Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the
same thing, and that there be no divisions
among you; but that ye be perfectly joined
together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
For it hath been declared unto me of you,
my brethren, by them which are of the
house of Chloe, that there are contentions
among you. Now this I say, that every one
of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos;
and I of Cephas, and I of Christ.
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?
Or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
1Corinthians 1:10-13
Paul, and others, Clement of Rome had to deal with divisions in the Church. The Greek word is a word that we translate as Schisms, or divisions. This word is important because we see in the Christian Church today Schisms, divisions, mutually opposed parties. In the Church this schism or division is mostly over some doctrinal difference. Paul reminds us that we are to be "knit" together, that is to be of the same mind. It is this difference of mind and difference in judgment that causes much strife in the Church. That is, to you, and me, for there is so much preaching, violent at times preaching to prove that their doctrine is the only correct doctrine: it may be, but then, it may not be. Let me see.....Baptist (there are so many different types of Baptists), Presbyterian (there are so many different type of Presbyterians), Methodist, again so many types, Pentecostalism, (so many different types), and so many different doctrines that it is hard to know them all.
There are two things we must consider: 1. Matters of difference, and 2. Matters of indifference. How often do denominations make matters of indifference to be matters of difference. Matters of difference are such as the Trinity, the fact that only believers in Jesus Christ will receive salvation, or that we take communion as "often as we do." Baptism is a requirement for a believer to do as a sign of their repentance and acceptance. These are to be the characteristics that define Authentic Christianity, but here is the problem: these distinguishing elements of Authentic Christianity become matters of discord, and cause schisms. It is the lusts or desires, presuppositions as to theology that make the difference, that is the difference that Authentic Christianity has against the world that become so clouded that those who do not believe in Christianity mock Christianity over these schisms. I am a Calvinist, I believe in paedo-baptism, and sprinkling and see anyone that does not believe in this to be heretical, or that only wine must be used in communion, or that only unleavened bread is to be used, and if you use anything else, well, that is unscriptural (even though there are no Scriptures forbidding the use of other than wine or unleavened bread). I am a Methodist, and I believe in social issues (which are often places in higher priority over the Gospel). Or, I believe in speaking in some gibberish language, or believe in the gifts of healing, apostles in the modern times, and if you do not believe this, well.... this means you just may not be a Christian. On and on and on this goes, just like a merry-go-round. Clement of Rome had something to say about this:
"For
thus it is written: “And it came to pass after certain days, that
Cain brought of the fruits of the earth a sacrifice unto God; and Abel
also brought of the firstlings of his sheep, and of the fat thereof. And
God had respect to Abel and to his offerings, but Cain and his sacrifices
He did not regard. And Cain was deeply grieved, and his countenance fell.
And God said to Cain, Why art thou grieved, and why is thy countenance
fallen? If thou offerest rightly, but dost not divide rightly, hast thou
not sinned? Be at peace: thine offering returns to thyself, and thou
shalt again possess it. And Cain said to Abel his brother, Let us go into
the field. And it came to pass, while they were in the field, that Cain
rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.” (Gen. iv. 3–8.
The writer here, as always, follows the reading of the Septuagint, which
in this passage both alters and adds to the Hebrew text. We have given
the rendering approved by the best critics; but some prefer to translate,
as in our English version, “unto thee shall be his desire, and thou
shalt rule over him.” See, for an ancient explanation of the
passage, Irenæus, Adv. Hær., iv. 18, 3.) Ye see,
brethren, how envy and jealousy led to the murder of a brother. Through
envy, also, our father Jacob fled from the face of Esau his brother. (Gen. xxvii.
41,) etc. Envy made Joseph be persecuted unto
death, and to come into bondage. (Gen. xxxvii.) Envy compelled Moses to flee from the face of Pharaoh
king of Egypt, when he heard these words from his fellow-countryman,
“Who made thee a judge or a ruler over us? wilt thou kill me, as
thou didst kill the Egyptian yesterday?” (Ex. ii. 14.)
On account of envy, Aaron and Miriam had to make their abode
without the camp.
