<1 Cor 1>

10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”

13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

1. What caused the disunity in the Corinthian church?

• Leadership personalities rather than theological differences.
• Placed too much importance on human qualifications and wisdom.
• Unholy devotion to godly leaders.
• Disunity created by pride.
• Paul even disapproved of those who say, “I follow Christ.” Why?
  • Self-righteous and arrogant.

2. Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? <v13>

• The best teachers and teachings cannot save us without the crucifixion.
• Not just anyone can be crucified on our behalf. It must be someone qualified and acceptable to God.
• Only Christ’s crucifixion counts.
• v17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel…
• Do you care more about who baptised you, OR who you are baptised into?
• Baptism is good but it is not the means of salvation.
• That’s why preaching the gospel was Paul’s priority.

3. Is Christ divided? <v13>

• When a believer has Christ, he has ALL of Christ.
  • <1 Co 3> 21 So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.
  • Not just enjoy the strengths of one teacher, but the blessings brought by other Christ-anointed preachers too.
• Christ is the key to our unity.
  • <Ep 2> 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
  • <Php 2> 1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.
  • <Gal 3:28>, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free,nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
• God does not like every kind of unity…
• …God only likes the unity in Christ.
• Unity must be built upon the truth – the gospel and cross of Christ.
• v17 “to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”
• The power and wisdom never lie in the messenger, but in the gospel, the cross, and Christ.
• Be careful that people do not come to the Christian faith for wrong reasons.