By Robert L. Olsen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Christian Studies, University of Mobile
United in Christ
1 Corinthians 1:10–25
Call for Unity (10)
Unity is in short supply these days. From countries at war to political divisions and even in our churches, we see disunity and divisiveness. However, divisions in Christianity are not new. In fact, we can see problems in the church in the first century. In the book of 1 Corinthians, Paul is confronted with one of the first threats of a church split.
Paul’s concern in the opening chapters of 1 Corinthians is unity. In Corinth the church had broken into factions, each supporting a different Christian leader. Some claimed to follow Paul, others Apollos, others Cephas (Peter) and still others Christ. Paul’s response is to point to the unity of the body of Christ — that Christians are to be united under the banner of Christ, not divided in their loyalties.
What Paul argued for is applicable to us today. At times, Christians get attached to a particular preacher because they like his style or are used to his leadership. However, when this preacher leaves or a new preacher comes to a position of prominence, the church needs to be unified around the new pastor instead of resenting his leadership or longing for the “old days.”
It is acceptable to prefer a style of preaching or leadership, but unfortunately Christians are prone to divisiveness and this undermines our witness to the surrounding community. Churches need to be unified in our confession of Christ, not whom we prefer to listen to or follow.
Contempt for divisions (11–16)
The key for unity, according to Paul, is Christ, the head of the Church. He is the one who was crucified for us, not any of these other personalities. Following other personalities distracts from the focus of the Church and creates disunity where personalities rule in the church rather than Christ. In order to turn from these divisions, Christians need to practice humility and emphasize the need for unity.
Since the Protestant Reformation, churches have often been characterized by their disunity rather than their unity in Christ and this division in the church causes many in our culture to view the Church with skepticism and dismissiveness. If Christians can’t get along, then what does this demonstrate to the world about the love of Christ?
The cross that divides (17–25)
The main issue for Paul is that there are two types of people — those who accept the gospel of Christ and those who do not. Therefore, the idea of divisions within the Church is nonsensical because the Church is comprised of those who have accepted the gospel.
What about those who have not accepted the gospel? Paul points out that the gospel is not a logical position to hold.
In fact, Paul calls the gospel foolishness in the eyes of the world. But to the Christian, the one with spiritual insight, the gospel is the means of our salvation. Paul’s circumstances are not much different from our own.
In our modern society, most people see the gospel as some sort of fairy tale. The idea that Jesus is God in human flesh who died for our sins and rose from the dead is nonsense to most people today. Many today focus only on what the senses can detect and experience has shown, leaving out the possibility of the supernatural. Christians need to recognize this and focus on unity in the body so that this lost world can see the supernatural difference in Christians and then be prompted to accept Christ as their Savior.
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