Denominationalism

Let’s be praying for our country… we always say “our country has never been so divided...” and there have been times, but certainly never this divided in our lifetime.

One dude in the riots in the capital had a case full of Molotov cocktails and a list of “good guys” and “bad guys.”

He’s been arrested, he’s being indicted, and he should be.

We are a country divided… and that shouldn’t surprise us, really.

We know that things are going to get worse and worse until Jesus’ returns… that’s the way the Bible reads.

… and we know that humanity is fundamentally sinful. That hate and fear and division have taken deep root… social media didn’t invent them, just gave them a bigger platform, a louder microphone.

So there are divisions in our country.

At least the church is a shining example of unity, right? Right? Right?

We make jokes about it.

We make light of it.

And yet, of all people who should be unified by one name, one gospel, one God… Christians are instead famous for division and divisiveness. This shouldn’t be a joke… it should break our hearts.

Why are there divisions among us?

It goes all the way back. The very first church struggled. Separation between Jews and Gentile, leading to the first deacons being appointed. And here in Corinth, founded by Paul just a few years ago, fresh with the gospel… already splintering.

Divisions in the Church

1 Corinthians 1:10–17 ESV

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. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 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.” 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, so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 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.

Let’s dive in:

1 Corinthians 1:10 ESV

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.

divisions - skisma (like skismata. Tearing, cracking, rending, like one body part from another.

“united” Made one.

Isn’t that a beautiful ideal?

Isn’t that a bit simple-minded and naive? The idea that it is possible?

This is the thesis of Paul’s whole point here. I “appeal” to you, I am begging you, in the name of Jesus.

Have the same mind, that is His mind.

The same judgment, that is His judgment.

This is impossible for man, but it is possible in the name of Jesus, by the Spirit of Jesus.

But here is what is happening:

1 Corinthians 1:11 ESV

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

It was “made clear to me”.

Chloe’s people? Who are these people?

Unusual they would be designated by the mother’s name… even if the father was deceased. Maybe Chloe was well known? Could be the church meets in her house? Paul drops her name like, they know her, I know her, you know she told me, now you’re in it.

1 Corinthians 1:12 ESV

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.”

Paul (that’s the writer).

Notice, one of the groups is “Paul’s group.” Paul doesn’t take “his” own side!

Apollos (we learned about him in Acts. He’s an enthusiastic young Christians, gets some things wrong, but means really well.)

Cephas. That’s Peter, as in disciple of Jesus, the “rock”.

And right in that list: Christ. As if just another leader in the group.

That’s not how this works. Paul calls that out.

We can imagine this conversation, can’t we?

I am loyal to Paul, I follow Paul, because he was like the first one here.

Okay, but Apollos is by far the better preacher, his sermons are exciting and hilarious and I always leave feeling “fed.”

Those guys? Psshshs, I go old-school. I’m talking Apostle #1, Cephas, called Peter, the ROCK, man!

What’s wrong with you all, I follow Jesus, straight to the source.

That last one kills me most of all… because it sounds the most right! And yet it is in the mix as another “division.” The problem isn’t with following leaders or mentors… the problem is being divisive about it.

Paul says in this same letter, in 1 cor 11: “follow me as I follow Christ.”

The problem is being split, schismed, divisive about it.

Me vs. you, us vs. them… I am better than you, holier, more righteous, truer, superior, more Jesus points, because I am “this kind” of Christian.

There are no “kinds” of Christians.

1 Corinthians 1:13 ESV

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

Is the baptism a problem? Is that confusing you?

Some churches won’t receive a baptism if it wasn’t done in their church… because maybe it wasn’t done “right.” We don’t practice that, by the way.

We do practice believer’s baptism… as in we’ll do it again if the only time you were baptized was as a baby, because that’s not the model we see in Scripture.

But even then...

If the nature or method of baptism is any kind of distraction from unity in following Christ: that is a major problem. (More about that in a minute).

Paul thanks God he didn’t leave behind many baptized by his own hand:

1 Corinthians 1:14–16 ESV

I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.)

Here is the heart of it:

1 Corinthians 1:17 ESV

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.

Now that’s going to lead into a powerful section on what “spiritual wisdom” is… and what it is not. (Sneak preview: it is foolish to the world, it is the wisdom of God, given by the Spirit, ultimately Jesus, the Logos, himself).

