Read 1 Corinthians 1:10-16.

Introduction⤒🔗

If you should ever visit the Antietam National Battlefield near Sharpsville, Maryland, you would pass by a neat red brick church along the highway. The sign on the front lawn of that church might catch your attention. In big white letters is the name of the church: Battlefield Baptist Church. But before you draw the wrong conclusions about this church, you would do well to speak with the pastor about this church’s peculiar name.

He would explain to you that there are three reasons for the name. First, the name identifies the church’s location; they are directly across from the Antietam National Battlefield. Second, the name reminds these Christians that we are on a spiritual battlefield for Christ. Third, the name reminds this congregation that they never want their church to become a battleground.¹

We should learn a lesson from these Christian brothers and sisters; namely, we must not allow divisiveness to disrupt and replace the unity we have as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Because divisiveness is contrary to the will and the work and the purpose of God, let us be diligent to practice Christian unity.

Let Us Practice Christian Unity, by Recognizing the Wrongness of Divisiveness←⤒🔗

According to verse eleven, it was brought to the Apostle Paul’s attention that there were “quarrels” within the church at Corinth. The Greek term, Eριs, contains the meanings, “strife,” “selfish rivalry,” and “quarreling.”

Note that the apostle reports the source of his information; he was informed of these things by “those [who belong to the household] of Cloe.” There are no accusations being made by anonymous sources. Scripture commands that, in a loving manner, we be forthright and direct in our dealings with one another, as the Lord Jesus exhorts us in Matthew 18:15-17,

If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. ¹⁶But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. ¹⁷If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.

In verse twelve, the apostle explains the nature of the problem as it existed in the Corinthian congregation: the members of the congregation were rallying around their favorite teachers and, consequently, splitting into contentious factions.

There was the “I belong to Paul” faction. The Apostle Paul was the “founding father” of the Corinthian church, he was its “organizing pastor;” consequently, there were those who felt especially close and loyal to him since he was their pastor and spiritual father and they mistakenly viewed the Corinthian church as being Paul’s church.

There was the “I belong to Apollos” faction. Apollos was a powerful and eloquent preacher; consequently, there were those hearers who became enraptured by the man and became the founding members of his “fan club.”

There was the “I belong to Cephas” (i.e. Peter) faction. Peter, unlike Paul, was one of the original apostles and one of the original leaders of the church in Jerusalem; consequently, there were those who felt that Peter should receive special honor and a pre-eminent position. 

Then there was the “I belong to Christ” faction. On the positive side, this faction apparently saw the folly of exalting and rallying around any human teacher; they rightly exalted Christ alone and identified themselves with Him. But on the negative side, they seem to have held their spiritual knowledge and have conducted themselves in a self-righteous and perhaps even in an arrogant manner; consequently, they, too, became a source of contentiousness, instead of humbly and lovingly setting an example for their Christian brothers and sisters and graciously seeking to rally their fellow believers around Christ the Lord. Here is a lesson we must take to heart, namely, the fact that we can have spiritual insight and stand for the right, but still conduct ourselves in the wrong way, a way that contributes to divisiveness rather than promoting Christian unity. This is especially the case whenever we conduct ourselves in a condescending, or arrogant, or judgmental manner. 

In verse thirteen, Paul rebukes the church, pointing out the foolishness and the wrongness of entertaining a divisive spirit. He asks the rhetorical question, “Is Christ divided?” (He literally is asking, “Has Christ become divided?”) In 1 Corinthians 8:6 Paul will remind these Christians, “there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things exist and through whom we live.” Just as Christ Himself is not divided, so neither can His spiritual body, the church, be divided into factions:

There is one body and one Spirit; just as you were called to one hope when you were called; ⁵[there is] one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶[there is] one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Eph. 4:4-6

Paul asks a further question, “Was Paul crucified for you?” It is Christ who loved us and gave Himself up for us; He alone is worthy of our undivided allegiance. Speaking of Christ, the apostle will declare in 2 Corinthians 5:15, “he died for all, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”

Paul’s next question is, “Were you baptized into the name of Paul?” Our Christian baptism is into the name of the Triune God and into fellowship and identity with Him; this is the baptism our Lord commanded at the time He issued the Great Commission: “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). Our Christian baptism is into the one spiritual body of Christ, as Paul will remind the Corinthians: “we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13).

Let us be careful to practice Christian unity, doing so by recognizing the wrongness of divisiveness. Divisiveness is contrary to the spiritual reality we experience in Christ:

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, ²⁷for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Gal. 3:26-28

Divisiveness is contrary to the whole purpose of God:

...he has made known to us the mystery of his will... ¹⁰[namely, his determination] to unite all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth. Eph. 1:9-10

Divisiveness is contrary to the calling we have received from God:

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ²Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³Make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit by the bond of peace. Eph. 4:1-3

Divisiveness is detestable to God:

There are six things that the LORD hates; indeed, seven that are detestable to him: ¹⁷haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood; ¹⁸a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief, ¹⁹a false witness who utters lies, and a man who sows discord among brothers. Prov. 6:16-19

Let Us Practice Christian Unity, by Obeying the Command of Scripture←⤒🔗

The Word of God exhorts us to be “bound together [the Greek term, καταρτιζω, also means, “to be knit together”] by the same attitude and by the same purpose.”

