A Difficult Church
A DIFFICULT CHURCH
1 CORINTHIANS 1:10-17
Paul writes about a problem in the church and shows them a greater priority.
Outwardly the church at Corinth seemed to be in a good healthy condition (1:5-7), but there was one glaring defect. What was it (1:10)?
Reports had reached Paul from at least two sources that there were divisions and rival groups in the church. One source is specified (1:11); the other may be inferred from the arrival of certain church members who, no doubt, gave him a first-hand account (16:17). Later, when Paul has to speak plainly to them on a specific matter of morals (5:1), he will again refer to these reports.
The trouble-spot on which Paul now concentrates is the party spirit which disfigured the life and witness of the church (1:12). Apparently four factions were using the authority of eminent names to engage in a competition of unholy rivalry.
Paul’s reply to this situation is important, both for a theological understanding of the nature of the church, and also for our present-day concern for Christian unity.
His argument is closely knit and powerful. As there is only one Christ, there can be only one church, made up of those who claim allegiance to him as Lord, which in turn is confessed in baptism (1:13). All believers were baptized into his name (Romans 6:3ff.; Galatians 3:27) and so they are called to be members of one body (Romans 12:5; Colossians 3:11,15). This simple fact of one Lord, one body, excludes all concepts of party allegiance and selfish rivalry that suggest that human names are more important than the head of the church, and that there can be several “bodies,” all professing allegiance to the same head. Paul will show the illogicality of this later (3:21; 12:12ff.).
Because baptism was being used in this perverse way Paul disclaims an undue emphasis on the ceremony (1:17). The supporting argument is that there is a third factor in the series: one Lord, one church and one gospel which binds together all those who are Christ’s.