Read 1 Corinthians 3:1-9. Division in the church. Imagine that.
Paul had mentioned this matter at the start of his letter--a report had reached him from Chloe's household that folks in the church were aligning themselves behind different leaders. Some were calling themselves followers of Paul, others followers of Apollos, others followers of Cephas, and still others followers of Jesus. Paul asked, "Is Christ divided?"
Here in chapter three he uses a big but to cut to the heart of the matter: Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual, but as worldly--mere infants in Christ.
There is a maturation that takes place in relationship to Jesus Christ. Don't miss for a moment that while this body at Corinth is a very gifted and prosperous collection of believers, they are not mature. Also take note that spiritual immaturity looks like... the world.
By verse three he is describing the behavior--jealousy and quarreling--they're acting like mere men. These things, he states in verse four, are at the root of the divisions. These things give one cause to follow after one teacher or another in a divided manner. This isn't the way things were intended to be.
Think back to the first two chapters of 1 Corinthians. What had Paul stressed as the basis for our unity? That gospel message--foolishness to the world, but the very power of God to those who believed. A stumbling block, literally a rock of offense, to the proud. Salvation to the faithful. If we've all come to salvation in Christ, and we've all come the same way--where is the room for jealousy? Quarreling? Division?
Paul explains: What are Apollos and Paul anyway? They're only servants of the Lord, working as each was assigned by God. He then tosses a couple of buts into his explanation: I planted, Apollos watered, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who makes things grow.
If you want to recognize somebody--if you want to give credit--get it right. This is God's field. We are God's building.
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