Divided We Fall Separately, United We Stand Together

DIVIDED WE FALL SEPARATELY. In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he wrote “To the churches in Galatia.” But in his later letter to the Corinthians, he wrote “To the church of God” in Corinth. He wanted to emphasize their oneness as a church in God.

Yet the Corinthians wanted to emphasize their differences. One faction called themselves by the name of Paul, one by Apollos, one by Cephas—another name for Peter. Another called themselves by the name of Christ.

Instead of uniting them, the name of Christ divided them. Why? Because they used Christ’s name to set themselves apart from the other factions.

So Paul responds, “Has Christ been divided?” (v.13) We learn later in this letter that the body of Christ does consist of different parts. But God gives “to each one…the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (12:7).

God wants our differences to work to the common good, not to divide us. “But one and the same Spirit works all these things…and all the members of the body are one body. So is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” (verses 11-13). Therefore, don’t divide the body of Christ in anyone’s name.

Paul goes on to say, I didn’t get crucified for you. I didn’t baptize you in my name. No, the Spirit baptized them into one body, the body of the Lord, Jesus Christ (verses 13,17).

In chapter 3, Paul says he and Apollos are servants working together, not lords competing with each other. Paul says, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth” (verse 6).

Dividing over gifts of the Spirit

By saying Apollos watered, Paul might mean that Apollos did most of the water baptizing. But the Holy Spirit baptized them into the body of Christ by giving different gifts of the Spirit. And yet we want to divide over the spiritual gifts—like the Corinthians did.

Not only did they divide over the names of Paul, Apollos, Cephas and Christ. They divided over which gifts they claimed to have, whether as apostles or prophets or teachers. Or workers of miracles or healers.

Paul replies, “All are not workers of miracles, are they? All do not have gifts of healings, do they? Or all do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? But earnestly desire the greater gifts” (12:29-31).

At this point Paul goes into chapter 13, on love. He says if we practice even the greater gifts, but lack love, we amount to nothing (verses 1-3). When Paul tells us to discern the body of Christ before taking communion, he wants us to discern with love. Not a critical spirit.

He calls discernment one of the spiritual gifts. Are you practicing this gift in love?

True discernment speaks the truth in love

Now if we discern a teaching as false, or a prophecy or miracle as false, do we use our discernment with love? Love would mean going to that brother in private, to show him his fault. Love would mean telling no one else unless it becomes necessary.

If we don’t discern in love, we become false discerners. We divide ourselves, and others, from the body of Christ, instead of reconciling to Christ.

Let’s not add to the divisions we already have in the body. When divided members refuse to reconcile, Paul says God will eventually work it out. “No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval” (11:19).

Not your approval, not my approval, not Paul or Apollos or Cephas’ approval. But God’s approval. So if you can’t reconcile divided members, let God show which side He approves.

This becomes all the more important when all the churches in Belize are facing re-registration. Or registration, if they haven’t registered with Companies Registry yet. Their approval as churches should not depend on the very faulty and complex Companies Registry process. More on this soon….

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Photo by Hudson Hintze on Unsplash