The Cause and Cure of Division

Paul gets down to business quickly. He is direct. “I exhort you that there be no divisions among you.” He does not leave them room to hide. He knows what is happening. He has been told and he names those who told him so no one can deny the facts. “Those in the house of Chloe told me.”

Now Paul asks three questions to bring them to the answer they need for finding their words united, their minds brought together. These three questions are each answered with resounding “No's.” Some times the best way to get to an overwhelming positive is to expose yourself to the overwhelming negative. We parents know that. That is why we ask our children the question. “Do you want a spanking?” The right answer to that question is not just “no” its “no… I want to obey my parents.”

Is Christ divided? No. Was Paul crucified for you? No. Were you baptized in the name of Paul? No. I want to look at the full positive answer Paul provides for divisions in the church found in these questions, but first I want to look a little closer to the nature and cause of the divisions that were in Corinth. Is there any similarity to what divides us today?

Consider: The nature of division, the Cause of division and the cure...