe, but we must commend them for their courage and devotion. At that time it was under the leadership of its founder, Dawson Trotman, and it was my privilege and delight to be a close friend of his, to have spent a good deal of time with him and to come under the influence of his teaching and his methods. What Was Dividing the Corinthian Church The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. Orators have to be so careful not to let teaching become a pride thing rather than a gift they share to better the other. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. I told them that I do not foresee and end to these divisions anytime soon (sadly). 2- The Churchs division. As a young Christian in my early twenties during World WarII, I was stationed in Hawaii, and I became acquainted with the work of the Navigators. Others were saying, "Well, Apollos himself baptized me." They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful We came to life in Christ by Paul, and Paul is the one we're going to listen to above all others." Paul goes right on, in Verse12, to describe the forms that these divisions were taking in the church of Corinth: What I mean is that each one of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas" [another name for Peter], or "I belong to Christ." A second issue that seems to keep the church divided (the whole church and individual churches) is the little things such as the structure of the service, the type of music played for worship, whether a pastor should always wear a tie, and what color should be used in the bathroom. The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. In comparison to modern churches, its easy to say that there are hardly any divisions among Christians and differing churchesbut could these divisions still exist today? 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. How many of you have ever put together a jigsaw puzzle? Now, we are similar to the ancient world in that some people do see their pastors/teachers as a source of pride. In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. Instead of tearing themselves apart, he urges them to be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. They forget, of course, that the church never belongs to anybody but the Lord. Maybe if they are getting rid of core doctrine it is a justifiable anger but I can definitely see how the church is very much the same as 2000 years ago. The first and perhaps biggest is denominations. WebPaul goes right on, in Verse 12, to describe the forms that these divisions were taking in the church of Corinth: What I mean is that each one of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas" [another name for Peter], or "I belong to Christ." 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. Religious snobs want to be a part of a small group who Offshoots had disturbed the church. So he says, "I didn't baptize many of you. I told them that it is a concern of mine as well. If I was not raised in a Christian home, I think that I would have the same concerns. It wasnt even about secondary doctrine (the second coming, the nature of baptism). After all, he was one of the first apostles that Jesus himself called." Webdivided. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. He finds that there is a great deal of parallels between the disciple-teacher relationship in the culture of Corinth and the problem of divisions in the church over the authority of teachers. Splits and Quarrels in the Church It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. Bruises show on her arm! It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. They were drawing themselves up and saying, "Well, you may be of Paul or of Peter or of Apollos, but we are of Christ! The basic meaning is to put back together and make one again something that was broken or separated. Have you ever tried to put a jigsaw puzzle together with the pieces turned upside down so that they are all blank? Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. We all know what a clique is. Try it some time. Corinthians Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? 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. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. The members started to develop division following different leaders. (1Corinthians 1:17 RSV). Because I am a little defensive it seems like they are almost my enemy. 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. Even though the churches within a certain denomination agree to the same biblical teachings, some churches within those denominations may begin to disagree with the biblical teachings and break away from the denomination to become affiliated with another denomination that aligns with their beliefs. Having listened to Pauls words and the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ, how important is unity to each of us today? In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). His Word does not disagree with itself. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. He was a rhetorician who was especially capable in the allegorical style of teaching of the Old Testament. Luke says in Acts 4:12, And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men, by which we must be saved. The ground is level at the cross. In my experience though, I find that it is carnal and unspiritual leaders that put up walls and fences between members of the body. Although the modern church has improved in many ways compared to the ancient churches, there is still the issue of division that exists among differing churches as was in the ancient churches. It is a serious threat to the life of a church to find people choosing favorite preachers, to the degree, at least, that they do not want to listen to anyone else. Divisions never really ended with Pauls letters; they just appear to have evolved into having more sophisticated names. For example, in the first section from 1:10 to 4:21, it's errors regarding division. It seems unbelievable at first to think that this kind of division exists within the modern church, but more often than not it is actually one of the most common reasons for division. 4-The churchs failure to discipline. They were burdened about them, and they went to the right person with them. Now, you do not have to be very old to recognize that that is still a problem in the church. Near the cross, O Lamb of God, bring its scenes before me. It is those who have a financial interest in their own wellbeing, that divide the sheep up into different folds. That is the problem, and it is still going on today. He's a great preacher, a warm, capable, eloquent man, who can make the Old Testament come alive!". That does not mean that everybody has to think alike. Behind Divisions 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. Since I was working at that time in the ship's service department in Pearl Harbor, we ordered great quantities of these Bibles. