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Category: 1 Corinthians 1

1 Corinthians 1:21 – Want to Please God?

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Will

For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

Truth to Learn

Belief in the “foolish” gospel message pleases God.

Behind the Words

“Since” is translated from the Greek word epeidē, which means “because indeed.”

The word “in” is translated from the preposition en, indicating a position within someone or something. It is similar to the preposition eis, indicating movement from outside to inside. En, however, has no implication of movement, but of position. Hence, Paul is not saying that these things are the result of God’s wisdom, but that they are contained within His wisdom.

The words “did … know” are from the verb ginōskō, which refers to gaining or having knowledge about something. It is expressed in the aorist tense, indicating past completed action. Thus, it refers to having attained knowledge or understanding about something in the past.

“Pleased” is translated from eudokeō. This word is made up of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and dokeō, meaning “to think.” Therefore, eudokeō means “to think good thoughts about something” or “to be pleased with something.”

Meaning Explained

Paul continues his discussion of wisdom and foolishness. In the previous verse he called attention to three groups of people. He identified the “wise,” that is, the philosophers like Plato and Aristotle, whom the Greeks held in high esteem for their brilliance and understanding of the world around them. He also identified the “scribes,” the highly regarded Jewish teachers of the Old Testament. Finally, he identified the “disputers,” those who were masters at discussing and debating any subject.

These esteemed men had acquired what was believed to be great wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. That which they had gained for themselves produced religious beliefs about the nature of life, God, and man’s destiny. However, none of this brilliance could bring them up to God’s position, nor could it defend them in the presence of the Righteous Judge of all things. From God’s perspective, all of their wisdom, knowledge, and understanding is foolishness, for it cannot save them. These highly revered men also considered the simple gospel message of salvation through faith to be foolishness.

On the other hand, our God did not have to acquire his wisdom through dedicated study and discussion. It is an integral part of who He is. In His infinite wisdom, God determined that salvation should come through faith, that through the “good news” all men are sinners and Jesus, the Christ, paid the penalty for our sins with His blood shed on the cross.

God does not derive pleasure from anyone acquiring great worldly wisdom about Him. That would bring pleasure to man and take the praise and glory away from Him. He derives pleasure from simple faith in the “foolish” gospel message, which gives God all the praise and glory.

Application

Do you want to please God? If so, then give Him all the credit for our salvation by believing the “foolish” gospel message.

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Corinthians 1:20 – God’s Foolishness?

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Will

Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

Truth to Learn

This world’s wisdom is foolishness compared to God’s truth.

Behind the Words

The word “wise” is sophos, which we saw in yesterday’s verse, meaning “wisdom, skill, tact, or expertise in an art form.” It is probably a reference to the Greek philosophers of Paul’s time (those who loved wisdom).

“Scribe” is translated from grammateus, which is based on graphō, which we also saw in yesterday’s verse. It is a reference to the Jewish scribes who were considered the most learned of Jewish scholars and interpreters of the law of Moses.

The word “disputer” is from the Greek noun sudzētētēs. This word is made up of sun, meaning “together” or “with” and dzēteō, meaning “to seek” or “to “inquire.” Thus, sudzētētēs refers to those who inquires of one another or those who debate with one another.

Morainō is the Greek word translated “made foolish.” It is the word from which we get our English word “moron.”

“World” is from kosmos, which refers to “order” or “arrangement.” It is what we get our word “cosmetic” from. It is a reference to the world system as opposed to God’s system.

Meaning Explained

In comparing the message of the gospel to the message of the world system, Paul is making an allusion to the well-known invasion and subsequent defeat of Sennacherib, king of Assyria (see Isaiah chapters 29 through 37). When Sennacherib’s army advanced toward Jerusalem, the Israelites turned to Egypt for help, but the Egyptians were not able to protect Jerusalem. Instead, when the Assyrian army had surrounded Jerusalem, God stepped in and miraculously destroyed Sennacherib’s army and they retreated.

