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1 Corinthians 1:10-17
I APPEAL TO YOU, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THAT ALL OF YOU AGREE WITH ONE ANOTHER IN WHAT YOU SAY AND THAT THERE BE NO DIVISIONS AMONG YOU, BUT THAT YOU BE PERFECTLY UNITED IN MIND AND THOUGHT. MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, SOME FROM CHLOE’S HOUSEHOLD HAVE INFORMED ME THAT THERE ARE QUARRELS AMONG YOU. WHAT I MEAN IS THIS: ONE OF YOU SAYS, “I FOLLOW PAUL”; ANOTHER, “I FOLLOW APOLLOS”; ANOTHER, “I FOLLOW CEPHAS ”; STILL ANOTHER, “I FOLLOW CHRIST.” IS CHRIST DIVIDED? WAS PAUL CRUCIFIED FOR YOU? WERE YOU BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF PAUL? I THANK GOD THAT I DID NOT BAPTIZE ANY OF YOU EXCEPT CRISPUS AND GAIUS, SO NO ONE CAN SAY THAT YOU WERE BAPTIZED IN MY NAME. (YES, I ALSO BAPTIZED THE HOUSEHOLD OF STEPHANAS; BEYOND THAT, I DON’T REMEMBER IF I BAPTIZED ANYONE ELSE.) FOR CHRIST DID NOT SEND ME TO BAPTIZE, BUT TO PREACH THE GOSPEL—NOT WITH WISDOM AND ELOQUENCE, LEST THE CROSS OF CHRIST BE EMPTIED OF ITS POWER.
It is interesting that Paul, even with his opening introduction completed, and the fact that he is about to bring forth some pretty stark correction and rebuke, he still seeks to bridge that gap with the very endearing use of "brothers and sisters."
This is such an overlooked example of how mature Christians are to be discipling and exhorting new believers. It even extends beyond Christianity. It is a good model for parenting or management or friendships, really any relationship.
You know, God is a God of balance. He never spends too much time on one side or the other. As a parent in today's society sometimes it's hard. We see a lot of overly pampered children who's worst punishments is a gentle speaking to or a timeout. We also see some parenting that relies too heavily on fear and anger and physical discipline. Neither method will raise a balanced child. Paul knows this and laces his letters with so many encouraging words of endearment regardless of how far they have strayed.
Paul moves immediately into the correctional part of this letter and wether it is deliberate or not I do not know, but his first order of business is to correct the very dangerous doctrine of division.
The Bible declares that the enemy prowls around like a roaring lion seeking to devour. We see this with Cain. How sin was crouching at his door. That term denotes a predatory action. A predators main job is to isolate and separate the weak from the flock and he does it by division.
Now division itself is not a bad thing even among Christian circles. You may be involved in a small group or home fellowship that is expanding or a church that is growing and it divides like a cell. That is a healthy division. But this is not the kind of division Paul is dealing with. Paul is dealing with the kind of division that doesn't expand but rather diminishes. and weakens.
The devil has failed over and over again to stop the will of God, namely Jesus Christ. He tried with Pharoah in Egypt, He tried to separate Joseph, the eventual line of Christ. He tried to eradicate the Jews through Haman. Used Herod at the birth of Christ to kill every baby male. Tried to stop Christ in the desert by isolation and temptation. Tried to use Peter to keep Him from going to the cross. Even tried to use Barabbas as a substitute.
Having failed over and over and over and over and over again, The enemy now seeks to divide the new church by causing the people to focus upon something, anything, other than Jesus.
And this is still going on today. The enemy doesn't care what you focus on, how noble it is, or how seemingly important it may be, or how right it seems in the eyes of onlookers, so long as you're not focusing on Jesus.
Paul ends this section by diminishing his abilities. That is, he wants everyone to know that it is not he that people come to hear, but the Holy Spirit. It is not his eloquence or pedigree, but rather his lack thereof.
So the next time you sit under your favorite preacher or listen on the radio, remember this, It is the preaching not the preacher, it is the message not the messenger, and it is the WORD not the words.
Let us remove our affections and our distractions and our noble endeavors and focus on Jesus and Him alone.
Be Blessed
It is interesting that Paul, even with his opening introduction completed, and the fact that he is about to bring forth some pretty stark correction and rebuke, he still seeks to bridge that gap with the very endearing use of "brothers and sisters."
This is such an overlooked example of how mature Christians are to be discipling and exhorting new believers. It even extends beyond Christianity. It is a good model for parenting or management or friendships, really any relationship.
You know, God is a God of balance. He never spends too much time on one side or the other. As a parent in today's society sometimes it's hard. We see a lot of overly pampered children who's worst punishments is a gentle speaking to or a timeout. We also see some parenting that relies too heavily on fear and anger and physical discipline. Neither method will raise a balanced child. Paul knows this and laces his letters with so many encouraging words of endearment regardless of how far they have strayed.
Paul moves immediately into the correctional part of this letter and wether it is deliberate or not I do not know, but his first order of business is to correct the very dangerous doctrine of division.
The Bible declares that the enemy prowls around like a roaring lion seeking to devour. We see this with Cain. How sin was crouching at his door. That term denotes a predatory action. A predators main job is to isolate and separate the weak from the flock and he does it by division.
Now division itself is not a bad thing even among Christian circles. You may be involved in a small group or home fellowship that is expanding or a church that is growing and it divides like a cell. That is a healthy division. But this is not the kind of division Paul is dealing with. Paul is dealing with the kind of division that doesn't expand but rather diminishes. and weakens.
The devil has failed over and over again to stop the will of God, namely Jesus Christ. He tried with Pharoah in Egypt, He tried to separate Joseph, the eventual line of Christ. He tried to eradicate the Jews through Haman. Used Herod at the birth of Christ to kill every baby male. Tried to stop Christ in the desert by isolation and temptation. Tried to use Peter to keep Him from going to the cross. Even tried to use Barabbas as a substitute.
Having failed over and over and over and over and over again, The enemy now seeks to divide the new church by causing the people to focus upon something, anything, other than Jesus.
And this is still going on today. The enemy doesn't care what you focus on, how noble it is, or how seemingly important it may be, or how right it seems in the eyes of onlookers, so long as you're not focusing on Jesus.
Paul ends this section by diminishing his abilities. That is, he wants everyone to know that it is not he that people come to hear, but the Holy Spirit. It is not his eloquence or pedigree, but rather his lack thereof.
So the next time you sit under your favorite preacher or listen on the radio, remember this, It is the preaching not the preacher, it is the message not the messenger, and it is the WORD not the words.
Let us remove our affections and our distractions and our noble endeavors and focus on Jesus and Him alone.
Be Blessed
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