Paul is not teaching that we must strive to achieve Christian unity; on the contrary, that spiritual unity is the work of the Holy Spirit, as Paul indicates in Ephesians 4:3, “Make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit by the bond of peace.” We are called to maintain that spiritual unity created by the Holy Spirit. The apostle exhorts us to maintain and cultivate this sacred unity; he exhorts us to be bound together by means of “the same attitude.” We are to have in us and exhibit among us the mind and attitude of Christ our Savior:

Have this mind in you that was also in Christ Jesus: ⁶existing in the form of God, he did not regard his being on an equality with God as a thing to be exploited; ⁷on the contrary, he emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. Being found as a man in appearance, ⁸he humbled himself by becoming obedient unto death, even death on the cross. Phil. 2:5-8

Christ refused to exploit His rights for His own personal benefit (vs. 6). Christ willingly assumed the role of a servant (vs. 7). Christ denied Himself for our sake (vs. 8).

The apostle further exhorts the church to maintain and cultivate this sacred unity by having “the same purpose.” All believers should share in common the purpose of striving together to exalt Christ; we should follow the example of John the Baptist when he testified about the Lord Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (Jn. 3:30). All believers should share in common the purpose of striving together to promote the kingdom of Christ and of God. Our Lord taught us to pray for the coming of the kingdom of God; one of the first petitions of the Lord’s Prayer is, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). Our Lord Jesus also exhorts us to make God’s heavenly kingdom our first priority; in His Sermon on the Mount He taught, “seek first [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness” (Matt. 6:33).

The Apostle Paul exhorts the Corinthian Christians to “be in agreement;” (literally, that they “all speak the same thing”). In contrast to verse twelve, where each was saying something different: “I belong to Paul, I belong to Apollos,” etc., the Corinthians (and we ourselves) are exhorted to all say the same thing; namely, to profess that we belong to Christ. What he means by “speaking the same thing,” Paul indicates in the opening verses of this epistle when he writes:

Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, ²to the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be saints together with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; he is both their Lord and ours.1 Cor. 1:1-2

As fellow Christians we should all say the same thing: we believe in Christ as our Savior, we acknowledge Christ as our Lord, we proclaim and stand for the gospel of Christ, we work for the cause of Christ.

Paul further exhorts the Corinthians to avoid having “divisions among yourselves.” This is not so much a reference to having differences of opinion on various subjects, but rather an exhortation to avoid producing alienations and factions. The Greek word, σXισμα, translated, “divisions,” literally means, “rips,” or, “tears.” Note the apostolic instruction contained in Ephesians 4:15, “practicing the truth in love, [with regard] to all things let us grow up in him, the one who is the head, [that is], Christ.” By speaking and practicing the truth in a loving manner we are to “grow up” [i.e. mature] “with regard to all things” [i.e. in all areas of life] in Christ who is the Head of His body, the church.

What about those times when two sincere Christians disagree on a point of biblical doctrine or a certain practice of conduct? What should be done in such situations? First, prayerfully consider such questions as these: Is any of the essentials of the truth of God at stake? If such is the case, then we must protest by standing up for the truth. When the Apostle Paul discovered that Peter, by his conduct, was denying the truth of the gospel, he stood up to oppose him: “When I saw that they were not acting in accordance with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, You are a Jew, yet you are living like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you are forcing Gentiles to live like the Jews?” (Gal. 2:14) But we must do so with a gracious spirit, as Paul reminds Timothy:

...the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, skillful in teaching, [and] not resentful. ²⁵Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. 2 Tim. 2:24-26

Second, being confident that it is Christ’s church, we must ask Him to graciously exercise His lordship and humbly submit ourselves to His lordship, offering ourselves in His service. Paul’s counsel to the Philippians provides guidance on this point: “if you have any different attitude, God will certainly reveal that to you; ¹⁶only let us live in agreement with the level of maturity we have attained” (Phil. 3:15-16). Paul here teaches that God will reveal to us those areas where we are failing to walk in accordance with His rule or standard for doctrine and conduct; “any different attitude” is referring to any attitude that differs from the truth of God as revealed in His Word. When it becomes evident that our brothers are deviating from that rule at a certain point, we should prayerfully ask Christ to intervene, and at the same time offer ourselves to Christ, being sure to be found faithful to abide by His rule and standard in our own lives so that we might humbly be an example to our brothers.

Third, we must be careful to avoid a self-righteous and condemning spirit, like that displayed by the Old Testament prophet Elijah. When Elijah self-righteously protested that he was the only one left in Israel who remained faithful to the LORD, the LORD revealed to him that there were seven thousand others who also were faithful:

...he replied, I have been very zealous for the LORD the God of hosts. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too...the LORD replied... ¹⁸ I will reserve seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him. 1 Kgs. 19:14,18

Let us be careful to practice Christian unity, doing so by heeding the commandment of Scripture: “be bound together by the same attitude and by the same purpose.” The writer of the Book of Hebrews exhorts us, “let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works” (Heb. 10:24). Whereas we so often provoke one another to anger and sinful conduct, Scripture exhorts us to provoke one another to love and good works.

