Dealing With Division
1 Corinthians: Order in the Church • Sermon • Submitted
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Jesus said in Mark 3:25
25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
The Corinthian church was a divided church:
Divided on party lines and divided on opinions of others.
From Where Did the Division Come?
From Where Did the Division Come?
Pride.
We will look at Paul’s reaction to their pride. Notice how he...
Regarded their Pride
Regarded their Pride
Consider the illustration:
1 Corinthians 4:6 (KJV 1900)
6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.
He did not wish to publically call anyone out, so he replaced their names with his and Apollos.
Why?
Because, if he would have called out the leaders at this point, it would have further divided the church!
The transference was necessary so the Corinthians would learn an important lesson:
“…not to think of men above that which is written...” - referring to the “written in the Word”.
What happens when we go beyond the Bible?
We become puffed up!
Puffed up = full of pride
*Inflated bullfrog*
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Jesus prayed the church would be unified!
Pride divides. Pride is a church-killer.
Notice next how Paul...
Ridiculed Their Pride
Ridiculed Their Pride
We might begin this verse by asking, “Who do you think you are?”
The Corinthians’ pride had caused them to get out of focus!
When we take our eyes off God, our spiritual vision gets a bit fuzzy!
The Corinthians began to glory in themselves, but what had they been given that did not first come from God?
If the church has anything to glory about today, it is God and Him alone!
How they struggled with this! 1 Corinthians 4:8
8 Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.
“Now ye are full...”
Full = self-satisfied
They were full of themselves, not full of the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18
Ephesians 5:18 (KJV 1900)
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
“…now ye are rich...”
Self-sufficiency
This attitude says “I don’t need anyone but me”
Sound familiar? Revelation 3:17
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
The church today is full of pride!
We need to develop and attitude today of “Christ-sufficiency”
Look at the end of verse 8…
Their pride had led them to believe they had “arrived”.
If you read this passage casually you miss the sarcasm of Paul’s words...
“…I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.”
In other words:
“I sure hate I missed the rapture!”
There is coming a time when we will reign with Christ, but until that time comes, we must stand in judgment of ourselves as individuals and we must strive to be like Jesus!
Next observe how Paul...
Repudiated their Pride
Repudiated their Pride
Repudiate, means to reject
By Comparison
By Comparison
In answer to their belief “They had arrived” Paul demonstrates his apostolic authority.
No one in the church would argue that an apostle outranked them.
Apostle = one sent with a message
They were handpicked messengers of the gospel
By Contrast
By Contrast
Read these verses, and notice the contrast Paul was making of himself and other apostles to the “self-sufficient” Corinthians… 9-17
Paul was not elevating himself, but his position.
If he and the other apostles were facing this treatment, why were the Corinthians boasting?
Look at the contrast Paul was making:
The world says, “Get even”
The Word says, “Turn the other cheek”
While the Corinthians were saying “Look at me”
Paul was saying, “Look to Jesus!”
What are you saying by your words and actions?
By Caring
By Caring
Notice how Paul writes to them…1 Cor 4:14
14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.
As a father cares for his children, Paul does not want to bring them to shame, but to restoration.
He pours out his heart to them
He warns them to turn their back on division and to remember what he’s taught them
Lastly, we see how Paul..
Rebuked Their Pride
Rebuked Their Pride
Specifically those who were the cause of division.
Paul understood arrogance
He was an arrogant man, seeking out Christians to be killed, all the while thinking he was doing God’s work!
He knew that the letter would arrive before Timothy did
He also knew that by sending the letter and Timothy and not coming himself, some in the church would begin spreading rumors that Paul was afraid to face them!
He now addresses these very people plainly!
Paul was Busy
Paul was Busy
He wrote from Ephesus, a very wicked city full of idolatry
Yet he promises to come “shortly” if the Lord will.
Look at his words…1 Cor 4:20
20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
They had it wrong!
Power is not in words, but in action!
They mistook Paul’s delay in coming as weakness, but Paul explains it was out of love
A “rookie” parenting mistake is to punish your children while you are angry
It is much better to wait until you have calmed down before dealing out punishment.
He leaves the choice of how he will deal with them up to them
21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?
(What will ye?)
Paul’s Word on Division is Finished
Paul’s Word on Division is Finished
Four chapters long!
However, we’re still here, as long as we are there is still this danger of division creeping up today.
We cannot allow pride to divide us. How do we avoid this trap?
By not going beyond the borders of Scripture.
By considering the Judgment seat of Christ.
By looking to Jesus!