It was the worldly wisdom of the leaders of Israel that led them to seek the help of the Egyptians. As a result of seeking the wisdom of the world, the Israelites became fools and were almost destroyed. Were it not for the “foolishness” of seeking God’s help, they would have perished.

The gospel message is another example of the “foolishness” of us believers who trust in the Bible. We are looked on by the world around us as being fools because we believe God’s message. And yet – the wise people of our time, the learned people of our time, the skilled debaters of our time are the real fools because they reject the simple, foolish message of the cross. Paul is most likely making a reference to Isaiah 29:14:

Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work Among this people, A marvelous work and a wonder; For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.

Education and worldly wisdom are no match for the truth in God’s Word, the Bible. To follow the wisdom of the world is foolishness, but to follow God is true wisdom.

Application

As tempting as it may be, following the wisdom of the world is foolishness and will only bring destruction. However, following the “foolish” gospel message will bring salvation and eternal life. Which are you following?

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Corinthians 1:19 – Worldly Wisdom?

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Will

For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."

Truth to Learn

The wisdom of the world is foolishness to God.

Behind the Words

“Written” is from the Greek word graphō, which literally means “to grave,” that is, to carve. It is the most ancient form of writing. In first century common usage, it refers to any kind of writing. It is written here in the perfect tense, so it means “it was written in the past and, therefore, it is written (as a confirmed statement of fact).”

Apollumi, is the word translated “destroy.” It is made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from,” used as an intensifier, and ollumi, meaning “to destroy.” Thus, apollumi means “to completely destroy. Today, we might say annihilate.

Both “wisdom” and “wise” are translated from a form of sophos, which refers to “wisdom, skill, tact, or expertise in an art form.”

The words “bring to nothing” are from atheteō, which is made up of the privative a, meaning “without” and thetos, which refers to something that has been put in its place. Therefore, athetheō means “to cause something to be without a place.” In other words, it means “to get rid of” or “to abolish.”

Both “understanding” and “prudent” are from forms of the Greek word suniēmi, which refers to “perception, understanding, or intelligence.” It generally refers to the ability to understand concepts and see relationships between them.

Meaning Explained

Paul is making his comments with regard to the gospel message. In the previous verse he said that the good news of Salvation in Jesus Christ is laughable, even absurd, to those who reject it, those who are on death’s road because of such rejection. However, to those of us who believe the salvation truth, it is the life-giving power of God. To further emphasize his point, Paul quotes from the Prophet Isaiah, who said:

This message was delivered to the Israelites because they thought they could rely on the strength of the Egyptians to protect them from a coming invasion by the Assyrians. In spite of all the miracles that God had done to save them and protect them, the Israelites rejected God and relied on their own wisdom and understanding. After all, at that time the Egyptians were the richest, most powerful nation in the world. It seemed like the wisest, most prudent thing to do, to make an alliance with Egypt for their own protection.

One thing we often miss when we read about the Israelites and their Egyptian neighbors: Egypt is a type (a symbolic picture) of the world system that we live in today. The world system will not save you. Only God can do that.

Application

How many Christians today are so caught up in the world around them that they come to depend on it instead of God? Are you one of them? We have to live in the world, but we don’t have to follow it. Where is your heart?

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Corinthians 1:18 – Completed and Sealed

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Will

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Truth to Learn

Salvation is a completed and sealed transaction.

Behind the Words

The word translated “message” is logos. It generally refers to something being said (a word, a message, or a saying).

“Foolishness” is from the Greek noun mōria, which refers to foolishness, folly, or absurdity.

“Who are perishing” is translated from apollumi, which is composed of apo, meaning “from” or “away from,” used here as an intensifier, and ollumi, meaning “to destroy” or “to cause to perish.” Thus, apollumi could be translated as “completely destroy” or “completely perish.” It is expressed here as a present participle in the passive voice, indicating an ongoing action that is being done to someone.

The words “who are being saved” are from sōdzō, which means “to save,” “to deliver,” or “to preserve from harm, danger, or destruction.” It, too, is expressed here as a present participle in the passive voice.

