Unity in God's Church

1 Corinthians 1:10-17

1 Corinthians 1:10–17 (ESV)

10 I appeal to you, brothers, 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.

11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.

12 What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”

13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,

15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name.

16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.)

17 For 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.

Prayer

Introduction

There are many things that the church has divided over throughout the centuries.

Some claim that the church was united in voice until 1517 when Martin Luther (1483–1546), a German monk and university professor, posted his ninety-five theses on the door of the castle church in Wittenberg.

I would argue that if you look at the history of the Christian church there were many things that divided God’s people long before that.

After all, most of the ecumenical church counsels in the first few centuries were called specifically to discuss and reject heresies that stood to destroy the power of the Gospel Message.

For instance, one of the earliest heresies was Docetism, which taught that Jesus did not really have a true human body but rather he had a phantom one, almost like a holograph.

Then there was the Arian Heresy which denied the divinity of Christ.

These were all eventually squashed by the followers of orthodox theology who time and time again have turned to the pages of Scripture to point out the error in these forms of thinking.

Since the Reformation, the church has divided time and time again.

It is now said that there are as many as 30,000 Protestant denominations.

Heck, now even “Nondenominational” churches have split along certain belief systems.

But there is a theme in all of these splits—that theme is that when these denominational splits occur, they are along the lines of beliefs that relate back directly to the pages of Scripture.

Some churches believe in the infant baptism instead of believer’s baptism.

Others split due to issues regarding the role of women in leadership roles in the church.

Even some of the great Protestant reformers disagreed on such basic Biblical teachings like whether Holy Communion was symbolic or actually the true body and blood of Jesus Christ.

And while I understand that there were definitely personality conflicts involved in some of these splits, in at least the vast majority of these cases there is one major theme that unites them—the split came due to disputes about interpretation and understanding of the Scriptures!

But I look around Whitmire, and I see twenty some odd churches in a town of around 1000 people and I wonder how many of these churches split over issues of Biblical doctrine and interpretation versus how many split due to pride and ego and personality conflicts.

After all, we sit in a church today that belongs to the Southern Baptist Church while just one mile down the road there is another SBC church, and I dare to venture a guess that less than 10% of the people in the pews here today even know why we are two different congregations instead of one.

With that being said, let’s turn to the pages of Scripture to see what Paul had to say about disunity in the church.

I. WE MUST RECOGNIZE THE FUNDAMENTAL EQUALITY OF ALL BELIEVERS.

As we read passages of the epistles, we often chop up the letters to understand a point.

And there is nothing wrong with that as long as we keep in mind the context of the passage we are studying.

But we do need to keep in mind that these letters from Paul were written in totality.

What do you mean by that?

Glad y’all asked. Cause that’s a great question.

You see, we never read just part of a letter that someone writes us.

Instead we read it in it’s totality because we understand that the one who penned the letter intended for it’s entire meaning to come across to us in a stream of thought, not in chopped up bits.

So let’s look at what Paul went on to say in the 12th chapter of this ver same letter.

1 Corinthians 12:3–31 ESV

3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

What Paul is saying here is that every single member of the Body of Christ is equally important.

As a physician, I know that all body parts play an integral role in the health of the person.

If the inner ear doesn’t work properly, one is dizzy and cannot walk a straight line!

If the eyes are damaged, one cannot see and the world becomes a black void making life so much more difficult.

But equally important is even the most mundane and seemingly useless of all body part is the appendix. See, though we don’t really know why God made that seemingly useless body part, let it go bad, and you will be laid up in a hospital bed undergoing surgery!!

You see what the Apostle Paul is saying here is that as members of the Body of Christ, we are all EQUALLY IMPORTANT!!

While one has the gift of preaching, another has the gift of service.

While one has the gift of singing, the other has the gift of teaching.

While one has the gift of evangelizing, another has the gift of prayer.

BUT THEY ARE ALL EQUALLY IMPORTANT!!

II. WE MUST HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFORE GOD AND OUR FELLOW BELIEVERS.

Look at what Paul goes on to tell the Corinthian church just a few verses later:

1 Corinthians 3:1–3 ESV

1 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?

Time and time and time again, we are called as believers to humble ourselves, die to our flesh, take up our cross and follow CHRIST and not our earthly desires!!!!

1 Peter 5:6 ESV

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

James 4:10 ESV

10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Luke 9:23 ESV

23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

After all Jesus emptied Himself of his heavenly glory, humbly took on the form of human flesh, and died smitten, stricken by God, hanging on a tree.

The Bible says

1 Peter 2:24 ESV

24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

Romans 14:8 ESV

8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.

No matter what, no matter how much we think we are right, no matter how passionately we feel about one thing or another, we are to DIE TO OUR OWN FLESH, HUMBLE OURSELVES, TAKE UP OUR CROSS, AND FOLLOW CHRIST AND HIS WAYS OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP!!!

THERE IS NO OTHER WAY!!!!!

III. WE MUST CENTER OUR MESSAGE, OUR THOUGHTS, AND OUR PREACHING ON THE CROSS.

Look at how Paul starts off this portion of Scripture.

He appeals in the name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that the church not be divided.

Paul knew that division would wreck the church.

And look at what they were dividing over—who baptised them.

Doesn’t the Bible say, in Ephesians 4:4-5

Ephesians 4:4–5 ESV

4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

Yet here is a church that the greatest evangelist of all time, The Apostle Paul personally started and spent a year and a half ministering to, and even it is dividing over simple things.

Look at what Paul immediately goes on to say

1 Corinthians 1:22–2:2 ESV

22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

It is the CROSS that unites us!

It is the atoning sacrifice of Christ that makes us one Body!

Paul says later in this same letter to the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 15:1–22 ESV

1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. 12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

And that brings me to my last point, and I promise you I’ll be done

IV. WE MUST WALK IN LOVE!

As I stated earlier, the letters of Paul were meant to be read in their totality.

So I close by reading to you the 13th chapter of this letter of Paul. Keep in mind this portion of the letter comes immediately after Paul just got done emphasizing how the Church is OnE body with many parts.

1 Corinthians 13:1–13 ESV

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

This love that Paul talks about is AGAPE love.

This love is a self-sacrificial love

This love is a humble love.

This love is a love that casts off the flesh and takes up one’s own cross for the sake of others.

This love is a love that put unity of the church above personal squabbles, and ego, and hurt feelings.

This love is the love of Christ, whom we are called to follow above all, at all times, in all circumstances.

Closing Prayer and Alter Call