Divisions in the Church

As we said before, divisions in the church aren’t a rare thing.

We go so far as to name denominations named after people:

Lutheran

Calvinist

I am “Wesleyan” or Methodist.

The problem is that they are being divided and divisive about who they are following.

Learn from Luther… amazing committed student of Jesus.

Learn from Calvin… gifted theologian, chasing after the vision of God.

Learn from Wesley… convicted and convicting.

Remember, even “I follow Christ” is in the list of divisive rhetoric. Just being “non-denominational” doesn’t solve this, we could be just as arrogant and “superior”.

They were divided, in particular, around different leaders… but

Here is the hard question: Is it fundamentally different to have a different church based on:

different dress code? (of course not, that’s silly… but there are churches separated around that)

different worship music styles?

different worship styles?

different non-salvific doctrines? (now I’m meddling)

Is splitting a church based on theological ideas somehow “better” than splitting based on who the Pastor or favorite leader was? I don’t think so.

Denomination vs. Denominationalism

Let’s make a careful distinction.

A denomination is an organization of churches - a “recognized autonomous branch of the Christian church.”

Denominationalism is “the emphasizing of denominational differences to the point of being narrowly exclusive : sectarianism”

Denominations as an organizational principle is not inherently bad. We don’t “solve the problem” by becoming non-denominational. That’s just baptist with a cooler website, generally. That doesn’t solve it.

Let’s take “our denomination” for example.

Are we even a denomination?

The name of our “group” is “Seventh Day Baptist General Conference of USA and Canada”.

“Conference” is a good word. That is a gathering, or an association. And we are often described as a “national association of churches.”

And I love those words. Churches gathering together to do together what they can’t accomplish alone. Churches united by some shared convictions, shared doctrines, shared purpose… there’s nothing wrong with uniting for shared anything.

I actually like those words better than “denomination”, which we use interchangeably, but has a meaning really focused on “distinction.” Are you a $10 or a $20, those are “denominations.”

There is a deep problem when we turn and say to others in the Body of Christ, in the Kingdom of God: “this divides you an me.”

Do even with this distinction between “denomination” and “denominationalism”...

… are we so sure we stand on the right side of that very fine and careful distinction? And is “denomination” helpful?

Are we a Division?

We can imagine being so “pro-Seventh Day Baptist” that we emphasize that above being “Christian.” Some people answer “what’s you religion?” that way. Baptist. Lutheran. Nope.

I remember a focus years back on our “denomination distinctives...” because that’s what separates us from other churches.

That makes sense. That’s good marketing.

But if all your language and attention is on what makes you different… it’s really hard to keep your focus where it should be.

What unifies us with the Church… the name of Jesus, the gospel of Jesus. That’s what we are here for, as Paul says in verse 17. It wasn’t to say “I baptized the most” or be the best leader or have the best church. It was to preach the gospel.

Finally, and all the way close to home:

Are we Divided?

Are we divided as a church from the larger Christian Church?

And are we divided, still, within our church from one another.

What do we do?

Continue to seek reconciliation. Restoration.

Sometimes that takes a few minutes.

Sometimes that takes a few years.

Sometimes that won’t be fully successful until Jesus’ returns… but as far as it is up to you, you seek the unity of Christ: “united in the same mind and the same judgment.”

Whether within our church or association or denomination. Whether theological principle, doctrine, favorite leader or favorite worship song...

This is a heart issue.

If you have the heart of Jesus, you love His church. All of it. In all its fractured and divided shame. One day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is their Lord.

If you have the mind of Christ… every doctrine and idea is submitted to his mind. Our debates on theology get heated because we start to think we decide how it is. But we don’t. Some of us are wrong, probably all of us are, and wrong about different things. He is right and true, he is truth and we submit our hearts to him, our minds to him.

How are we seeking unity with one another?

How are we seeking unity with his church?

The church in Corinth was experiencing the early signs of “denominationalism:” focusing on their differences and distinctions. Paul appeals to the Corinthians to seek unity in Christ instead of divisions based on favorite leaders. While we can explain this away, this should challenge our own sense of identity, our distinctions, even our denomination. We are called to unity: within the church and among the churches. Unity in the name of Jesus. How are we seeking unity in our church? How are we seeking unity with the Church?

Related Media

Related Sermons