Dunamis is the Greek word translated “power.” It refers to “the ability or power to do something.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul made a subtle transition from talking about baptism (more specifically, the problem of devoting oneself to the person who baptized them) to talking about the gospel message. Paul said that his commission to preach the gospel was not so that he could use fancy words, eloquent speech, or worldly wisdom to persuade people to believe. This may have been intended as a criticism to those in Corinth who claimed to be followers of Apollos, who we know was a very eloquent speaker (see Acts 18:24).

Now Paul makes a very stark contrast between two groups of people, those who are in the process of being destroyed and those who are in the process of being saved. “But,” you may ask, “I thought that we were saved when we first believed. Do we have to be doing something to stay saved?” Back in verse seven we talked about two aspects of our salvation: the day we believed the gospel message and “were saved” and that final day when God will accomplish our salvation, giving us our eternal body and keeping us in His presence forever.

Here, Paul throws us a curve. He refers to the unsaved as “those who are being destroyed” and to us as “us who are being saved.” Paul is not teaching that salvation is a process. He clearly teaches elsewhere that we are saved (Ephesians 2:18) and that our salvation was sealed at the time that we believed (Ephesians 1:13, 14). However, we still have a sinful human nature and we continue to sin. But each time we sin, we are forgiven because of the blood of Christ which continually washes us clean. Until that day in which we are given our heavenly body, we will struggle with our sin nature and our adversary. But, through our Lord Jesus Christ, right now we HAVE the victory (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Application

Occasionally, all Christians don’t “feel” like they are very godly and some question their salvation. Remember that salvation is not a feeling it is a completed, sealed transaction.

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Corinthians 1:17 – Preach The Good News

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Will

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

Truth to Learn

All Christians need to share the gospel message to others.

Behind the Words

“Send” is translated from the Greek word apostellō. This word is composed of apo, meaning “off” or “away from” and the verb stellō, which means “to set,” “to send,” or “to appoint to a position.” The word apostellō means “to appoint to a position and send away on a specific mission.”

The words “preach the gospel” are from euangelidzō. This word is made up of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and angellō, meaning “to tell” or “to proclaim.” Thus, euangelidzō means “to proclaim goodness” or “to proclaim the good news.”

Sophia is the word translated “wisdom.” In classical Greek, this word refers to the knowledge and experience of respected philosophers and truly learned men. In the New Testament, however, it nearly always denotes “a genuine fear of God and an understanding of His ways.” In today’s verse it is used with more of a classical meaning, referring to human learning and experience rather than godly wisdom.

“Should be made of no effect” is translated from mē followed by a form of kenoō. Mē means “no” or “not” and kenoō means “to make empty or void.”

Meaning Explained

Paul now explains why he didn’t do very much baptizing while he was ministering in Corinth. Basically, he says that it’s not what he was called to do. He is not declaring that baptism is not important, just that it wasn’t part of his initial calling, which he received from Christ:

But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. (Acts 26:16)

In fact, Paul considers his central mission of evangelizing the unsaved to be so important to him that he felt obligated to do it:

For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! (1 Corinthians 9:16)

He also declares an important aspect of preaching the gospel message. He says that sharing the good news of salvation through faith in Christ does not require “wisdom of words.” That is to say, preaching the gospel is not something that requires eloquence or fancy sermons laced with humorous examples or clever application. The preaching of the gospel message is a matter of simply and clearly declaring that we all are sinners condemned to death, but Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sins on the cross, and whoever believes shall be saved from that death sentence.

Application

We have not all experienced a miraculous appearance of Christ telling us to preach the gospel like Paul did on the road to Damascus, but we have all been commissioned to declare the good news and to make disciples. We have not all been given the spiritual gift of evangelism, but we have all been commissioned to share the gospel. When was the last time you shared the truth of salvation? It is the greatest gift we can offer to anyone, whether they accept it or not. Share the good news!

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Corinthians 1:16 – More Baptisms

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Will

Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other.

Truth to Learn

Baptism is not to be a source of bragging or arguing.

Behind the Words

The word translated “yes” is the Greek conjunction de, which is most often translated as “and” or “but.” The purpose of his use of this word here is to tie the baptisms of the household of Stephanas to those of Crispus and Gaius.

