Church Unity and the Gospel

Introduction:

Recap why I felt led to study 1 Corinthians

Recap the Introduction/Thanksgiving. Paul established both his identity (apostleship) and theirs (those called, sanctified, and equipped in Christ and call upon His name.)

Introduce this passage as a transition to the main argument of the letter. 1:10-6:20: What he had heard by word of mouth. 7:1-16: What he had received from the Corinthian correspondance.

The Plea: Unity in Confession and Conviction

Paul begins his argument by “appealing” to them. The basic meaning of this word “appeal” is one’s coming alongside to help. Although Paul had the authority of an Apostle and could have commanded them to fix their issues, he reveals a desire to come alongside them in the correction of their problems. He addresses the Corinthians as his “brothers” and sisters and grounds his appeal in “the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” In this way, Paul begins his correction of the Corinthian church with the proper balance of familial charity and weight. He also calls on them to embody who they really are by appealing to them by the name of the one they were called into, sanctified in, and equipped by. The one they claim to call upon! In this way, Paul elicits their attention to his appeal.

Paul’s appeal consists of three statements: He writes, “I appeal to you”

“that all of you agree” Literally: “that all of you say the same thing” (KJV)

“and that there be no divisions among you” Lit: schisms, tears.

“but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgement.” The Greek word here translated “be united” is “used elsewhere to speak of mending things such as nets, bones, dislocated joints, broken utensils, and torn garments. The basic meaning is to put back together, to make one again something that was broken or separated. Christians are to be made complete both internally and externally. In our individual minds and among ourselves we are to be one in beliefs, standards, attitudes, and principles of spiritual living.” (McCarthur) We see that this is possible, by God’s grace. The Bible tells us that the earliest Church, as they devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers,“ “were together.” Acts 4:32

Acts 4:32 ESV

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.

The Problem: Division and Quarreling

Paul had been made aware of quarreling and division within the Corinthian Church by others. (v.11)

He reveals that these divisions surrounded certain individuals: Paul, Apollos, Peter, and even Christ. There seems to be little evidence that these were doctrinal divisions. Instead, it seems that these divisions were something akin to “cults of personality.” In effect, the Corinthian Christians were beginning to think about their Christian identity in light of the culture they lived in. (Party-minded and Patronage focused)

Paul’s responds to this “Party-mindedness” by reminding them that Christian unity is rooted in their Oneness in Christ. “Is Christ Divided? Was Was Paul Crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” These are all rhetorical questions that demand only one answer: No! Of course Christ is not divided. Thus, His visible body, His people the church ought not be divided either. Paul ultimately calls them to consider that they were giving men the loyalty that only Christ deserves. No one was crucified for them other than Christ, nor could they have been. They were not baptized into a personality cult in the name of some great leader. Instead, they were baptized in the name of the Triune God, in response to the gospel of Christ, to publicly identify themselves with His death, burial, and resurrection! That is why Paul spends the rest of this passage thanking God that he didn’t baptize a lot of people and saying “Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.” Paul calls the divided and quarreling Corinthians to consider once more how their identity in Christ supersedes everything else! It transcends every other party-minded identity they may be tempted to align themselves with; it transcends their politics, it transcends their grand visions for the world or the ideals they hold to and provides them with a new identity, a new mission, a new standard, and a new end! It is the Church’s shared identity in Christ that is the root of her unity.

The Practicalities: The Church’s Unity is to be Found in Truth, Preserves Diversity, and Fulfills Her Mission

Church Unity brings glory to God and power to the Church’s witness. (John 17: Jesus prays to the Father, “keep them in your name… that they may be one, even as we are one.” (11) “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (20-21) “that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may bcome perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” (23))

The Church’s Unity is found in Truth. “Sanctify them in Truth; your word is truth.” (17) “for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.” (19) “I appeal to you, bothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all say the same thing (agree)” (1:10) Confessional Documents are efforts at unity, not division. (The Creeds, Our Confession, Even our Covenant)The Church needs a renaissance of Creedal and Confessional faith.

Church Unity is not uniformity. The practice of theological triage helps us pursue unity and preserve diversity. (1 Corinthians 12)

Conclusion

Let us hear the words of the Apostle in his letter to the Ephesian Church, “I therefore urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call - one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Eph 4:1-5)

Let us, as a local manifestation of Christ’s body, strive toward unity in the Church! Let it start with us, here, move to our community, and, Lord willing, lead to revival in the Church throughout the world!