1 Corinthians 1:10-15, 26-29; 3:1-4: March 7—When members won’t get along

Mar 1, 2010
By WILEY RICHARDS

Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.

Baptists long have wrestled with the problem of members who cannot get along. In difference of opinion about moral issues, early Baptists frequently solved the problem by putting it to a vote. For example in the 1800s when churches frequently met once or twice monthly, the members often gathered for the weekend to transact business and worship. At the beginning of the worship time, the leader almost always inquired about “the peace of the church.” If a member were careless about attending worship, a committee would be dispatched to seek out the problem. In cases of absence caused by illness, the church would be asked to “bear with” the delinquent member. In cases having to do with moral issues, such as dancing, playing a fiddle, or lying, the guilty could be excluded by vote. Our lessons today focus on dissension between members. We can categorize concern under four pleas made to the church.

Plea Number One: Strive for the goal of church unity (1 Cor. 1:10-13b). The name Chloe appears only here in the Bible. She has earned the dubious honor of being named because she and her “house” had stirred up such a ruckus that Paul had to chide her for causing dissension in the church. To emphasize the significance of her words, he addressed her in the formal name of the Lord (His divine name) Jesus (His saving name) Christ (His messianic title). That corporate action was to be taken by the church to resolve the dispute can be inferred from the fact the Bible called attention of the brethren to the problem. They were admonished to “speak the same things.” Differences of opinion are inevitable among people trying to work together, but, as the saying goes, “We should disagree without being disagreeable.” The Corinthian church had not learned how to resolve their heated discussions without becoming obnoxious. Succession of teachers to serve among them had the unfortunate outcome of causing the people to line up behind their favorite speakers, dividing into cliques or parties. The Paul faction probably welcomed his emphasis on taking Gentiles into the fellowship. Some were drawn to Apollos, perhaps because of his eloquence and appeal to the more cultured. Followers of Peter could have been drawn to the Judiazers among them. The super-spiritual among them claimed Christ as their hero. Paul reminded them that Christ along is the One who died for them.

Plea Number Two: Resolve the issue of the real meaning of baptism (vv. 13c-15). Some of the Corinthian congregation prided themselves on which of the prominent teachers had immersed them. Paul placed the discussion on a different level when he professed joy that he had baptized only Crispus, Gaius, and the household of Stephanus. Clearly, the apostle attached no saving properties to immersion in water.

Baptism in water does not exhaust the meaning, however. In 1 Corinthians 12:13, the Bible speaks of the moment we were saved by Jesus. The Spirit at that point immersed us, baptized us, into one body, the body of Christ. We might add that being baptized by the Holy Spirit happened at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit fell on the new believers as tongues of fire settled on them. The new Temple was anointed.

Plea Number Three: Live up to our high calling (vv. 26-29). The Bible refers to the make-up of the Corinthian Church. Their membership proved the statement that not many men counted wise by the world, nor people of great wealth, were serving God (v. 26). God instead exalted the weakest elements of society to use as a testimony against the arrogance of a disbelieving world.

Plea Number Four: Strive for spiritual maturity (3:1-4). The Corinthian church prided itself on its willingness to incorporate elements from all walks of life which created a unique understanding of what is meant to be a Christian. The Bible debunked such spiritual snobbery. On the contrary, they were still babes in Christ, unable to go beyond baby food in their diets (v. 2). Their real spiritual level was proved by the presence of envying, strife, and divisions. The Bible advised them to grow up.

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