what caused divisions in the corinthian church what caused divisions in the corinthian church

This is really what is behind his disclaimer on baptism in 1 Cor 1:14-16. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. This introduces one of the greatest passages in the Bible, setting forth the difference between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God. Paul knew this and said in 1 Corinthians 2:1-2, When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed the testimony about God. "I appeal to you," he says, "by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." What is a clique? Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). Other divisions were to follow. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). 4-The churchs failure to discipline. The Gentiles coming into this new Church do not seem to be able to see the differences between it and a Greco-Roman philosopher gathering disciples and educating them in a particular philosophy. Now, we all have our favorite preacher, and up to a point that is not wrong. Unity in the church is something that requires cooperation with each other and with the Spirit of God. So rather that detailing their accomplishments as orators, Paul describes their functions (Paul planted, Apollos watered, etc.) Now, Paul says this is all basically, fundamentally wrong. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. On Friday of this week we will gather again to consider the cross of Christ. The Corinthian Church. There was nothing wrong with Paul baptizing people, but Paul didnt want people to boast about the fact that he baptized them. That is the mind Paul is talking about. Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. So Paul is insisting that the Corinthians, and all believers, have doctrinal unity that is clearly based on Gods Word. Like the world, Christians are too concerned with being right and having our way. Paul did not want to present the Gospel as an orator, competing for students as they did. If we are, all our differences and difficulties would soon come to an end. 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. The Navigators in those days did a great work in the Navy throughout the whole of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and hundreds of young men were led to Christ through their efforts during the war years. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. 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! We are all equally undeserving of salvation and a relationship with Jesus Christ. 3- The presence of an immoral member. Acts 18:24 says that Apollos was an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man. 4-The churchs failure to discipline. Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). WebThe Christians at Corinth were dividing the church by pledging their loyalties to different celebrities. Paul condemns their behavior in verse 13 by saying, Has Christ been divided? In other words, have different amounts of Christ been given to different people? There are three different causes of divisions in churches that Paul mentions in I Corinthians. This word was normally used to refer to a tear in a garment. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. 12What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow 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. They were burdened about them, and they went to the right person with them. 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. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. Like the orators wanted more money from the fees they charged, many pastors just want more people to look better and have a bigger budget. For a local church to be spiritually healthy and effective, and for there to be harmony in the local church, there must be doctrinal unity. This Bible was pushed by the Navigators, and everybody had to have one. 2 Corinthians Church has become about the pastor and not about his message. WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. I do not think things have improved much since the first century. Why are these thing SO important? 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. (Even non-denominationals do this, just without claiming a denominational title). Now, church unity is a very important matter, and, because of its significance, Paul puts it first in the list of problems he has to deal with here at Corinth. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. This issue was so important that Paul devotes the first four chapters of I Corinthians to divisions in the church. Let it do its great work of cutting down and eliminating from our lives those things over which we take pride and which separate us from others; these distinctions that make us dislike our brother or sister, and turn our backs on them. I agree with Greg, I see a lot of times where Pastors begin to care more about the number of the congregation rather on the connectedness of it. 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). (1Corinthians 1:17 RSV). These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. Perhaps, in their individual efforts, they had missed some spots; so the suggestion was made, Lets all join hands and go through the long grass again. Finally, the child was found, but it was too late. A number of churches in this postmodern era have begun to resemble the Corinthian church in alarming ways. The third thing that every Navigator had was a little black notebook covered in rough-grained leather. I remember a few years ago being at a family congress in St. Louis, Missouri, when one of the evening speakers was Dr.Oswald Hoffman, the very capable and powerful preacher on the Lutheran Hour radio program. Lovelessness among Christians is not a light thing.. Remember, a believer who is at war with his brother or sister in Christ cannot be at peace with our heavenly Father. The human condition is, unfortunately, one of comparison that seeks to place oneself or their beliefs over another. A young pastor who was facing that problem in his church called me this week from another state. Polhill says, every Corinthian had their own favorite preacher (237). Now, here the apostle makes very clear that the tendency among groupies is to distort the meaning of symbols. There are several things that split the church today. Every piece of that jigsaw puzzle is different, isnt it? The same viewpoints are still dividing people. 