“Household” is from the Greek noun oikos which refers to “a dwelling place” or “a house.” It is used here not to refer to the physical structure, but to those who dwell there.

The word “besides” is translated from loipos, which means “that which remains” or “as to the remaining ones.”

Eidō is the verb translated “know.” It literally means “to see with perception,” that is, “to know or understand.”

Meaning Explained

You will recall that Paul is addressing the issues of divisions and factions within the church in Corinth. Apparently these divisions began with certain people claiming that they were baptized by Paul, thus making themselves out to be someone special. Therefore, Paul makes a point of the fact that he baptized very few people in that church. A couple of verses back he admitted to having baptized Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue in Corinth, and Gaius who apparently provided housing for Paul and also allowed the church to meet in his house. It is interesting that Paul mentions the household of Stephanas after his comments of the previous verse and not in the same sentence with Crispus and Gaius. It is possible that the scribe who wrote this letter as Paul was dictating it, reminded him of the household of Stephanas.

What do we know about this man named Stephanas? Very little. The only other mention of him occurs at the end of this letter where Paul refers to his household as “the firstfruits of Achaia” and indicates that he was one of the three who had come to him in Ephesus:

I urge you, brethren—you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints—that you also submit to such, and to everyone who works and labors with us. I am glad about the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, for what was lacking on your part they supplied. (1 Corinthians 16:15-17)

Because of the mention of his household, some have speculated that Stephanas was the jailer who, along with his household, was converted in Philippi. This was the claim of some of the early Greek writers. However, if Stephanas was converted in Philippi (in Macedonia, northern Greece), then it is unlikely that Paul would have referred to him and his household as “firstfruits of Achaia” which is in southern Greece. It is more likely that Stephanas and his household were among the first converts in Corinth and, therefore, Stephanas was not the Philippian jailer.

Application

Baptism is an important part of any Christian’s life, but neither the mode of baptism nor the person who performed it is anything to brag or argue about.

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Corinthians 1:15 – It’s a Testimony

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Will

lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name.

Truth to Learn

Baptism is a testimony of the salvation in the name of Christ.

Behind the Words

“Lest” is translated from the two Greek words hina mē. The first of these, hina, means “in order that” and mē is the conditional negative particle meaning “not.” So, literally these two words mean “in order that not.” The best English translation is “lest.”

The word “anyone” is translated from tis, which refers to some person or thing that is not specifically named or identified. It can be translated as “anyone, a certain person, something, or anything.”

The words “I had baptized” is transliterated from baptidzō, which we looked at in yesterday’s verse. There is some variation in the form of this verb depending on the text it is translated from. The better texts have this as an aorist passive verb in the second person, plural. Thus, it should be translated as “you were baptized” rather than “I had baptized.”

Meaning Explained

Apparently the people in the church in Corinth were making a great thing out of who they were baptized by. This may have been the original source of the division within the Corinthian church. As we have seen, Paul gets to the point in no uncertain terms that there were only a few in that church whom he had baptized.

Also, Paul makes it very clear that when he did baptize anyone, he did not do so “into my own name.” In other words, he did not proclaim, “I now baptize you in the name of Paul the Apostle.” Instead, he did so either “In the name of Jesus Christ,” or more likely, “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” The fact that Paul did not baptize most of the converts under his ministry is in keeping with the example that Jesus gave. Jesus did not baptize people; instead, his disciples did the baptizing.

Let me say a few words about the method of baptism. As we have pointed out, the Greek word baptidzō means “to immerse,” not “to sprinkle” or “to pour.” Therefore, it is most likely that Christian baptisms were originally performed by laying people completely under water and raising them up again. So, if people are baptized by sprinkling or by pouring, are they not really baptized? In the sixteenth century there was a group of Christians who became known as Anabaptists, from the Greek word meaning “baptize again.” Some people believe that their baptizing was a reaction to someone not being “properly” baptized in the first place. In reality, they were baptizing people who had been baptized as an infant. Since an infant could not possibly have confessed Christ as savior, they “baptized again” after a person was truly saved.

