Christ Is Not Divided: Rooting Out Divisions In The Church

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. 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?

1 Corinthians 1.10-12

Title - Undivided Christ: Root Out Divisions In The Church

Background

After commending the Corinthian believers of their giftedness, Paul proceeded to address the primary purpose of his epistle: the divisions in the church.

Despite their giftedness, the believers in Corinth are divided in their mind and judgment.

Indications of divisions in the church

Quarreling as to who was the better preacher -

Factions or dissensions within -

Ignorance in the proper use of gifts -

Questions to address

How can a church with a powerful testimony be divided among its members?

What are the indications of divisions in the church?

How did Paul address the issue and offer solutions?

The Main Point

When the members of the church are divided among themselves, it portrays a divided Christ. Therefore, all efforts must be undertaken to root out the causes of divisions among the saints.

Sermon Points

Indications of divisions in the church

Indications of Divisions in the Church

Quarreling as to who was the better preacher

1 Corinthians 1:11–16 NKJV

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 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.

1 Corinthians 1.11-

Contention - grk. eris, contention, strife, quarrel

among the works of the flesh -

practiced by people given to debased mind -

practiced by some preachers -

to be avoided as unprofitable -

Possible source - baptism

maybe practiced by those who were baptized by particular minister.

Note: Paul’s argument here continues to

Factions or dissensions within

1 Corinthians 11:18–20 NKJV

For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.

Faction - grk. hairesis, a circle of people with a common purpose who dissent from another group.

factions are dissenting (separating) groups with the congregations

factions divide the congregation between parties

Results of factions

when the church comes together, they become worse not better -

the Lord’s Supper is desecrated -

Ignorance in the proper use of gifts

1 Corinthians 12:1 NKJV

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:

Having the gifts is the same as knowing how to use the gifts

they have the gifts because they were passionate in affirming the gospel in their lives

however, they lacked the knowledge of properly using the gifts

Results of this ignorance

the oneness of the Body is not acknowledged

1 Corinthians 12.12

1 Corinthians 12:12–14 NKJV

For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many.

some parts of the body are not cared for

1 Corinthians 12:24–25 NKJV

but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.

1 Corinthians 12.24

the church is not edified

1 Corinthians 14:5 NKJV

I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.

1 Corinthians 14:12 NKJV

Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.

1 Corinthians 14.

other members of the body are ignored and d

The Root Cause of Divisions in the Church - Carnality

1.) Carnality

1 Corinthians 3:1–4 NKJV

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

Carnal - grk. sarkikos, of the flesh,

1 Corinthians 3.1

the carnal man is one who has been born again but is not yet spiritual and instead acts like the natural man

the carnal man acts like a “baby Christian”

2.)

The problem is not in being “babes in Christ”, but in acting “as babes in Christ”

being baby or young in the faith is NOT a sin.

acting like a baby or child - being childish - is the PROBLEM

Indications of carnal Christians: they do not enjoy “solid food”

they do not enjoy “solid food”

, ,

The Solution to Carnality - Solid Food

Hebrews 5:12–14 NKJV

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Start feeding on the “deep things of God” - it is part of your spiritual diet

1 Corinthians 2:10–12 NKJV

But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

1 Corinthians 2.10-12

Know the things that are freely given to you -

Practice comparing spiritual things -

Practice discerning the things of the Spirit of God -

Conclusion

A divided church portrays a divided Christ.

Let us NOT divide Christ between ourselves. Strive to unite yourselves with one another.

The only solution is to “grow up” in Christ, to mature, become spiritual men and women.