Breaking Down Barriers: The Call to Christian Unity
Notes
Transcript
Paul's exhortation to the Corinthians addresses the disruption and disunity caused by factionalism within the church. He emphasizes the need for a cohesive identity centered on Christ, urging them to abandon divisive loyalties to specific leaders, which undermines their collective witness as followers of Jesus.
Throughout the Scriptures, Christ is the unifying factor for all believers, breaking down racial, cultural, and social barriers, as seen in His ministry. His call for one body reflects the divine purpose of bringing everyone together under His lordship, illustrating that in Him, distinctions dissipate, and unity flourishes.
Therefore, the church must strive for unity in Christ, transcending personal divisions and focusing collectively on the mission of glorifying God and advancing His kingdom.
The church in Corinth was in deep trouble, as seen by Paul’s strong rebuke against divisions in worldly folly, which begins in verse 10 and continues through the end of Chapter 3.
1. Petition for Perfect Unity, v. 10
1. Petition for Perfect Unity, v. 10
1 Corinthians 1:10
Paul begins by taking aim at the divisions that had formed among the believers in Corinth.
“Exhort” is the translation of a Greek word which simply mean “to call to one’s side” for the purpose of counsel or encouragement. Paul’s words in this letter are motivated by his genuine love and concern for the readers, not by anger and frustration. He is calling them aside to speak wise words of counsel and to encourage them toward the right path before it is too late.
Paul reminds them of his love by calling them, “brethren”. Yet his words also carry authority, like those of an older brother charged with the duty of being the head of the household. His exhortation as an apostle is not based on his authority, but on the Lord’s authority and power. Paul, speaking in Christ’s name, urgently calls on the Corinthians to put an end to the divisions among them and to reconcile with one another.
The two sides to Paul’s exhortation - stop being divided and, instead, be united. The word “divisions” translates schisma, from which we get English words like “schisms” or “scissors,” refers to a tear, cleft, or split. This church suffered from rupture, division, and brokenness.
Paul’s two positive exhortations emphasize his desires that even in the midst of diversity, there would be a harmony of attitude, agreement on the essentials of the faith and single-mindedness of purpose. Notice the emphasis on the internal realm of the mind. They need to think rightly, only then can they “be made complete,” translating the same word used in Matthew 4:21 for the mending of nets. Only in this way can they mend the broken relationships that have been torn apart through disagreement, disharmony, and unresolved conflict.
Paul does recognize the impossibility of establishing complete uniformity of belief and practice in any church, as he states in Romans 14:1–5 “Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.” 1 Corinthians 12-14 makes it clear that God never intended for the church to reflect a rigid uniformity. The goal in the church is unity, not uniformity. God’s ideal for a local church is for unity in diversity. Variety in the church members reflects the power and glory of God.
2. Partiality Promotes Division, vs. 11-12.
2. Partiality Promotes Division, vs. 11-12.
1 Corinthians 1:11-12
Now Paul expresses the specifics. He has heard a report from “Chloe’s people” and will address three major problems in Corinth.
#1 - “There are quarrels among you” — The Greek word translated “quarrels” appears in the vice list of Galatians 5:19-21 condemned along other serious sins such as immorality, idolatry, and drunkenness. Paul further states in Galatians 5:21 “. . . that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Paul views quarreling as a serious spiritual problem, which if not dealt with decisively, would lead to the church’s ruin.
For this sin, Paul blames no one else but the Corinthians themselves, pointing them to their own spiritual immaturity which has created the conflict: 1 Cor. 3:3
for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?
James also highlights the source of these kinds of quarrels and conflicts that the church in Corinth experienced, James 4:1-2
What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?
You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.
This quarreling by immature Corinthian believers led to the second major problem which was tearing the Corinthians apart.
#2 “each one of you is saying, “I am of (fill in the blank) … - they have aligned themselves with different people, create cliques/factions within the church. Who?
— Paul. This would be understandable, since it was from Paul’s lips that they first heard the good news about Jesus Christ , 1 Cor. 15:3
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
It is possible, however, that because of Paul’s preaching which emphasized freedom from the Law, this group may have begun to turn grace into a green light for the flesh. They may have been the first to emphasize a few verse from Paul’s letters and neglecting the fuller teachings we get from James, John, Peter, and the rest of the Bible. This group may have been the majority after Paul left the church, but another arrived on the scene...
— Apollos. He is described in Acts 18:27-28
And when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace,
for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
Apollos was both intellectually astute and verbally eloquent, which the Greeks valued very highly in their culture. In comparison with Paul, Paul would, in their minds, have ended up with the short end of the stick as in their minds he would appear crude and unsophisticated next to Apollos. This group who revered Apollos apparently forgot that Paul and Apollos were colleagues, not competitors, and created friction in the church by holding up Apollos. But things got even more complex...
— Cephas (Peter), Peter was more than likely the most prominent among the original twelve disciples. and he exercised considerable influence in the Aramaic-speaking Jewish Christian community. By using Peter’s Aramaic name, “Cephas,” he may have been highlighting that this particular group were Jewish Christians who may have felt Paul’s view of the Law was too “progressive,” and the teaching of Apollos may have been regarded as too “Gentile.” As an eyewitness to Christ, Peter’s credentials were strong in the eyes of this faction. Now that would be enough to wreak havoc, but there is a fourth personality and group that Paul categorizes …
— Christ. These in this group might state they are simply followers of Christ. But because Paul lists them among the other unacceptable cliques, these particular followers of Christ must have taken their single devotion to Christ to an unhealthy extreme by rejecting all other church authorities, including those appointed by Christ. They may have forgotten that Christ is indeed the cornerstone, and the apostles and prophets are the church’s “foundation,” Eph 2:20
having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,
They may have even gone to the extreme of behaving as though Christ belonged only to them, while claiming that they alone belonged to Christ.
What was the root of these sinful divisions? Paul points it out—pride.
3. Proclaim Christ, Not Cliques, vs. 13-17.
3. Proclaim Christ, Not Cliques, vs. 13-17.
1 Corinthians 1:13-17
It was pride that fueled the quarrels and cliques of the Corinthians; pride that fanned them into a flame that could easily have consumed this young congregation. How was their pride expressed? Apparently by boasting about who had baptized them, vs. 13.
It is a dangerous thing to come to believe that the authenticity of their faith rested not only on baptism, but also on their baptizer.
This ordinance, which should have marked the believers’ unity in one body Eph 4:4-6
There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.
had now deteriorated into a basis for arrogant boasting. But Paul sharply challenges their bragging with two rhetorical questions to point out that, 1) Paul had not died for their sins, and 2) no one had been baptized in the name of Paul. Paul expresses relief that he had not personally baptized many of the new Christians because of the specific situation in Corinth: 1 Cor. 1:15
so that no one would say you were baptized in my name.
These believers had lost focus. They had allowed the act of baptism as their visible response to the gospel message to overshadow the message of the Father who sent His Son to die for their sins, rise from the dead, and give them new life by the Spirit.
Paul redirects their attention to the one thing that should hold them together in one mind: the gospel. Paul came with that one intent, not with eloquent words, rhetorical skills, or “cleverness of speech.” He did not want the messenger to take attention away from the facts of the gospel.
The gospel of Christ’s Person and work should have priority in everything we think, say, and do. Paul could not have been clearer that when you glorify the messenger, you distract people from the message.
