Lesson 3 – 1 Corinthians Chapter 1:10-17

We’re done with Paul’s formal introduction in his letter to the Corinthian believers. At this point, he’s set the foundation with them by reminding them of who they are in Christ. This was necessary to do because the church as a whole had gone astray, heading in the wrong direction.

Hebrews 2:1:
“For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.”

As we continue to learn from Paul by examining the Corinthian church’s shortcomings, it brings up to us the importance of discipleship and Bible study. There’s a profound richness to be discovered besides just going to church, hearing the Word, and worshipping.

The Corinthian church was young, and it probably didn’t have the organized structure you see in “some” well established churches today. I use the word “some” because there are far too many churches that can be seen as weak, in that their main concern primarily is recording great numbers of congregants, which of course translates into larger financial dividends.

When a person first comes to Christ, they are obviously immature in their understanding of church doctrines, and really, anything else that goes along with being part of the body of Christ… as they might say in the south, “they got some learning to do.”

As we continue to go through the book of 1 Corinthians, we’ve got some learning to do as well.

1 Cor. 1:10:
“Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.

So far, this is the tenth time Paul has mentioned Christ in these first ten verses, leaving no doubt in the minds of the Corinthian believers that Jesus needs to be central in their focus.

Paul says, now I exhort you… What does it mean for us to exhort someone?

Exhort: (parakaleō), to exhort is to call to one’s side, to console, to encourage and strengthen by consolation, or to comfort someone. Paul had a heartfelt compassion for his brothers and sisters in Corinth, he wanted to help them in the sin and shortcomings they had drifted into.

Paul started his letter in a way that confirmed his spiritual authority over them, and now he addresses them as brethren. This is a little bit like when a parent has to discipline their child and at the same time reminds them that they still love them.

In verse 9 it says, they “were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,” and now, they’re being exhorted by Paul in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul, through Jesus Christ, wants to come alongside the Corinthian believers and help them.

That you all agree and that there be no divisions among you…

In other words, that they should live in harmony with each other, and to not allow any divisions within the church.

How do divisions come about in a church? Many times it has to do with disagreements or arguing about someone or something, and then escalating.

Divisions… the word translates in the Greek as schis-mata, it’s were we get the word “schism” …it means dissension, to tear or to rip apart… personal relationships were being torn apart at Corinth.

This also happened among the people as they observed Jesus.

John 7:40-43:
“Some of the people therefore, when they heard these words, were saying, “This certainly is the Prophet.” Others were saying, “This is the Christ.” Still others were saying, “Surely the Christ is not going to come from Galilee, is He? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” So a division occurred in the crowd because of Him.”

In this world, some consider Jesus to be a prophet or a great teacher, with the suggestion that His teachings and wisdom have left a lasting impact on many. Others view Jesus as just a historical figure, they agree His life and influence have shaped the course of human history. Some see Jesus as just a spiritual leader, guiding people toward a deeper understanding of faith and spirituality. For the Christian, Jesus is regarded as the Son of God and the savior of humanity, fulfilling His divine purpose.

There were differences of opinion about Jesus’ identity to say the least, and those same differences still exist even today, thus creating the opportunity for many divisions. Even the twelve apostles did not always get along with each other.

Disagreements happen all the time, and it starts out in our early years as children. How often do we see children fighting with each other about who has what, they say, “Give me that, it’s mine.” And obviously, divisions have a way of following us into adulthood, never seeming to go away. Just look at the divisions we see in the world today over the nation of Israel.

Divisions and disagreements are inevitable, and throughout the millenniums, they have frequently resulted in rebellions and wars.

One commentary says, “From birth to death the natural inclination of every person is to look out for “number one” …to be, to do, and to have what he wants. Even believers are continually tempted to fall back into lives of self-will, self-interest, and general self-centeredness.”

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.”

We can conclude, therefore, that the cause for most conflicts, quarrels, and fighting finds its roots in selfish desires.

There have been divisions in the church over the most ridiculous things, such as “what color of carpet is to be installed,” to the more serious example, which involves doctrines or what’s been said from the pulpit.

Romans 16:17:
“Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.”

Looking back to the revelation of false teachers within the church in 2nd Peter, we saw that those who teach anything outside the Word of God, are not serving Christ and His church, but serving themselves and their own self-interests.

The opposite of divisions Paul says, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.

The NLT says, “be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.”

To be made complete (katartizō) is to mend (what has been broken), or to repair. In this case, it is for the congregation to be put back together, because it had been fractured, their unity had dissipated.

In the same mind and in the same judgment…

In our individual minds and among ourselves, we are to be “one” in our beliefs, our standards, attitudes, and principles of basic spiritual living. We can thus reduce this down to a single word, “unity.”

Romans 15:5 [speaks of Christian unity]:
“Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,”

This isn’t about us all saying the same thing (although this helps), but not being unified can become a hindrance to us by keeping our disagreements and objections to ourselves, while at the same time putting up a show of unity… that’s just being a phony.

One pastor says, “Hypocrites will add to a congregation’s size but they will take away from its effectiveness.”

