New Life Bible Fellowship Church
1/11/2026

      • Psalm 92:1–4KJV1900

  • Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)
  • He Leadeth Me

      • Proverbs 8:22–36KJV1900

  • Introduction:

    We began last week our study of 1 Corinthians and saw that God, through the inspired hand of the apostle Paul, set the foundation for how a church, the church in Corinth could survive in an environment where the surrounding culture's obsession with status, rhetoric, and sexual license constantly threatened to corrupt it. The contagious actions of these corrupt manners led to factions, lawsuits among believers, and a preference for the "ornaments of speech" over the plain doctrine of the cross.
    However, what we learned last week was that the church at Corinth was essentially a group of saints in a sinful city, called to live out a sanctified identity amidst a culture of indulgence and intellectual pride, and it is this truth that will carry us through the entire book.
    This morning we will begin to see that although the truth of their sanctification is locked in, they nonetheless were affected by the corrupt manners of the culture around them as will become evident as we look at The Sin of a Divided Church from 1 Corinthians 1:10-17.

    Text: 1 Corinthians 1:10-17

    1 Corinthians 1:10–17 ESV
    10 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. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 12 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.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

    Main Idea: Christians must reject personality-based factionalism because our unity is grounded in Christ crucified, not in human leaders.

    Transition:

    Last Sunday we stood in the warmth of Paul's thanksgiving. He reminded the Corinthians—and us—of who we are in Christ: saints, sanctified, enriched, eagerly waiting for the Lord, sustained by a faithful God. It was an encouraging word.
    But Paul didn't write 1 Corinthians to make the church feel good. He wrote because he loved them too much to leave them in their sin. And so, beginning in verse 10, the tone shifts. The word 'I appeal' signals that the pastoral diagnosis is about to begin.
    This is the rhythm of the Christian life: we are declared righteous, and then we are called to become what we already are. We are saints—now we must live as saints. We have been given unity in Christ—now we must maintain that unity. Sanctification is working out what God has already worked in.
    And the first problem Paul addresses is one we might not expect: not sexual immorality (that comes later), not doctrinal heresy, but division. The church was splitting into factions around favorite teachers. And Paul treats this as an urgent spiritual crisis.
    Why? Because division doesn't just hurt feelings. Division lies about the gospel.

    I. The Appeal for Unity (v. 10)

    10 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.
    I appeal to you, brothers - Unity Is a Gospel Imperative, Not a Preference
    Paul does not suggest unity as a nice option. He appeals—urgently, authoritatively, pastorally. The grammar contained in this word appeal (appeal (παρακαλῶ)+ that (ἵνα) + subjunctives) indicates this is not optional. Division is not a personality difference to be managed; it is a sin to be repented of.
    brothers - Notice Paul doesn't say, 'You need to become brothers.' He says, 'Brothers, stop acting like enemies.' Their identity is settled; their behavior must catch up. That's sanctification.
    by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ - Unity Is Grounded in Christology
    The appeal comes "through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Their shared Lord is both the authority behind the appeal and the basis for unity. If they all belong to Christ, they cannot belong to factions. The name of Christ should be the only banner over the church.
    all of you agree - Same speech (τὸ αὐτὸ λέγητε) — public, confessional unity
    Paul is not demanding:
    Identical opinions on every matter
    Suppression of diversity
    Mindless uniformity
    He is demanding:
    A common confession (the gospel)
    A unified public witness
    An end to politicking of v. 12
    that (hina [conjunction]) there be no divisions among you - No divisions (μὴ σχίσματα - This is a crucial word. It comes from the verb σχίζω ("to tear, rip, split"). We get the English "schism" from it.) — is a call for relational, structural unity
    that you be united - The grammar here for united (κατηρτισμένοι [per, pass, par]) implies that the church is currently torn and needs mending. The nets are ripped. The bones are broken. Paul's appeal is for restoration to proper function—so the church can do what it was designed to do.
    in the same mind and the same judgment
    same mind (αὐτῷ νοΐ) Internal— intellectual, dispositional unity
    same judgment (αὐτῇ γνώμῃ) External— volitional, purposive unity
    Genuine unity cannot be merely organizational. It requires heart-level transformation.
    In Summary: Last week, Paul called them saints, sanctified, enriched, sustained. This week, he calls them brothers—and appeals to them to stop tearing each other apart. The same people who are declared holy must now live holy. The same people who have been called into fellowship with Christ must now maintain fellowship with each other.
    And here's the ground of his appeal: not 'because I'm an apostle,' not 'because I founded your church,' but by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The only name that matters. The only name that unites. The only name that can mend torn nets and broken churches.
    Paul nows moves on to explain why he is appealing to them:

    II. The Report of Division (vv. 11-12)

    11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.
    Reported (Gk. dēloō) means to “show,” “make clear,” or “reveal” something.
    Chloe’s people (Gk. tōn Chloēs, lit., “the ones of Chloe”) may have done this by an oral report (5:1; 11:18). Chloe’s identity and her location are unknown, however, she must have been an influential Christian, perhaps a member of the Corinthian church, although she is not mentioned elsewhere.
    12 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.”
    The Paul Party: Likely emphasized freedom from the law, perhaps the founding apostle's authority, possibly a more Gentile-oriented gospel.
    The Apollos Party: Acts 18:24-28 describes Apollos as "an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures," from Alexandria (a center of learning and rhetorical sophistication). This group probably prized his polished speaking and intellectual depth. This faction may have looked down on Paul's less impressive rhetorical presence (see 2 Cor 10:10).
    The Cephas Party: Cephas (the Aramaic equivalent of the name Peter) represented the Jerusalem church and Jewish Christianity. This group may have emphasized continuity with Jewish traditions, perhaps the authority of the original apostles over Paul.
    The Christ Party: The most debated. Possibilities include:
    A super-spiritual group claiming direct revelation from Christ, bypassing apostolic teaching
    A group claiming superiority by refusing all human teachers
    Paul's own ironic addition ("Is Christ divided?")
    A genuinely pious group that nevertheless contributed to factionalism by their exclusivism
    But what is wrong with associating yourself to a certain person or style of teaching? Paul explains next:

    III. The Absurdity of Division (vv. 13-17)

    13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
    Three rhetorical questions expecting "No!"
    Was Christ divided?
    Was Paul crucified for you?
    Were you baptized into Paul's name?
    14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.)
    I baptized none of you. The facts that Paul did not invoke his own name in baptizing but that of Christ (v. 13; Acts 2:38) and that he personally baptized few in Corinth (see v. 16) show that the apostle had no interest in enlisting a group of devotees for himself.
    Crispus. The synagogue ruler whose conversion is recorded in Acts 18:8.
    Gaius. A common name. Perhaps this is the Gaius described in Acts 19:29.
    the household of Stephanas. Paul’s first converts in Corinth, respected for their dedication. Stephanas himself was one of the representatives who brought a communication from the Corinthians to Paul (16:15–17).
    But what’s the point Paul? Why do you take three verses to make sure we understand that you did not baptize many people?
    17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. - verse 17 functions as a hinge or summary—it both concludes the discussion of divisions and sets up the extended argument about the cross and wisdom that follows in 1:18-2:5.
    The γάρ (for) connects this verse to verses 14-16, where Paul expressed relief that he baptized so few Corinthians. Now he explains why this matters.
    Christ did not send me - The verb ἀπέστειλεν (send) is significant—it shares the same root as ἀπόστολος ("apostle," meaning "sent one"). Paul is defining his apostolic commission. Christ sent him—that's what makes him an apostle—but the sending was not primarily for baptizing.
    Important: Paul is not denigrating baptism. He's establishing priority and purpose. Baptism is valid and important (as Romans 6 and elsewhere show), but it was not the distinctive purpose of Paul's calling. Others could baptize; Paul was sent to preach.
    This also undermines the factionalism. If Paul didn't even baptize most of them, how can they claim "I am of Paul" on the basis of some special relationship through baptism?
    The strong adversative ἀλλά (but) sets up a sharp contrast:
    Not to baptize
    But to preach the gospel
    preach the gospel - The verb εὐαγγελίζομαι means "to announce good news"—specifically, the gospel (εὐαγγέλιον). This is Paul's core mission. The content of that good news will be specified immediately: Christ crucified (v. 18ff).
    The middle voice may suggest personal involvement: "to preach the gospel as my own task and calling."
    not with words of eloquent wisdom - This phrase modifies εὐαγγελίζεσθαι—it describes how Paul was to preach (or rather, how he was not to preach).
    σοφία λόγου ("wisdom of speech/word") is a compact phrase pointing to rhetorical sophistication—the polished, persuasive eloquence prized in Greco-Roman culture.
    Paul is distancing himself from the traveling orators who competed for followers through dazzling rhetoric.
    This directly addresses the Corinthian situation, Paul is saying: Rhetorical impressiveness was never the point. I was not sent to win you with cleverness.
    lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power - This is the theological climax of the verse—and arguably of the entire section.
    This construction expresses negative purpose: "in order that... not" or "lest." Paul avoided rhetorical wisdom for this reason—so that a specific disaster would not occur.
    emptied - This verb is κενόω, meaning "to empty, to make void, to nullify, to deprive of power or content."
    How do you empty something that is infinitely powerful? You can't—not really. The cross remains the power of God. But you can preach it in a way that obscures that power, that makes people think salvation comes through clever arguments rather than through a crucified Savior. The cross isn't emptied in itself; it's emptied for the hearers when it's buried under human performance. This is done because:
    It would shift the focus. Attention would move from the message to the messenger, from Christ crucified to the cleverness of the preacher.
    It would change the basis of faith. People would believe because of impressive arguments, not because of the Spirit's power (see 2:4-5).
    It would domesticate the scandal. The cross is foolishness to the world (v. 18). If you dress it up in rhetorical finery, you make it palatable—but you lose its offense and its power.
    It would compete with the cross. Human wisdom and divine wisdom are antithetical in this context. You cannot combine them without one displacing the other.
    In Summary: Paul has appealed for unity, exposed the absurdity of division, asked his piercing questions: Was Paul crucified for you? Now he tells us why this matters so much. The issue isn't just church harmony—it's the integrity of the gospel. When we elevate human leaders, when we divide over personalities, when we value style over substance, we empty the cross. We drain away its power. We make the message about us rather than about Him.

    So What?

    Do we understand that Personality cults are an ancient and ongoing temptation?
    Do we understand that it is the cross, not human leaders, that provides our unifying center?
    Do we understand that Church Leaders must consistently point people to Christ, not themselves?
    Do we understand that even good things (teachers, baptism) become idols when elevated wrongly?

      • 1 Corinthians 1:10–17ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 1:10ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 1:11ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 1:12ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 1:13ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 1:14–16ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 1:17ESV

  • I Have Decided To Follow Jesus
New Life Bible Fellowship Church
dick.bickings@gmail.com
(302) 945-8145
https://newlifebfcde.org
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