A plea for unity pt 2
Tonto and the Lone Ranger were riding through a canyon together when all of a sudden both sides were filled with Native American warriors on horses, dressed for battle. The Lone Ranger turned to Tonto and asked, "What are we going to do?" Tonto replied, "What you mean 'we,' Whiteman?"
Edward Dobson, In Search of Unity, p. 20-27.
672 The Perfect Church
I think that I shall never see
A Church that’s all it ought to be:
A Church whose members never stray
Beyond the Strait and Narrow Way:
A Church that has no empty pews,
Whose Pastor never has the blues,
A Church whose Deacons always deak,
And none is proud, and all are meek:
Where gossips never peddle lies,
Or make complaints or criticize;
Where all are always sweet and kind,
And all to other’s faults are blind.
Such perfect Churches there may be,
But none of them are known to me.
But still, we’ll work, and pray and plan,
To make our own the best we can.
There were no perfect churches at the time of the NT and there will be no perfect churches until Christ returns. Our obligation as Christians then is not to find the perfect church, or most pure church, and leave that church whenever we find one more pure. Rather, our obligation is to find a true church in which we can have effective ministry and in which we will minister, continually working for the purity of that Church.
So until Christ returns, we should be working, and praying, and planning with all of our strength on making our own the best we can. I plea for this and I urge for this as does Paul.
1) The Problem
a) In verse eleven, we are told that Paul receives a visit from “Chloe’s people” who report to him that there is quarreling among the church over church leaders.
i) We know little to nothing about Chloe and her people. Her name is a nickname for the goddess Demeter, and we know that Corinth was a major site for this cult.
ii) Because of this connection, her name probably reflects servant origins but is now a freedwoman.
iii) Since Paul does not tell the Corinthians who she is, they must have been acquainted with her.
iv) Whoever her and her people are, Paul regards them as reliable witnesses and assumes that the Corinthians would recognize that their testimony carried weight and could not be lightly dismissed.
b) So, Paul is struggling with a church divided against him and a church that is full of quarreling factions. That it is divided over and against him is evident from the whole of chapter four, especially 4:1-6 and 4:18. That it also struggles with inner strife among the members is evident from 1:12.
c) The church of Corinth is full of quarreling (1:11), boasting (3:21, 4:7), pride (4:6), worldliness (3:3), and jealousy (3:3).
d) The quarreling, boasting, pride, worldliness, and jealousy are not the causes of division but rather symptoms of a difficult issue. Why is this? What is causing such things? While we cannot be dogmatic and say this is why they were divided, we can at least say we know these are some of the reasons why, though perhaps they are not all the reasons why. There are at least two obvious causes.
i) First, they have serious misunderstanding and confusion over the gospel. A gospel that is righty grasped and appropriated does not lead to quarrelling and division.
ii) Second, they have serious misunderstanding and confusion over the nature of the church and its leaders, and the leader’s relationship to that church. A true understanding of this will lead to a stronger, united church.
e) So, in this passage of Scripture, 1:10-4:21, we learn something concerning the nature of the gospel, what it is and what it is not, how it encompasses all of life, and not just part of it. How it is the wisdom of God, but foolishness to the world. We learn about the nature of the church, how it is a field, building, and temple, and church leadership, and the relationship of the leaders to the church, and we learn about the nature of Paul’s ministry and servant like authority.
f) This is a rich section of scripture that today’s church has much to learn from. It deserves close study and examination because today’s church seriously fails to appropriate the full gospel in its doctrine and in its lifestyle, and today’s church seriously fails to understand its true nature and the role and relationship of its church leaders and as a result the church of God is hurting. There is still some Corinth in today’s church, more than we would perhaps like to admit.
g) Lets dig a little deeper into the problems at Corinth. There are two words used in verses 10 and 11 that open up a window for us to look into the heart of the problems at Corinth, the first word is “scismata” from which the NIV gets “division.” The word literally rendered means “rent,” or “tear” but metaphorically speaking it refers to a “division,” or “dissension” in people groups.
i) We see this word used in its literal sense in Matthew 9:16 where Christ says, “No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made.”
