Having listened to Pauls words and the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ, how important is unity to each of us today? So we have the possibility for this very thing right here. The Corinthian church had many problems, and most of them were the result of pride and placing so much emphasis on social status. DIVISIONS IN THE CHURCH I Corinthians 1 Thanks for the thoughtful comment Austin. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. Acts 18:24 says that Apollos was an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man. They were caused by Cliques (1:12; 3:4). Each group claimed to be better than the others, and party spirits began to grow in the church. The word divisions comes from the Greek word schismata, from which we get our English word schism. We do not know who the people were who belonged to the house of Cloe, but we must commend them for their courage and devotion. Apollos was an intellectual. This introduces one of the greatest passages in the Bible, setting forth the difference between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God. His Word does not disagree with itself. Because the Holy Spirit has but one will, and because a church must be in complete harmony with His will, the leaders must be in complete harmony with each other in that will. We came to life in Christ by Paul, and Paul is the one we're going to listen to above all others." Something shows up sooner or later as an identifying badge that marks them as "special," with special privilege and special status in that group. in the Corinthian Church Causes There has been no other cure that I know of through the years. In conjunction with this, some people were questioning Pauls character and authority ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). We are of Peter." WebDivisions in the Church. With that spirit of self-righteous smugness, they were separating from the rest, dividing up the congregation and quarreling with one another over these things. 1 Corinthians 1:10: 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.. WebThe spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. What he says we'll listen to, not Paul or Peter or anyone else -- it makes no difference to us."