(Num. xii. 14, 15. [In our copies of the Septuagint
this is not affirmed of Aaron.]) Envy brought down Dathan and
Abiram alive to Hades, through the sedition which they excited against
God’s servant Moses. (Num. xvi. 33.) Through
envy, David underwent the hatred not only of foreigners, but was also
persecuted by Saul king of Israel.(1 Kings xviii. 8, etc.)
But
not to dwell upon ancient examples, let us come to the most recent
spiritual heroes. (Literally, “those who have been athletes.”) Let us
take the noble examples furnished in our own generation. Through envy and
jealousy, the greatest and most righteous pillars [of the Church] have
been persecuted and put to death. (Some fill up the lacuna here found in the ms. so as to read, “have
come to a grievous death.”) Let us set before our eyes
the illustrious (
Literally, “good.” [The martyrdom of St. Peter is all that is
thus connected with his arrival in Rome. His numerous labours were
restricted to the Circumcision.]) apostles. Peter, through
unrighteous envy, endured not one or two, but numerous labours and when
he had at length suffered martyrdom, departed to the place of glory due
to him. Owing to envy, Paul also obtained the reward of patient
endurance, after being seven times thrown into captivity, (Seven imprisonments of
St. Paul are not referred to in Scripture.) compelled (Archbishop Wake here reads
“scourged.”) We have followed the most recent critics in
filling up the numerous lacunæ in this chapter. to
flee, and stoned. After preaching both in the east and west, he gained
the illustrious reputation due to his faith, having taught righteousness
to the whole world, and come to the extreme limit of the west, (Some think Rome, others
Spain, and others even Britain, to be here referred to.
[See note at end.] and suffered martyrdom under the
prefects.) (That is, under
Tigellinus and Sabinus, in the last year of the Emperor Nero; but some
think Helius and Polycletus are referred to; and others, both here and in the
preceding sentence, regard the words as denoting simply the
witness borne by Peter and Paul to the truth of the gospel before
the rulers of the earth.Thus was he removed from the world,
and went into the holy place, having proved himself a striking example of
patience.)To these men who spent their
lives in the practice of holiness, there is to be added a great multitude
of the elect, who, having through envy endured many indignities and
tortures, furnished us with a most excellent example. Through envy, those women, the
Danaids (Some suppose
these to have been the names of two eminent female martyrs under Nero;
others regard the clause as an interpolation. [Many ingenious conjectures
might be cited; but see Jacobson’s valuable note, Patres
Apostol., vol. i. p. 30.]) and Dircæ, being persecuted,
after they had suffered terrible and unspeakable torments, finished the
course of their faith with stedfastness, (Literally, “have reached to the stedfast course of
faith.”) and though weak in body, received a noble
reward. Envy has alienated wives from their husbands, and changed that
saying of our father Adam, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh
of my flesh.” (Gen. ii. 23.) Envy and strife have
overthrown great cities and rooted up mighty nations."This was long from Clement of Rome: let me simplify this: LUST! THIS IS AN INTENSE DESIRE, UNCONTROLLED, AN ARDENT ENTHUSIASM. LUST IS THAT YOU WANT "NOW!" NOT LATER, NOW! WHAT IT IS THAT YOU WANT. LUST DOES NOT COUNT THE COST, IT JUST WANTS IT AND WANTS IT NOW! LUST CAUSES ENVY AND STRIFE AND AS CLEMENT OF ROME STATES: "ENVY AND STRIFE HAVE OVERTHROWN GREAT CITIES AND ROOTED MIGHTY NATIONS.
Was it not Jesus Christ who was crucified for us so that all who believe on Him, not on some man doctrine, or some matter of indifference being made to be a matter of difference, no, it is Jesus Christ and Him alone that is to be our desire. If we are to lust after anything let it be to lust for Jesus Christ. If we did this, if we really took a look at our doctrines and practices, and the priority we place on them we just might find that they are matters that make schisms. Let us return to the Bible without any other source for our beliefs, I just bet that those divisions would dissolve. Until then let each of us return to the plain and clear teaching of the Bible. Start with me!
Let us hear the conclusion of this whole matter:
Fear God, and keep His commandments:
for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecclesiastes 12:13
Return now to Scripture
Richard L. Crumb
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