Expository Summary - 1 Corthians 1:10-18
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
The Corinthian church had some serious problems; much like the professing church today. Certain people were being sexually immoral, some were creating disorder in the worship service by abusing the gift of tongues or tolerating the insubordination of women. Some were getting drunk at the Lord’s Supper and were looking down on other members, not even waiting to take the meal together. Here in our passage there were many who stirred up a sectarian spirit and identified themselves as great in the church by the fact that a certain person baptized them.
Now Paul could have slammed them hard from the outset of the letter, but instead he starts off telling them how thankful he is for their salvation. The thrust of what Paul is getting at in this passage is that this body of believers needed to: BE UNITED IN TRUTH WITH ONE ANOTHER. What does that look like?
First, in verse 10, the listeners are exhorted as brothers to: (1) Be united in mind and judgment.
This involves confronting with the truth in love, which results in true unity. That is what the apostle was doing here. Remember his words in Col. 3:14, “put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.”
Manifest the union that is yours in Christ – the problem with the Corinthian church was not that they weren’t united with Christ, the problem was that they weren’t manifesting this union, tangibly.
Many stories could be told in our day of churches where splits occurred because of differences over styles of music or differences over décor. Quarrels over such petty issues are along the same lines as the quarrel in our passage: “I was baptized by this person!”
Now contrast this, with the example of the church of Jerusalem described in Acts. They continually devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and prayer, and they shared with one another as each had need. This church appointed men as deacons so that the apostles wouldn’t have to neglect preaching the Word. They didn’t tolerate sins, which many in our day wouldn’t consider a big deal. Look at Peter’s response to Ananias and Sapphira or Simon Magus. This church loved doctrine and preaching and would not hesitate to discipline those who didn’t conform to the Word of God. This church was united in mind and judgment.
Second, this union is seen when we: (2) Accept no substitute for the truth.
The gospel is not about water baptism – if you look at verses 11-16, Paul is addressing this issue. The Corinthians had made a secondary issue of utmost importance - they seemed to be confusing the picture for reality. It would be similar to me showing a picture of my dad, saying “that’s my dad,” and having someone think I was actually saying the picture was my dad.
Now what is the gospel if it’s not water baptism? What is baptism a picture of? It represents and identifies the believer with the work of redemption, accomplished by Jesus Christ the Son of God through His death, burial, and resurrection.
The gospel is about the work of Jesus Christ alone - His atoning work on the cross and resurrection from the dead. Paul develops this message in the climax of chapter 15.
We are not preaching the gospel when we add to or take away from the message - our preaching is in vain if we attempt to polish the wood of the cruel cross. Only the stained blood of the lamb should remain. Through our supposed cleverness or rhetoric, numbers on the roll may increase, baptisms may increase, but there can’t be true harmony - “for what does an unbeliever have in common with a believer?” (2 Ct 6:15) We may think we are helping to “bring in the harvest” but in fact we are dishonoring the word of God and undermining the sufficiency of Christ. The Holy Spirit works in the regeneration of souls only through the medium of truth.
We must preach the word of the cross – we must preach the word of Christ. “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ” (Ro 10:17).
Remember Jesus’ words regarding the judgment (Mt 7:21-23) – Many will say, “didn’t we do this, didn’t we do that? Weren’t we baptized, didn’t we pray that prayer and sign that card?” You will not do your neighbors any good by watering down the message, saying nice things to them, and tolerating their error and sinfulness for what you think is an attempt at harmony and unity. Frauds can’t make the real thing. They can’t have harmony with “the least of these brothers of mine.” Jesus will say “Depart from me, I never knew you.” True harmony and union with the brothers will only come by confronting people with the truth.
Thirdly, (3) Know that the gospel brings unity to the saints and chaos to the condemned. The effect of the gospel is life and death – Remember 2 Cor. 2:15-16, “We are fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To one an aroma from death to death. To the other an aroma from life to life.” The good news isn’t good for everyone without exception. Unless one repents from their sin and believes the truth, the gospel will only make them hate God more. There are plenty of people in the church today who are at odds with the God of the Bible and are instead embracing an idol, their own view of a god who isn’t God.
But nevertheless, we must boldly declare God’s truth and trust His Spirit to move as He will. In the end the tares will be separated from the wheat. Within the covenant community we have the invisible and visible church coexisting. By truth and discipline we manifest as closely as possible the invisible as the visible. What is underneath the surface is the antithesis of sin and grace, righteousness and unrighteousness, a spiritual war. In the end the sons of antichrist, the apostates, will go out from us, “because they were not of us, for if they were of us they would have remained with us” (1 J 2:19).
Remember the examples of two men. From what we are told, both men were highly educated and seemed to be “up and comers” within the Jewish community. Both men were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the messiah. The first man became one of Christ’s original 12 disciples. This man seems even to have been empowered to cast out demons and perform miracles of healing. He seemed to be just like one of the other disciples, for when Jesus told them that one would betray Him, they all said, “Is it I Lord?” This treasurer of the group wanted to make Jesus the political messiah who would save Israel and conquer the Roman Empire. When Jesus instead said that He came to serve, and that “the Son of man must be handed over to be crucified,” this man could not accept it. The word of the cross was foolishness to him. You know what happened to Judas.
The other man heard about Jesus but thought the story couldn’t be true. And so he persecuted and approved of the murder of members of the church. On his way to Damascus a bright light came from heaven, and knocked him to the ground. A voice called out, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” He answered, “Who are you Lord?” The voice said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.” This man could not shun the goads any longer (Ac 26:14). The word of the cross came to him on that road and the power of God saved him. This man who was once so hostile to believers – was now in union with them. If God can bring someone like Paul into union with Christ and His people, He can bring any kind of person. The gospel is the power to transform lives, families, communities, and nations… It is the power of God.
The truth and power of the gospel brings unity to those who are saved –BE UNITED IN TRUTH WITH ONE ANOTHER - I admonish you Christian, live as you truly are.
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