In 1 Corinthians 1:11-12, Paul outlined a problem with the church in Corinth, where some members were claiming allegiance to a teacher, rather than to Jesus Christ.
If you’ve been following along, do you remember how verse 10 starts with “I appeal to you…” [NIV]? A commentator [Oster, p.49-50] points out that those in Corinth who were claiming to follow other teachers, evangelists, or prophets may have not respected Paul’s authority (because they were too wrapped up in who had shared the good news about Jesus with them). As a result, Paul was making an appeal to them, rather than simply delivering instructions.
I suspect that others like Apollos and Peter would deliver the same message as Paul, though, if they became aware of people saying that they followed them (even just as teachers) rather than following Jesus. I can’t imagine any apostle or devout teacher who sincerely followed Jesus Christ trying to claim followers for his or her own. That would be antithetical to the very teachings of Jesus, and contrary to what it means to follow and obey Jesus. In fact, even He sought to bring glory to God the Father, both because it was the right thing to do, and as an example to us.
In this context, I appreciate that Paul doesn’t do something immature like saying, “of course you should all follow me”. Instead, he uses himself as the counter-example, pointing out why no one should follow him.
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?
1 Corinthians 1:13 NIV
Paul’s message isn’t meant to get followers for himself, but rather to point people to Jesus. Paul didn’t die for anyone’s sins…he merely knows the Messiah who did die for our sins and he – Paul – wants to tell other people about that Messiah (i.e., Jesus).
Jesus didn’t want there to be various followers of a lot of individual evangelists, creating factions and divisions. In fact, Jesus prayed to His Father shortly before His arrest, in John 17, for unity. (I encourage you to read John 17:20-21). Jesus sought for His people to be one, not a bunch of warring groups at odds with each other.
So, how about you and me? I don’t claim to know your heart any more than you can know mine, but I think that it’s healthy for us to pause and consider who we ultimately follow. Is it Jesus, or is it really someone else? Of course, we can have our favorite teachers, preachers, authors (including those in the Bible), and mentors who help us learn about Jesus. God helps each of us learn about Him in our own ways. However, our head (of the church), our truth (objectively and universally), and our salvation (from the consequences of our sins) must always be Jesus Christ. One church, comprising one body, serving one Messiah.
So, the first thing that we can do to reduce quarrels and divisions in the church is to remember that we are all on the same team. Followers of Jesus are members of the body of Christ, as sinners saved by His blood. Any division based on mere human beings whose sermons we listen to, churches we attend, books we read, or interpretations we subscribe to – well, those divisions are harmful to the church, and we should set them aside.
From Sunday School lesson prepared for March 3, 2024
References:
- The Lookout, March 3, 2024, © 2024 Christian Standard Media.
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – 1 Corinthians, by Richard E. Oster, Jr. © 1995 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 