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. (1 Corinthians 1:12 RSV) Now, there was the trouble at Corinth. WebAccording to Paul, the communitys problems were the consequence of the Corinthians mistaken belief that they had already been exalted. The members started to develop division following different leaders. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. WebWhat were the causes of division in the Corinthian Church? I have had to do some degree of battle with this myself. Paul then goes on to give us three very carefully stated clues in Verse13 as to what is wrong with this kind of thing. We go back to the Lord alone. Yet, in reality as long as correct biblical doctrine is being taught no pastor should be viewed in comparison to one another. For instance, in the Greco-Roman culture the practice of teacher-disciple relationships was often common and so many Christian converts in Corinth would associate themselves with a particular teacher and be under their discipleship. If Paul could see the divisions between the various denominations of today, what would he say? The individual leaders should only point them to Christ. Her gown is ripped and covered with mud! It wipes out all the petty distinctions that men make among themselves. God only sees one fold, (John 10) and there is only one faith, one Lord, one baptism etc. These are not the only causes of divisions in churches today. One day in Africa, a small boy was lost. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. It took four viewpoints to report his earthly life and ministry accurately enough to us. Some followed Apollos whom they honored above Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4; Acts 18:24 to 19:1). 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. 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. 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. Here are our first clues as to what is wrong with this kind of cliquishness in a church. Paul gives the church a stern warning about their actions and the proper way to participate. Conclusion. This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. Christ did not send me to take scalps or to cut notches on my gun handle as to how many converts I've won." It is possible that these divisions represent competing house churches, some founded by Paul, some by Apollos. A gasp bursts from the guests! The groom and his attendants are in their places. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. Christ belongs fully to every believer in His spiritual body, the Church. I have to admit though that sometimes I think about numbers and recognition and want that. Webdivided. It is sad to see that our world appears just as divided today as it did back in the first century. Its all about who looks the best, how much money is made, and how big our churches are. One of the celebrities was Paul himself some believers at Corinth actually claimed to be his followers. WebThe members of the Corinthian church we disunited because they were pledging their allegiance to human leaders rather than God. And he speaks in the name of or by the authority of, our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. This division in the church was over their own selfish ambitions evidenced in what they wanted. Public arguments were commonplace in the Greco-Roman world at the time that Paul was writing to the Corinthian church. In her book, The Key to a Loving Heart, Karen Mains includes a parable about the church entitled The Brawling Bride. Their conflicts undoubtedly had its theological and philosophical dimensions, but it was social as well, human and petty, high on pride and low on love (Polhill 233). And more than that, we have a responsibility to obey him, to follow his Lordship. God is not confused, and He does not contradict Himself. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else). Alexandria was a center for learning and philosophy. The other reason is the division among churches of the same denomination. After all, he was one of the first apostles that Jesus himself called." 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." They will not all be the same flavor; they will not all have the same characteristics. Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? They embraced the values of their Roman society, which divided over ethnicity (e.g., Jews vs. Gentiles) and social rank (wise vs. foolish, powerful Others bragged that they were followers of Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12). In fact, there are still many divisions that exist today in modern churches. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. Apollos was an intellectual. 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. And just as the Corinthian church was not above the petty rivalries of its time, neither is the modern church above becoming involved in such shouting matches. In verse 11, Paul gives the reason for his appeal for unity in the church at Corinth. The Lords Supper was affected by the divisions between rich and poor and an overall general misunderstanding. Now, almost every group does this. We must allow him the privilege of doing that. 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. The elders should make their decisions with the same mind and the same judgment. The words made complete mean to be perfectly joined together, like a jigsaw puzzle. 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. We had some great meetings and great times together. I hang on every word you say. They were also not afraid to be mentioned in Pauls letter to the church. Dio Chrysostom complained that Corinth was filled with wretched sophists, many of whom were debating one another with shouting and abuse near the temple to Poseidon. He addresses them as brethren. It is possible, though, that the divisions among We have Jesus only groups even today. 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." One eye is purple and swollen! But it is the exclusiveness that Paul is concerned about here -- people who do not even want to come to a service if someone other than their favorite is preaching. "One is your master; all of you are brothers," (Matthew 23:8 KJV). (Philippians 2:6-8 RSV). When the lifeless body of the little one was carried back to the anxious mother, she cried aloud, Oh why didnt you join hands before?. I appreciate the perspective given by the author and agree 100% that the body of Christ is divided. Some of them were saying, "Well, Paul baptized me." Thanks for the thoughtful comment Austin. In Jesus' name, Amen. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. Phil Long is correct, we have not improved much since the first century. Whatever you say, I believe." Help us to judge these in the light of the cross, and, by its light, to walk before thee. Instead of tearing themselves apart, he urges them to be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. They take an innocent teaching medium, in this case baptism, and make it into an identification badge. 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. Yes, we have the core beliefs that most Christians will agree upon, but the rest is still very confusing to non-believers. Now these things were good. He described the activities of the disciples of the Sophists the professional orators who were able to command large audiences, high fees for educating youth, and often a great deal of power within the city. We came to life in Christ by Paul, and Paul is the one we're going to listen to above all others." Webdivided. They are his family in Christ. Help me walk from day to day, with its shadows o'er me. And some of them are really gross. So he says, "I didn't baptize many of you. But first, it is very clear that he is deeply troubled by this. In the year 1 054 the Church was divided into two parts: 1) The Greek Eastern Church 2) The Roman Western Church. The organ begins the bridal march, and everyone stands. But that is a very dangerous attitude, and yet we tend to think of people as being the channel by which deliverance can come to our heart. 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. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. Their relationship to Christ was the unifying factor of the church. 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. This is what Paul does here. 7-False zeal for spiritual gifts. (I suppose that if Dio were commenting on the modern world, he would describe the wretched bloggers shouting abuse at the temple of WordPress!). Peter was an uneducated, common man and may have appealed to that group of people in Corinth. These kinds of things happen when there are divisions in a church. (I have been trying for a long time to get my wife to accept that!) 6-Members defiling the Lords Supper. These were not schisms yet; they had not split off into other congregations, but there were four cliques, or factions within the congregation. Now, he is not saying that it is wrong to baptize; he himself did it, and acknowledges that he did. In verses 10-12, Paul begins by giving an appeal for unity. Gods people who are moving in revival (like we have been to experiencing right here in Brisbane these last few months) have no qualms about getting together to see the nation of Australia come to Christ. As we read through First Corinthians, I think we will see how very much like modern day churches this ancient church of Corinth was. Even as Christians, there seems to be the desire of wanting to uphold one pastor over another by comparison and ultimately glorifying certain pastors. Sermon 5: Who is the Most Important? It is possible, though, that the divisions among They were boasting over who had baptized them. A. Try it some time. Galatians: Freedom through Gods Grace (Wipf & Stock, 2019). Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. A. Some considering Paul their authority, other Apollos, others Peter, and still others accepted only Jesus as their authority. Some Corinthian Christians were dividing over church teachers. It was expected. Some people will pick other matters of doctrine to affirm. It is well known that division in the church of Corinth was over leadership. Bruises show on her arm! (1Corinthians 1:13b-16 RSV). 1-False prophets (2 Corinthians 11:13). There are many other things that do cause serious problems stemming from the outside world. That, of course, is as it should be. Paul is putting his finger right on the problem when he asks, "Was Paul crucified for you?" This is the result of a religious snobbery associated by cliques that produced pride and conflict. That was a mark of status with them. In what ways have we failed to de-paganize? These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. I would like to close this service by reading what one man wrote about the cross: It is well that we should think sometimes of the Upper Room and the Last Supper, and of his soul, "exceeding sorrowful unto death"; of Gethsemane and the deep shadow of the olive trees; his loneliness, prayers, and disappointment with his disciples; his bloody sweat; the traitor's kiss; the binding, the blow in the face, the spitting, the buffeting, the mocking, the scourging, the crown of thorns, the smiting; the sorrowful way and the burdensome cross; the exhaustion and collapse; the stripping, the impaling, and the jeers of his foes, and the flight of his friends; the hours on the cross; the darkness, his being forsaken of God; his thirst, and the end. I will jump on the bandwagon here and say that division is definitely an issue today. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. He had received a report from the household of Cloe that there were quarrels among the members of the Corinthian church. These are two common causes of church divisions in the West. 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. This Western Church soon became known as the Roman Catholic Church. It is possible, though, that the divisions among Was Paul crucified for you? The Protestant Reformation had its beginnings in 1517 (see Chapter 1 0). That is what Paul speaks about. I still have at home the Scofield Reference Bible with the index ladder drawn by him. He was a rhetorician who was especially capable in the allegorical style of teaching of the Old Testament. What is a clique? It is popularized in the movie Mean Girls. It seems so bland compared to all the other choices out there when really it presents and encourages people to live out a very different and exciting life in the opposite direction of the world. Her nose is bloody! WebThe Corinthians were basically making a mockery of Communion. Offshoots had disturbed the church. 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. He gathers disciples and establishes a church, a meeting place for educating his disciples. 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. When daylight again appeared, they looked for him with renewed energy but still without success. Sometimes a church leader can have so much clout that he begins to have cult status. 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.