1 Corinthians 3:3-4 (ESV)
The world sees this division in our denominations. More than once have I heard the accusation, “If Christianity is really from God then why are there so many denomination?” There is, I believe, a valid answer for that. And, there are some denominations and some local churches that have moved away from biblical Christianity. But I fear this division shows up in two ways that are more insidious than denominationalism.
First, too many churches act as though only their people are going to heaven. Yes, there are some theological differences between tribes (think denominations and theological streams), but there ought to be respect for one another despite our differences. If I am going to worship with you in heaven then I ought to be able to get along with you on earth. That doesn’t mean that we throw away our theological identity, but it does mean that we learn to love and respect one another in our differences. It means that we stop acting as though we are in competition.
Second, we act as though we can only learn from people we like. I find it distressing that there is no loyalty to a local church. I understand that in our culture brand loyalty has all but disappeared. We tend to be people who follow our favorite sports players rather than our favorite team. That has carried over into the church. I think it is wrong when people come to a church because they like the pastor and then leave to find another pastor they like when they are either offended or their favorite pastor leaves the church for another ministry.
Paul wrote that some of the Corinthians were saying that they followed Paul while others followed Apollos. Today some follow Kay Arthur while others follow John McArthur. Some follow Pastor Peterson while others follow Pastor Pete. This is wrong. Yes, I know that we connect better with some pastors than with others. I know that we prefer one’s preaching over another’s. But, since when has church been about you? I thought it was about God. We have even gone so far as to idealize certain pastors from our past so that every pastor is judged by that one “perfect” pastor we remember. This is wrong.
This division and divisiveness not only dishonors God, but causes him to be disrespected in the eyes of the community. How can they see the God of love when his people fail to live out his love for one another. How can they be expected to believe the Good News when they fail to see anything good lived out in those who claim to know God. I fear that in our theological passion and our desire for a pastor that we connect with, we have sometimes undermined the very reason God has called us to be the church. This is, to use the Apostle Paul’s words, fleshly and human. It is not of the Spirit.
[3] for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and
strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?
[4] For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are
you not being merely human?
Yesterday I addressed the issue of jealousy and strife. In 1 Corinthians 3:4
the Apostle Paul accused the Corinthian believers of living out “of the flesh and
behaving only in a human way.” One of the evidences of that was jealousy and strife.
The second evidence of that was their division over who they should follow. “For
when one says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos,’” Paul wrote, “are
you not being merely human” (1 Cor 3:4)? The world sees this division in our denominations. More than once have I heard the accusation, “If Christianity is really from God then why are there so many denomination?” There is, I believe, a valid answer for that. And, there are some denominations and some local churches that have moved away from biblical Christianity. But I fear this division shows up in two ways that are more insidious than denominationalism.
First, too many churches act as though only their people are going to heaven. Yes, there are some theological differences between tribes (think denominations and theological streams), but there ought to be respect for one another despite our differences. If I am going to worship with you in heaven then I ought to be able to get along with you on earth. That doesn’t mean that we throw away our theological identity, but it does mean that we learn to love and respect one another in our differences. It means that we stop acting as though we are in competition.
Second, we act as though we can only learn from people we like. I find it distressing that there is no loyalty to a local church. I understand that in our culture brand loyalty has all but disappeared. We tend to be people who follow our favorite sports players rather than our favorite team. That has carried over into the church. I think it is wrong when people come to a church because they like the pastor and then leave to find another pastor they like when they are either offended or their favorite pastor leaves the church for another ministry.
Paul wrote that some of the Corinthians were saying that they followed Paul while others followed Apollos. Today some follow Kay Arthur while others follow John McArthur. Some follow Pastor Peterson while others follow Pastor Pete. This is wrong. Yes, I know that we connect better with some pastors than with others. I know that we prefer one’s preaching over another’s. But, since when has church been about you? I thought it was about God. We have even gone so far as to idealize certain pastors from our past so that every pastor is judged by that one “perfect” pastor we remember. This is wrong.
This division and divisiveness not only dishonors God, but causes him to be disrespected in the eyes of the community. How can they see the God of love when his people fail to live out his love for one another. How can they be expected to believe the Good News when they fail to see anything good lived out in those who claim to know God. I fear that in our theological passion and our desire for a pastor that we connect with, we have sometimes undermined the very reason God has called us to be the church. This is, to use the Apostle Paul’s words, fleshly and human. It is not of the Spirit.
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