Conclusion←⤒🔗

The Apostle Paul urges that there be no “divisions,” no tears or rips, among us to disrupt and do damage to our unity in Christ. If the pagan Roman soldiers refrained from tearing Jesus’ seamless garment at the time of His crucifixion, how much more must we as Christian people refrain from tearing apart Christ’s spiritual body, the church! Let us remember, and by the grace of God, seek to experience within the church, the testimony of the Psalmist, when he writes, “how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!” (Psl. 133:1)

Through the Apostle Paul, our Lord Jesus Christ Himself exhorts us: “With all humility and meekness, with long suffering, bearing with one another in love, [give] diligence to maintain the unity of the Spirit, by the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:2-3a).

Discussion Questions←⤒🔗

1. What does the Apostle Paul urge the Corinthian Christians to avoid? See 1 Cor. 1:10a. What were some of the divisions, fracturing the church’s spiritual fellowship? Note 1 Cor. 6:6; 1 Cor. 8:9 and 1 Cor. 11:18-21. Are such divisive things as fellow Christians suing each other; the selfish, inconsiderate use of Christian liberty; cliques that separate the rich from the poor present in your own Christian fellowship? To what extent are you a party to them?

Now I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you; but, rather, that you be bound together by the same attitude and by the same purpose. 1 Cor. 1:10

I say this to make you ashamed. Is this the case, that there is not [even] one wise man among you who is able to decide [a dispute] between brothers; ⁶but [one] brother must go to court [against another] brother, and this before unbelievers?1 Cor. 6:5-6

But food does not commend us to God: we are not worse if we do not eat, and we are not better if we do eat. ⁹Be careful that [the use of] your liberty does not in any way become a stumbling block to the weak. 1 Cor. 8:8-9

I hear that when you meet together in a church assembly there are divisions among you. To some extent I believe [what I have heard]; ¹⁹for, indeed, it is necessary for there to be factions among you so that those who are approved may become apparent to you. ²⁰Therefore, when you are assembled together it is not possible to eat the Lord’s Supper; ²¹for each one goes ahead and eats his own meal. Consequently, one remains hungry, while another gets drunk. 1 Cor. 11:18-21

2. Rather than allow their Christian fellowship to be fractured, what does Paul urge the Corinthian Christians to do? See 1 Cor. 1:10b. As Christians, what should be our common attitude toward one another as believers in Christ? See Phil. 2:3-4,

Now I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you; but, rather, that you be bound together by the same attitude and by the same purpose. 1 Cor. 1:10

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but with a humble mind let each one consider others as occupying a higher position than himself. ⁴Let each one be concerned not only about his own interests, but also about the interests of others.Phil. 2:3-4

3. As Christians, what should be our common purpose? See Phil. 1:27. What are the fundamentals of the gospel upon which we must be united? See 1 Cor. 15:3-4,

Live your life only in a way that is worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that if I come and see you, or if I remain absent, what I will hear about you is that you are standing firm in one spirit, and with one soul are contending for the faith of the gospel... Phil. 1:27

I delivered to you as of first importance that which I also received, [namely,] that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; ⁴and that he was buried; and that he has been raised on the third day according to the Scriptures... 1 Cor. 15:3-4

4. What was another source of division that was fracturing the Corinthian Christians’ spiritual fellowship? See 1 Cor. 1:11-12. Do you find yourself promoting a particular preacher or pastor; giving undue allegiance to him; making him the focal point of your Christian life? What will the apostle remind these Corinthian Christians, and what do we as Christians need to remind ourselves? See 1 Cor. 3:5-7. What must Christian preachers and pastors always bear in mind, who did John the Baptist exalt? Note Jn. 3:30,

...I have been informed by those [who belong to the household] of Chloe, that there are quarrels among you. ¹²Now this is what I mean, each one of you is saying, I belong to Paul; or, I belong to Apollos; or, I belong to Cephas; or, I belong to Christ. 1 Cor. 1:11-12

After all, what is Apollos? And what is Paul? [We are] ministers through whom you came to believe; each [doing what] the Lord gave him [to do]. ⁶I planted [the seed], Apollos watered it; but God made it grow. ⁷So then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is of any significance; but the one who causes [the seed] to grow, [namely], God.1 Cor. 3:5-7

Speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ, John the Baptist proclaimed,

He must increase, but I must decrease. Jn. 3:30

5. What do you think about the final factitious group Paul mentions? See 1 Cor. 1:12. How can allegiance to Christ be turned into a faction? Could this faction’s allegiance to Christ have been held in a self-righteous judgmental way, even questioning the salvation of those brethren who, due to spiritual immaturity, were bestowing undue honor on church leaders? Being more mature in the faith, might this faction have entertained a spiritual pride that caused them to elevate themselves above the rest of the congregation? Do you find any of these sinful attitudes present in your own Christian life?

Now this is what I mean, each one of you is saying, I belong to Paul; or, I belong to Apollos; or, I belong to Cephas; or, I belong to Christ. 1 Cor. 1:12