Connected in The Word 1-21-26
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 Corinthians 1:10
What is Paul saying to the Christians in Corinth when he tells them to have the same mind and the same judgment? Paul is NOT saying that everyone must have the same opinion on what color the carpet is in the church. It would be easier if everyone agreed on those kinds of things, but that’s not the kind of unity Paul is talking about here. The divisions in Corinth were much more significant, while at the same time much pettier than even the color of the carpet.
To put it in modern day terms, the people in Corinth were divided by who their favorite pastor was. Some followed Paul, others Apollos, and others Cephas. Paul was reminding them that it’s not about the pastor – It’s about JESUS! We are united in JESUS. We are disciples of JESUS. We have been reconciled through the life, death, and resurrection of JESUS! There’s nothing wrong with rejoicing in and thanking God for the pastors, teachers, and other spiritual leaders in our life – They are a gift! But we must never let those people become a false god that divides us and ultimately draws us away from JESUS.
Far too often God’s people are divided because they have fallen in love with an earthly shepherd instead of the True Shepherd Jesus! There’s nothing wrong with feeling a connection to one pastor over another. After all, we are human beings. We all relate differently to different people. But as people who still struggle with sin, we must always be aware of how easy it is for our false gods to divide us. Is it possible for me to make a false god out of a faithful pastor who loves me and faithfully proclaims God’s Word? Absolutely Yes! It’s easy for me to make a false god out of just about anything in life – politics, comfort, security, food, drugs, alcohol, family, work, health, money, education, beauty, sex, self… The list goes on and on! False gods draw us away from Jesus, and false gods draw us away from each other!
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