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). When you divide up among men you lose something, that is what he is saying. 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? The first noticeable division would be among differing denominations. In desperation, they returned and held a meeting. The first thing Paul says is that it tends to chop up Christ and parcel him out as though his person and his work came in various packages, thus you lose perspective of the whole of Christian theology. We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. That is always the unifying factor in a church, and that is the mind that is to be among us, the mind that does not consider itself the most important thing. I've not forgotten that incident because it seems to me to capture the very attitude Paul is describing here. We tend to deify men, and people look at them as if they can do no wrong, can made no errors, that they know everything and can settle all questions. Now, he is not saying that it is wrong to baptize; he himself did it, and acknowledges that he did. It would be great if all of you would think like me, but unfortunately there are stubborn ones among you, there are depraved ones among you, there are those who have different backgrounds than I have, and some of you just do not think like I do! Then youre a Christian right? Even though our conversation could only continue for about 10 more minutes, this issue of divisions within the church arose. I lead a small group so I sometimes have to sit in meetings where the pastor shares things about the vision of our church. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). 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. God, therefore, has designed that there be many teachers, many preachers, many viewpoints, in a church. Peter was an uneducated, common man and may have appealed to that group of people in Corinth. WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. Aside from this acceptable division within the modern church, there are also two other reasons for division which should not exist. How important was unity to our Lord Jesus Christ? Conclusion. Corinthians These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. They take an innocent teaching medium, in this case baptism, and make it into an identification badge. This Bible was pushed by the Navigators, and everybody had to have one. 11My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. I dont remember Paul seeing any thing like these issues as other than trivial. This is a very propitious time for us to consider the cross for this is Palm Sunday, commemorating the day when our Lord entered Jerusalem for his last week. 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. I understand the fact that people have different beliefs and would like to stick to those (it is good to sick to what you believe) but when you get so segregated that you cannot work together anymore, it becomes a serious problem. Teaching to be effective first needs to effect/transform the life of the teacher and then connect with those who hear. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. Corinthians Other divisions were to follow. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. We tend to fall out along doctrinal lines or because we are drawn to one charismatic pastor over another. Was Paul crucified for you? is the history and significance of the church Conclusion. 13Is Christ divided? 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. Splits and Quarrels in the Church In my church it seems like they are all about numbers. Now, Paul says this is all basically, fundamentally wrong. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? I have had people say to me, "Oh, Mr. Stedman, when you speak I see so clearly! 2 Corinthians This applies also to the leadership in the church. This is really what is behind his disclaimer on baptism in 1 Cor 1:14-16. He appeals to them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then there were the traditionalists (there always are), those that say, "Well, I don't know about Paul or Apollos. 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). Here are our first clues as to what is wrong with this kind of cliquishness in a church. RayStedman.org/permissions. There is no other name big enough, great enough, glorious enough, and powerful enough to gather everybody together, despite the diversity of viewpoint and the differences of background or status in life, than the name of Jesus. We have our theological view points, and even our philosophical ones (even though we could have less of that in our churches today in my opinion) but we also have our social dimensions as well. Divisions There are those who are emotionally attached to some great Christian leader who has helped them, and they will only listen to him. Paul does not want to be considered a philosopher who is gathering disciples, nor does he want that for Apollos or Peter or any man. Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. What Was Dividing the Corinthian Church They are springing up all over the place, including Downunder (Australia) where I live here in Brisbane. They did not try to hide the problems. The human condition is, unfortunately, one of comparison that seeks to place oneself or their beliefs over another. Causes (1Corinthians 1:10 RSV). To resolve this issue, he encourages communal love. It is the popular thing today to cry, "Back to the Reformation!" is the history and significance of the church In verses 14 to 16, Paul uses himself as an example. How can the presence of divisions be described as worldly?, Bruce Winter details the Greco-Roman practice of discipleship in the second chapter of After Paul Left Corinth. The bridesmaids have come down the aisle. There were, first of all, the loyalists who said, "We are of Paul. The most well known one is having worship on Sundays instead of the Sabbath. WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. If it had been left up to us to plan the program by which God would change the world we would never have included a cross. Her nose is bloody! The organ begins the bridal march, and everyone stands. This unintentional mindset causes people to treat the Bible and its words like it is a product that can wear out, and ignored like an infomercial. Unity in the church is something that requires cooperation with each other and with the Spirit of God. