1 Corinthians 1:10-17 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 1 Corinthians 1:10-17. Let’s go!
1 Corinthians 1:10-11 (NIV)
10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
11 My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.
On verses 10-11: Paul had heard reports that there were factions and cliques within the church. So here Paul appeals to his congregation to agree with one another and to get along with one another, that they may be “perfectly united in mind and thought” (v10).
It reminds me of what Pastor Craig Groeschel says. There are only two things that happen naturally in any organization that don’t require any work on a leader’s part to create: division and underperformance. Everything else takes intentionality and work. Whether it’s in a home, a marriage, a church or an organization, we need to work on being united, on getting along, because it won’t always happen naturally.
That is why elsewhere Paul would write to the church in Ephesus, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). Unity takes work! Just as Jesus went out of His way to love those who are so different from Him, unity for us is about going out of our way to love those who are different from us.
1 Corinthians 1:12-17 (NIV)
12 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.”
13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?
14 I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,
15 so no one can say that you were baptized into my name.
16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.)
17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel–not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
On verses 12-17: It seems that the divisions and quarrels that were happening in the church in Corinth had to do with some people preferring and attaching themselves to one leader, while others preferring and attaching themselves to another leader. The Christians in the Corinthian church would even put a great deal of focus on which leader baptized them – were they baptized by Paul, Apollos, or some other leader (v13-16)?
Rather than defend the group that was aligning themselves with Paul and criticizing the group that was aligning themselves with other leaders, Paul turns his readers’ attention back to Jesus when he says in verse 13, “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?” In other words, to paraphrase Paul, “Stop focusing so much on individuals like me and Apollos and instead put your focus on Jesus. After all, you’re not being baptized in my name or some other imperfect human leader’s name. You’re being baptized in the name of Jesus. It’s all about Jesus, not any one individual leader.”
We can unwittingly fall in the same trap when we focus so much on people at the expense of focusing on Jesus. No doubt God will bring leaders into your life to help you and lead you, and you must love, honour and respect them, but never let them take the place of Jesus in your life. Those leaders are there to lead you to Jesus.
Lord Jesus, may I not focus so much on people that I lose sight of You. Thank You that when my eyes are rightly focused on You, I have the best example of how to love the people in my life. Help me to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit with my brothers and sisters at church. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