Keep in mind, however, that baptism is not necessary for salvation. Rather, it is a testimony regarding the salvation that has already taken place. Therefore, whether you were immersed, sprinkled, or poured upon, you have given a testimony that you are a Christian.

Application

If you were baptized after you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, it doesn’t really matter how you were baptized. The important matter is that you did it as a witness to the fact that you are saved. Anything more than that is ritual.

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Corinthians 1:14 – Unity, Not Division

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Will

I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,

Truth to Learn

Baptism should promote unity in the church, not division.

Behind the Words

The words “I thank” are translated from the Greek verb eucharisteō, which is composed of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and a form of charidzomai, meaning “to grant” or “to give.” Thus, eucharisteo means “to express gratitude” or “to give thanks.”

“Baptized” is transliterated (a word from one language brought directly over into another language) from the Greek verb baptidzō. It literally means “to dip, to submerge, or to saturate.”

Oudeis is the word translated “none.” It is made up of the particle of absolute negation, ou, and heis, which is the number one. Therefore, oudeis literally means “not one” or “not even one.”

“Except” is translated from the words ei mē. Ei is a conditional particle (usually translated as “if” or “whether”) and mē is the particle of conditional negation. Therefore, when combined together they literally express the condition “if not.” The common English translation of these two words is “except.”

Meaning Explained

Paul is in the midst of addressing a serious problem within the church at Corinth: the divisions and in-fighting that had developed in the church because people were devoting themselves to various leaders instead of to Christ. At the end of yesterday’s verse, Paul asked the question, “Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” Now he answers his own question.

There may be two reasons why Paul thanks God that he only baptized a few people in Corinth. The first is that God’s calling on his life was not to baptize but to preach the Gospel (see verse seventeen). The second is that by having baptized so few in the church it does not present a reason for the divisions within the church.

He did baptize Crispus and Gaius, however. Crispus was the ruler of the synagogue in Corinth (see Acts 18:8). Gaius was Paul’s host in Corinth when he wrote his letter to the Christians in Rome, and he apparently hosted the church meetings in his home (see Romans 16:23a). This is very likely the same person to whom the Apostle John wrote his third letter, where John praises Gaius for his faithfulness toward the brethren and strangers alike.

Paul did not want people to be “followers of Paul,” but followers of Christ. And, he is clearly saying that we are not to have special allegiance to the person who baptized us. It is also clear that Paul did not consider baptism to be a necessary part of salvation. If he had, he would have baptized all the converts under his ministry, for he called himself the spiritual “father” of all those in Corinth (see 1 Corinthians 4:15).

Application

Baptism is an outward declaration of the inward change that occurs when we are saved. Like communion, baptism is an ordinance of the church. Neither is necessary for salvation; both are testimonies of what has already taken place in the believer’s heart. They are both to be a source of unity within the church, not a cause for division.

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Corinthians 1:13 – Worship Christ Alone

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Will

Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

Truth to Learn

Submit to your leaders, but worship Christ alone.

Behind the Words

Meridzō is the word translated “divided.” It means “to separate into parts” or “to divide.” It is expressed here in the perfect tense, indicating past completed action with an ongoing effect, where the emphasis is on the effect. One thing to note here is that there is no interrogative pronoun in this sentence. Therefore, the structure of this question makes the assumption that the answer is “yes.” So, it is more reasonable to translate this as, “Christ is divided?” And, the assumed answer is “yes, because of the divisions in the church.”

“Crucified” is translated from the verb stauroō, which is from the noun stauros, meaning “a pole” or “a cross.” Therefore, stauroō means “to be hung on a pole or nailed to a cross.”

The word “baptized” is transliterated (a word of one language spelled with the letters of another) from the Greek verb baptidzō, which means “to dip or immerse in a liquid.”