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. 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. Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. They will not all be the same flavor; they will not all have the same characteristics. There was still a fourth group, and in some ways I think they were probably the worst. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). Paul, however, was a good leader. In 2019 he published a commentary. 5-Members going to pagan courts to settle disputes. Christ belongs fully to every believer in His spiritual body, the Church. 16(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) Other divisions were to follow. WebPaul rebukes the Corinthians because there are divisions and quarrels in the church. Dio Chrysostom visited Corinth about A.D. 89-96. Furthermore, would the apostle not also be concerned with other divisions within the individual church body? Chapter Summary Whenever this attitude of gathering around a man is allowed to perpetuate itself, it is the source of much trouble and difficulty. If you limit yourself to one speaker or one teacher and feed only on him, you are getting a distorted view of Jesus Christ; you are chopping Christ up, dividing him and taking one little portion as one man reports it and ignoring the rest, thus your view of Christ is deficient and unable to satisfy you as it was intended to do. It wipes out all the petty distinctions that men make among themselves. God wants the local church congregation and the local community to see the beauty of a church that is unified and fitted together in love. The bibles need to match the pews which need to match the carpet which need to match the wall color. They are his family in Christ. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them; that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. (NKJV). And some of them are really gross. It was expected. WebAnd you know, that gives me some idea of how important this is to God, because from 1:10 to the ninth verse of the sixteenth Chapter, he just talks about the errors in the church. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. the background of the Corinthian Church WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. There is not a single Christian teacher who ever lived who can help us be forgiven one single sin, not one. Their divisions, lack of church discipline, lawsuits, abuse of Christian liberty and over-emphasis of the gift of tongues, all illustrate this root problem. The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. So rather that detailing their accomplishments as orators, Paul describes their functions (Paul planted, Apollos watered, etc.) I would like to approach it from an evangelistic standpoint. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. We pray that it may be rich and real in our hearts as we live this week together. Phil Long is correct, we have not improved much since the first century. "I appeal to you," he says, "by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Within our churches, and even in our own denominations (sophisticated name for divisions), we argue about church funds, whos on the worship team, and whether the youth should have long hair. Doesnt He deserve better than this? the author asks. 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. 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. Paul is putting his finger right on the problem when he asks, "Was Paul crucified for you?" In these cases, there should be freedom to agree to disagree. There are still others today who follow after some school of thought. The church was divided into factions, and one group was urging him to take half the congregation and go to another part of the city and start a new church. There should be unanimous agreement. The countless denominations and different beliefs of Christianity are often not appealing to non-believers. Then not only did they have the Bible, but every Navigator who was anybody at all had to have an index drawn in on the pages of the Bible, a kind of a ladder that gave you a clue to where the books were so that with your thumb you could turn up any book in the Bible almost instantly. Causes In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. Thanks for the thoughtful comment Austin. This is a radical principle that we need to understand, because, when you understand the cross, there will be no room left for the divisions of men. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. 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. Take the various mega-churches for example, whose charismatic pastors live in mansions. In Jesus' name, Amen. Long has taught full time at Grace Christian University since 1998, specializing in Bible and Biblical languages. Was Paul crucified for you? the Problems in the Corinthian Church If it is to expand the congregation and further the work of the Lord in that area, and he had the whole agreement of the leadership of the church behind him, then it is fine to take part of the congregation and go away and begin another work. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. A gasp bursts from the guests! It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. 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. So we have the possibility for this very thing right here. So they said, "When Peter came, we really felt that we were on solid ground. The Lord Jesus is praying to the Father, and this is part of His prayer for us: I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one; even as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that You sent Me. The church is never called to having everybody think exactly alike. How important is it that there be unity in the Church where you fellowship? These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. His most recent book is The Book of Enoch for Beginners: A Guide to Expand Your Understanding of the Biblical World (Rockridge, 2022). In verses 10-12, Paul begins by giving an appeal for unity. In Philippians 2:9 Paul said of Christ, Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name. No Christian, no Christian minister, is to put himself in Christs place, or allow himself to be put in Christs place, and take the authority and honor that is due to Christ alone. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4).

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