Twin City church of Christ Blog
“March 4, 2024 - United”
Categories: 2024 Reading DevotionalsUnited
Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:10-13
After his brief introduction, Paul launches into the problems in the Corinthian church. “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment”(1 Cor 1:10). Jesus longs for unity among his people (John 17:21-26) and Paul urges the Corinthians to live out this divine desire by thinking in the same way. “United in the same mind and the same judgment” does not mean that we agree on every issue, but that we have the same earnest desire to follow Jesus, not man.
“For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, ‘I follow Paul,’ or ‘I follow Apollos,’ or ‘I follow Cephas,’ or ‘I follow Christ’”(1 Cor 1:11-12). The “quarreling” shows that these differences of opinion are significant and hold the potential to permanently divide the brothers. It is hard to pinpoint precisely what “I follow Paul” and “I follow Apollos” imply, but the allegiance seems to go beyond a preference for one man’s preaching over another. What may begin as preference easily slides into exclusive loyalty, wrecking the spirit of teamwork that should characterize all Christian service. No man deserves such allegiance. “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?”(1 Cor 1:13). Only Jesus saves, so only Jesus should be followed.
The applications here are manifold. All Christians must remember that only Jesus was crucified for us and we were baptized in the name of Jesus. This means that only Jesus deserves our spiritual loyalty. Many denominations have begun--separating believers from one another--on the basis of one man’s interpretations and theological musings. Modern American churches often center around a charismatic preacher who draws people to himself and his idiosyncratic way of presenting the gospel. We still tend to gravitate toward people who like who and what we like. All of these situations demand careful thought in light of God’s will “that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.”
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One Thing to Think About: How am I contributing to unity—or division—right where I am?
One Thing to Pray For: A sense of teamwork with other Christians