Most times disagreements take place over non-essentials. However, these disagreements do not negate a person’s faith. As long as central doctrines are affirmed with one another, believers can remain genuine brothers and sisters in Christ.

Some non-essentials are things like the subject of the Rapture, the age of the earth, the Millennial Kingdom, various do’s and don’ts, days of worship, and food and drink.

Let’s Remember, unity in the essentials, liberty in non-essentials, and charity in all things.

Psalm 133:1:
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!”

In 1992 Rodney King asked, ‘Can’t we all just get along?’ Paul might agree to this being a great message to the churches. Unity has always been God’s way for His people and a source of blessing to them.

Again, it was Jesus’ High Priestly prayer about unity in John 17:20-21, 23:
“I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.”

(23) “I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.”

Romans 15:6-7:
“So that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.”

Our Lord Jesus Christ is of one mind about us, therefore shouldn’t we as believers be of the same mind with one another?

Unity isn’t just some feel good word, it has purpose, and the main purpose is to bring glory to God in everything we do. Just as Jesus accepted us to the glory of the Father, we should accept one another to the glory of God and to His church.

Eph. 4:1-3:
“Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

When it comes to unity within the church, the one thing that will deter against divisions, is love.

Col. 3:14:
“Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.”

This will manifest itself by us thinking of others more often than always thinking of our own wants and desires. As I like to quote the Moody Blues for marriage counselling, it applies to the body of Christ as well, “Give a little more, take a little less.” Instead of us going on defense, let’s go on the offense in avoiding divisions within the church…

1 Thess. 4:9:
“Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;”

1 Cor. 1:11:
“For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.”

Chloe’s people ratted them out, but it was for their benefit. Chloe was a woman (probably a Christian) whose business interests caused her representatives (those of her household) to travel between Ephesus and Corinth. Paul writes this letter from Ephesus, where these people from Chloe’s household visited and told him about the condition of the Corinthian church.

If you were involved in a church where there were things going on that were just wrong, then having the opportunity, wouldn’t you want to tell somebody? That’s what Chloe’s people were doing; it wasn’t being vindictive, just factual.

1 Cor. 1:12:
“Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.”

Paul had ministered in Corinth for a year and a half. Then he sent Apollos to be the second pastor there. Apparently, a group of Jews in the church had been saved under Peter’s (Cephas’) ministry as well. Groups soon developed in the names of each of these men, and Paul learned about these factions through Chloe.

The first two groups each had their favorite former pastor (Paul and Apollos), the third group had a strong loyalty toward Peter, and the fourth, probably the most pious and self-righteous, seemed to think they had a special claim on Christ. These guys had the right name (meaning Christ), but from the way Paul is describing them, they definitely didn’t have the right spirit.

“I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.”

Each group was vocal in its opinions, and had its own motto or slogan that they went by. You can see how this could very easily cause divisions within the church. These same four groups can even be seen today…

• Some say, “We’re going to stay with the pastor who started this church.”
• Others say, “We want someone that’s more expressive.”
• A third group might say, “We want someone more practical.”
• Then the last group says, “We only need Jesus.”

The last group on the surface sounds good, but they lacked structure. Jesus is truly our Lord and Savior, and we do always answer to Him, but God has chosen to work through the structure of the body of Christ. In other words, He wants to use man to witness to and teach the people.

One commentary says, “It is natural to have special affection for the person who led us to Christ, for a pastor who has fed us from the Word for many years, for a capable Sunday school teacher, or for an elder or decan who has counseled and consoled us. But such affection becomes misguided and carnal when it is allowed to segregate us from others in the church or to decrease our loyalty to the other leaders. It then becomes a self-centered, self-willed exclusiveness that is the opposite of unity.”

John MacArthur says, “Spirituality produces humility and unity; carnality produces pride and division.”

1 Cor. 1:13:
“Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?”

To put this in simple terms, no human leader, no matter how gifted or effective, should have the loyalty that belongs only to the Lord.

Paul says, has Christ been divided? So we must ask, when the body of Christ is divided, who bleeds? Jesus does. Any divisions within the church hurts the church as a whole, and Paul knew this.

When Paul started this letter, he established his position in the church as an apostle, giving him the authority to speak truth into the lives of the Corinthian believers. Paul recognized what was going on, that there were separate groups forming, and as far as a group claiming him, Paul wanted no part of it.

Speaking in the third person, he says, Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

Let’s be clear, Paul never paid the price for anyone’s sins! Sure Paul suffered greatly for Jesus, but that comes with the territory when you are devoted to serving God at any cost.

No one was ever baptized in Paul’s name. No one ever said “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of Paul, and the Holy Spirit,” that would be pure blasphemy.

The Corinthian believers were lifting up Paul, Apollos, and Peter on very high pedestals, thus turning them into idols in their own way.

John the Baptist would have agreed whole heartedly with Paul…

John 3:30:
“He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease.”

We can get ourselves into trouble when we focus more on the man, than on God. I’m sure Billy Graham had his groupies that worshipped him. Even in a simple local church, there will be those who will idolize the head pastor.