ii) It is used in its metaphorical sense in John 7:40-43 – “When they heard these words, some of the people said, ‘This really is the Prophet.’ Others said, ‘This is the Christ.’ But some said, ‘Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?’ So there was a division among the people over him.” In John 9:16 we read, “Some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.’ But others said, ‘How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?’ And there was division among them.” In 1 Corinthians 11:18 we read that there are divisions among them and in 1 Corinthians 1:12 we come across what those divisions are.
h) Here in 1 Corinthians 1:10 when we read “division” we have the metaphorical usage. Paul says he does not want there to be “divisions” among the Corinthian believers. He says the same in 1 Corinthians 12:25, “there should be no division in the body.” However, the most significant thing to realize about this word scismata is it does not mean “break.” It is not as strong as the English word “schism.” It means a division, not a break. There is a tear in the fabric of the church, but it is not completely broken up yet. That is the first word. There are divisions and dissensions between some people in the church, but the church as a whole is not completely broken. The church is still holding together. We would be wrong to think of the church in Corinth as deeply divided with warring factions and irreconcilable differences. There was no break-up yet, but there was some nasty quarreling and strife about leaders.
i) The second word that gives us a glimpse into some of the problems at the church is found in verse 11 and it is “erides” from which the NIV gets “quarrels.” This word literally rendered means “strife,” “debate,” “contention” and “wrangling.” It refers to “hot dispute, the emotional flame that ignites whenever rivalry becomes intolerable” (Welborn 1997).
j) It is a word that appears often in Paul’s list of vices
i) Romans 1:28-32 - We find this word used in Romans 1:29 to describe the works of the unrighteous! It says starting in Romans 1:28, “And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.”
ii) Romans 13:13 – “Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.”
iii) In 1 Corinthians 3:3 Paul says to these very same Corinthians, “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?”
iv) In Galatians 5:19-21 Paul lists the works of the flesh and includes “strife” as one of them.
v) In Titus 3:9 Paul says to “avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.”
k) We know from verse 12 that this quarreling is over church leadership. Some members of the church have divided with factions forming around favorite leaders.
l) Thus again, let me be clear of the situation that is presented in Corinth. There does not seem to be an actual breakup of the congregation along party lines. They are not split into many different little groups that have nothing to do with each other. Rather, they are a divided congregation in the sense of having factions forming around favorite leaders. Should all of this continue, they are well on their way to a complete break, but as of right now the fabric of the church is torn, but not completely ripped apart.
m) So, we see that the Corinthians are in hot water. Instead of demonstrating the gospel in their lives, instead of seeking to live out the full implications of their belief in a crucified Christ and their unity in him, they are demonstrating works of the flesh that are unprofitable and worthless, which God says those who practice such things “deserve to die.”
n) Something has gone terribly wrong at the Corinthian church with these hot contentions and strife. They are failing to live Christ like lives. They are failing to live cruciform lifestyles and it is this that Paul is going to lay into them for later in chapters two through four with his discussion of wisdom and church leadership. This quarreling stems from jealousy, boasting, and undue pride. This quarreling does not come from a proper understanding of the gospel. It is obvious then that the numero uno problem is the Corinthians failure to understand the full implications of the gospel! Why is there such division and strife and jealousy and pride and boasting? Because they have failed to appropriate the gospel as the center of their lives! The fruit of the spirit, the fruit of a life that is cross centered and Christ exalting and Christ boasting is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If the Corinthians were seeking to live this kind of a life, Paul would have no need to urge them toward reconciliation and the letter of Corinthians would be significantly shorter. Unfortunately, it is clear from a reading of 2 Corinthians that they still did not get the point. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:20 – “For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish – that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.”
2) The Plea
a) Paul urges the believers in Corinth to get along with each other, to have harmony as opposed to discord. He urges two things; that they all agree with one another and that they be perfectly united in mind and thought.
b) There are three things to point out concerning Paul’s appeal to the Corinthian believers.
i) First, notice his strong emphasis on oneness. Three times in the verse it says “same.” Now I realize if you have the NIV and other translations in front of you, it does not have this word once, the KJV does a good job translating this verse literally, the NIV interpreted the phrase, but in any case, in the Greek it is quite clear. It says we should all have the same “speech,” “mind,” and “thought.”
(1) Same speech
(a) Idiomatic phrase – if you all have the same speech, you all agree.
