For it has been
declared to me concerning you,
My brethren, by those
of Chloe’s household,
That there are
contentions among you.
Now I say this, that
each of you says,
“I am of Paul,” or “I
am of Apollos,”
or “I am of Cephas,”
or I am of Christ.”
Is Christ divided?
Was Paul crucified for you?
Or were you baptized
in the name of Paul?
I Corinthians 1:11–13
It is
important to remember that it is context, context, context, that is to
interpret Scripture. Many have taken these verses well out of context. The
word, “contentions,” is most important to understand for it is a struggling
together in opposition, a strife, or a conflict. It is more, for it also means
to be striving in rivalry, a competition, or a contest. This could also mean to
debate, have a dispute, or some controversy and all makes cause for arguments
and also for making cause to have litigations. These contentions were making
divisions among the Christians there in Corinth and Paul rightly addresses this
fact from the beginning of his letter. Paul states: “Now I plead with you,
brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same
thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly
joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment’ (!Corinthians 1:10).
Then Paul hints at some of those things that are making for divisions, and
that is there holding to one minister over another. This need to join with one
minister over another even exists in our churches today. A breaking of
congregations and a thinking that they have the truth and others are far less,
even possibly corrupted. Christ is not divided therefore; Christians should be
of one mind and heart. How often is it that ministers are put in the place of
Jesus Christ? What happens when this happens is that a person becomes a
disciple of a man, or men and even glory in their division or separation from
others who do not agree with them on certain points. Remember there are points
that are matters of indifference and they must never become as doctrinal as the
Gospel. Do you have wine served at communion? Good! Do you have grape juice
served at communion? Good! Do you serve the Lord’s Supper at every Sunday?
Good! Do you serve it once in a while? Good! Do only ministers who are ordained
be allowed to serve communion? Good! Or, can anyone who is a Christian serve
communion? If so: Good! Jesus did not give specific other than when you do
this, as often as you do this, do it in this manner. Follow that by all
churches and the division is removed. We may attend one church over another and
for reasons that only you have and as long as the church you attend is
preaching the Gospel, and God’s word without stories, or saying things that you
might as well get from Dr. Oz on T.V., then; Good! If the Gospel is not
preached: LEAVE! If all there are is some soft agape: LEAVE! Find a church
where the word of God is preached unashamedly. Is the life of a Christian the
life you desire to live? If so, then immediately arise and obey and by doing so
you will live on a higher plane of life. We place our trust in God absolutely
and not on things that men or a man may say is of God. If we have not inspected
what we expect, those things preached, then we are tacitly approving, at least
possibly, false teaching. Our ground and foundation for being a Christian is to
live and pray on the ground of His (Jesus Christ’s) redemption. Paul adds to
his addressing of those divisions in the Corinthian church: “I thank god
that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone should say
that I had baptized in my own name. Yes, I also baptized the household of
Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other” (1Corinthians
1:14–16). Paul, remembering that which he had done ensured those Corinthian
Christians to not put him in the place of such importance, as though he was a
celebrity, one to be followed because he had done baptizing. No, he makes sure
that we are to follow Jesus Christ and him alone who enriches His people and
has given faith to His people, a grace of redemption from sin, your sin, that
original sin that needed payment: Jesus paid that price for sin, your sin, and
mine, by His death and resurrection and ascension into heaven. Paul sets forth
what is the requirement for himself and for Christians: “For Christ did not
send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest
the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. For the message of the cross
is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is
the power of God” (1Corinthians 1:17–18). Those, in the present, then and
now, are foolish because they show their foolishness by entering into
contentions and divisions. Those foolish ones will not believe on the cross of
Jesus Christ. They will not and cannot believe but this is not so for
Christians who in the present, then and now are saved, being saved, not that
they can do anything to be saved, they are saved, you are saved. This is a
problem in the Corinthian Church that Paul is having to deal with and it is a
problem in many churches today. It is not wrong to hold in high esteem those
who are rightly dividing the word of truth. How do we know who they are? Study,
prayer, and understand that it is not signs or wonders, or smooth talking
minister’s, or those who find some “secret” as though God has secrets that only
a few can find. NO, God’s word is available to all, and we must not allow false
teaching enter into our congregations. We must take the initiative to study, to
examine, and to preach, teach, talk about, live by, the Gospel.
O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing
and give praise,
Even with my glory. Awake, lute
And harp! I
will awaken
At dawn. I will praise You, O LORD,
Among the
peoples, and I will
Sing praises to You among the nations.
Psalm 108: 1–3
May God be exalted in your life