Meaning Explained

Paul now lays his gentleness aside and gets very direct with the Christians in Corinth. He obviously is displeased with the divisions that had sprung-up in the church and asks the question, “Christ is divided?” As noted above, the grammatical structure of this question assumes a positive answer. It is clear from Paul’s teaching in his other writings that Christ is God and God is one. Therefore, the force of his question here is saying, in effect, “You have divided Christ who cannot be divided. My brothers, these things cannot be!”

He follows up this question with another, “Was Paul crucified for you?” The grammatical construction of this question is different from the first. It assumes, even demands, a negative answer. And the third question is grammatically tied to the second; therefore, it also demands a negative answer. In his typically humble manner, Paul does not want to be viewed as anyone’s savior; instead, he wants to be viewed merely as a servant leading people to the Savior.”

This reminds me of a story told about the great evangelistic preacher Dwight L. Moody. After one of his tent meetings a man approached him and said, “Sir, I saw one of your converts in the bar getting drunk last night.” To which Moody quickly replied, “He may well be one of my converts. If he were one of Christ’s converts, he would not have been there.”

As we mentioned in yesterday’s verse, it is right to submit to those in the church who have authority over you. However, we are not to worship them, nor to blindly follow them. We are followers of Christ. The responsibility of church leaders is not to gather their own followers but to guide the people under their care into a closer walk with Christ.

Application

Do you have a great love and respect for your pastor? This is good, but don’t allow your feelings to interfere with his assigned task. Remember that even the greatest preacher is still a sinner saved by grace. Give him your support, but worship Christ alone!

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Corinthians 1:12 – Submission or Contention

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Will

Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ."

Truth to Learn

Christians must be submitted to their leaders.

Behind the Words

“I say” is the translation of the verb legō, which means “to relate in words” or “to speak.”

The word translated “each” is hekastos, which can indicate “each” or “every one.” It indicates the separation of things either individually or as a whole. The fact that Paul follows this with a singular verb (says) indicates that he is talking to each person in the church individually.

Meaning Explained

In yesterday’s verse Paul directly addressed one of the primary issues in the Corinthian church, that there were contentions (strife) among them. In today’s verse he tells them what the source of that strife was. The fact that Paul addresses this message to “each” member of the church is a clear indication that there was no unity in the church. The specific issue was that they were each following different leaders.

Any church which has a gifted pastor/teacher is truly blessed by God. Very few, however, have leaders as gifted as Paul. The church at Corinth not only had Paul as their founding leader, they also were blessed to have had a man like Apollos lead them after Paul’s departure. We first encounter Apollos in the book of Acts when he arrived at Ephesus, where Paul had gone after leaving Corinth. In Acts 18:24-19:1, we find that Apollos was very knowledgeable in the Old Testament and that he was an eloquent speaker. After Aquila and Priscilla took him under their wing and taught him further, he was sent to Achaia, to the church in Corinth. However, for some reason he left Corinth and returned to Ephesus. Then, according to 1 Corinthians 16:12, Paul tried to persuade Apollos to return to the church in Corinth, but he was unwilling to go.

What could possibly have transpired in Corinth that caused Apollos to leave and not want to return? Most Biblical scholars believe it is because of the infighting that was so prevalent in the church in Corinth. Obviously, there was a group of people in Corinth who liked Apollos and followed his teaching. Unfortunately, however, there were others who were not willing to follow him. Instead, they claimed to be followers of Paul. Perhaps some of these people were baptized by Paul and never gave their allegiance to his replacement. In a similarly contentious manner, some of the people in Corinth refused to be associated with either Paul or Apollos, claiming instead to be followers of Cephas (the Apostle Peter). And finally, others claimed to follow no mere mortal, claiming instead only to be followers of Christ.

Any time a beloved pastor is called by God to leave a church and minister elsewhere, it is difficult for the members of the church he left. However, if the new leader of the church is called by God and is preaching and teaching the truth of the Bible, we need to give him our full support and follow his lead in building up the church and proclaiming salvation to the lost.

Application

If you read Peter’s first letter, you will see that he teaches the importance of submitting to one another. If we are submitted to our leaders there is very little room for infighting. Are you a submitted Christian, or are you contentious?

In God's service, for His glory,