Jack Hibbs is one of my favorite pastors. I have a great deal of respect for him, but I don’t focus on him, I focus in on what he says about God’s Word. You see, man can always let you down, but God never will.

Romans 12:5:
“So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”

There is unity in Christ, but we should never elevate another to God’s wonderous position.

1 Cor. 1:14-15:
“I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one would say you were baptized in my name.”

Crispus was the leader of the synagogue in Corinth when Paul first ministered there and he was converted under Paul’s preaching. Paul brought the message of salvation to him, but Paul can’t save anyone… only Jesus saves. We see Gaius in Romans 16:23a, “Gaius, host to me and to the whole church, greets you.”

Paul was grateful that he personally baptized only these two guys and perhaps a few others. What was going on here was, there was the great potential for cults to start developing, and Paul had to nip it in the bud.

Did you know that Jesus never baptized anyone? Imagine if someone was baptized by Jesus, the pride that would have crept into that person’s life would have been overwhelming, “I was baptized by God Himself, what about you?”

Again, John recognized the danger in this, he baptized many people and became well known throughout the land, a celebrity. That’s why he said, “Jesus must increase, and I need to just fade away… so put your eyes upon Jesus.”

I don’t know if Billy Graham ever baptized anyone, but I imagine he would have had the same problem. Even in the Calvary Chapel churches, to have been baptized by Chuck Smith would have been memorable to say the least, but it is wrong to take special pride when it comes to Christian leaders.

Paul was quite disturbed knowing that a group in Corinth had claimed, as it were, a special “allegiance” to him. He wanted no part of this new fan club, the church had to be set right.

1 Cor. 1:16:
“Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other.”

When Paul was writing his epistles, he was inspired by the Holy Spirit, but he was in no way omniscient, he didn’t know everything, but here, Paul was being careful when he said, I do not know whether I baptized any other. What this shows us is Paul is human like the rest of us, and I can testify that the older we get, the worse our memory gets.

1 Cor. 1:17:
“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.”

For Christ did not send me to baptize…

Paul wants to make it clear, that he wasn’t sent to start up some kind of cult of people who were baptized by him. Paul was given a ministry personally from Jesus.

Acts 26:16-18:
“But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.”

In the “Blues Brothers,” Jake and Elwood were on a mission from God, so they said; Paul was truly on a mission from God to spread the “good news” to the Gentiles and Jews as well.

All that being said, I do want to talk a little about the importance of being baptized.

Romans 6:3-4:
“Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a life.”

The word baptism comes from the Greek verb “baptismò” meaning “to dip, immerse, or submerge.”

From: Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary:

“Baptism is a sign, or an outward indication, of the inner change that has already occurred in the believer’s life. It serves as a public identification of the person with Jesus Christ, and thus also as a public testimony of the change that has occurred. It is an act of initiation. It is baptism into the name of Jesus.”

Matthew 28:18-20:
“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

When we give our heart and soul to Jesus, we’re not joining some kind of crazy cult as some seem to think; we’re putting our full faith and trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the bridge to heaven, His single sacrifice makes it possible for all who believe to become one with God, freeing us from the slavery of sin… we are unified with Christ.

John 5:24:
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” (NKJV)

Baptism is a symbol of this spiritual union between Christ and the believer. When a person trusts in Christ, he or she is incorporated into, or united to Jesus Christ, which includes being united into His death. Our baptism becomes a testimony to this fact.

When we do it publicly, we are declaring to those around us that we are in no way ashamed of being connected to Jesus, in fact, we could say we’re “proud” to be connected to Jesus.

Jerimiah 9:24:
“But let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.”

Boasting in the Lord has nothing to do with worldly possessions or with altering reality. True boasting in the Lord is actually boasting of the Lord… boasting of His great attributes, boasting of what He has done for us, of what He is still doing and of what He has promised to still do.

When we get baptized, it’s like God putting His stamp of approval on us, and we’re saying to the world, “I identify with Christ.”

Paul was all in favor of baptism, but our focus should never be on any person, just God.

Paul’s main calling was but to preach the gospel…

Romans 1:16:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

So to be clear, Paul was sent to preach the gospel and to bring men and women to “oneness” in Christ, not baptizing people to create a faction around himself.

Not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void…

Paul had no hidden agenda, he wasn’t trying to be trendy.

One pastor says, “Come on, be practical,” people say. “We need more than just hearing about Jesus Christ crucified. We have problems in our marriage. We have problems with addictions. We have problems with our children. We have problems with guilt. We have problems with doubt.” But I suggest that throughout this Epistle, we’ll see that the solution to every problem that plagues every person is the same: Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

Jesus Christ is the only answer to life… period! The apostle Paul banged the drum every day to that fact. If you cut Paul, he would bleed Jesus… his life was Jesus, as it should be in ours as well. Divisions in the church were not going to be tolerated by Paul. This is just one of the many problems Paul addresses head on. We will do well if we pay close attention to everything he says.