(b) It was used of political communities which are free from factions
(c) Means “be at peace” or “make up differences”
(d) It quite literally is the opposite of factionalism which Corinth so seemed to love
(e) David Garland says, “to speak with one voice denotes a state of unity as opposed to being torn apart by cantankerous party zeal that leads to a war of words” (Garland, 42).
(f) Something else to keep in mind with this phrase is a difference exists between harmony and dull unison. The church is to be like a chorus singing from the same page of music, not like a cat’s concert with each howling his or her own jarring tune.
(2) Same mind
(a) Refers to a Christian mind set that may include being able to judge “what distinguishes good and right from what is evil and wrong.”
(3) Same thought or purpose
(a) Refers to having the same goals and opinion about the truth
ii) Both phrases appear prominently in ancient texts dealing with factionalism (Garland, 43).
iii) What are we to understand by such an emphasis on unity and sameness? Is it saying we are all to be carbon copies of each other, all saying and doing and thinking the same thing? Is that what it means? Does Christian faith demand uniformity? No, that is quite the opposite of what Paul is saying. In fact, as we have discussed before, we are all unique and in chapter 12 we learn there is good reason for that diversity.
iv) “He does not mean that they are to think alike on all issues but rather that they are to share the same basic Christian conviction and to be at one with the purposes and goals of the congregation” (Polhill, REVEXP, Summer 1983, 327).
v) What then is Paul urging and how does he expect it to be achieved?
c) The second thing I want to point out is what he is urging and how to achieve it.
i) The answer to this is found in the phrase “be perfectly united.”
(1) It means to be “put in order or proper condition.” It was used as a surgical term for setting bones and as a metaphor for “resetting” broken relationships and reconciling factions” (Lightfoot, 1895, 47).
(2) Another way to say this is be “restored” or “mended” or “knit together.” It is the same word used in the gospels to describe the fishermen mending their nets. As one can imagine, the nets used for fishing often would tear from constant use and when they would tear they would need to be mended.
ii) Paul here is urging the church to be mended, be restored, be knit together. Restore the church to its proper order and condition.
iii) This is not an unusual exhortation that Paul makes
(1) *Romans 12:16 – “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.”
(2) Romans 15:5-6 – “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
(3) ** Philippians 1:27 – “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel…”
(4) Philippians 2:1-2 – “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being likeminded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.”
(5) 1 Peter 3:8 – “Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.”
d) This also reveals that the problem of rivalries and dissensions and quarreling is not quickly solved. It takes time and a lot of hard work on both sides.
3) First, we noticed the emphasis on oneness. Second, we have noticed what he is urging. Third, I want you to notice the manner in which urges them. He urges them as a brother and he urges them in the authority of Jesus Christ. There is no doubt that the quarreling and division at Corinth were heavy on Paul’s heart. He wants them to know that he is suffering with them and that he is talking to them as a brother in Christ. He uses the word “brother” 39x in this letter, far and away the most frequent use in any of his letters. It is a tender appeal. He also urges them to harmony in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is significant for several reasons. First, remember in verse nine he has just reminded them of their fellowship with Jesus Christ. Now he appeals to them in that same name, Jesus Christ, to remind them of that precious fellowship they all have in Christ. We have an awesome bond together in Christ and His is the one name that stands over and against all names that the Corinthian’s are crying. Second, it is authoritative for Paul to beseech unity in Jesus name. It is not unity for unity’s sake that Paul desires it. It is in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is for the glory of God, Jesus, and the church that he desires it. Third, it draws their attention away from their petty factions to the beauty of Christ. When we focus our primary attention on horizontal relationships, that is, with each other, we often meet with frustration because new areas of difference keep appearing to distract and divide us. But when we focus our attention on the beauty of Jesus Christ, our differences begin to fade to his incomparable glory and majesty, and our mutual love and knowledge of Christ begin to draw us to each other. The better we know Christ, the more we stay focused on Him, the more we will be drawn together in perfect unity.
There are two ways of being united -- one is by being frozen together, and the other is by being melted together. What Christians need is to be united in brotherly love, and then they may expect to have power.
Moody's Anecdotes, p. 53.
Remember putting your face above a headless frame painted to represent a muscle man, a clown, or even a bathing beauty? Many of us have had our pictures taken this way, and the photos are humorous because the head doesn't fit the body. If we could picture Christ as the head of our local body of believers, would the world laugh at the misfit? Or would they stand in awe of a human body so closely related to a divine head?