The Apostle Paul wrote these words about the importance of apostles in the Church –

And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers … 1 Corinthians 12:28

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teacher … Ephesians 4:11

Apostles are at the top of the list of human authority concerning the Church. I say ‘human authority’ because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has ‘All authority’ in Heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). Jesus ‘gives’ aspects of His authority to humans to accomplish His will in this world.

Jesus called the Twelve Apostles (Matthew 10:1-4) during the early days of His earthly ministry. Jesus was on His Throne in Heaven when He called Paul (Saul of Tarsus) to become an Apostle. As we learn from Acts 15 and Galatians 2, the Twelve were called to take the Gospel to the Jews (circumcision) and Paul was called to take the Gospel to the Gentiles (uncircumcision).

But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. Galatians 2:7-9

The Apostle Paul planted more churches than any of the other apostles, which is borne out in the Book of Acts and the various letters of apostles. Paul also had a tremendous influence on other people who planted many churches throughout the Roman Empire.

The Ministry of Paul

The reason I started with that bit of history is because the ministry of the Apostle Paul gives us tremendous insight into how to deal with critical issues, conflicts, and divisions in local churches. You might remember that the Jerusalem church faced a serious conflict concerning the feeding of Hebrew and Hellenist widows. The wisdom God gave to the Twelve Apostles led to the formation of what we know as ‘deacons.’ The Apostle Paul drew from that wisdom as well, mentioning ‘deacons’ in his letters to the Philippians and to Timothy. Acts chapters 6 and 15 are good examples of how the apostles addressed critical issues in the early Church that could have led to serious divisions among believers. We can learn much from their example.

Because Jesus chose Paul to take the Gospel of Grace to the Gentiles (Acts 9; Romans 11; 1 Timothy 2; 2 Timothy 1), I’d like to look at some of the critical issues, conflicts, and divisions he dealt with in local churches. Let’s see what we can learn from Paul that might help us in our local churches.

Divisions in the Churches

Most of the apostolic letters were written because of, at least in part, ‘divisions’ in churches. Corinth is a good example. We’ve looked at some of the divisions in the Corinthian church in previous parts of this series. After a somewhat typical welcome at the beginning of Paul’s letter, the apostle launched into the reason for the letter –

Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 1 Corinthians 1:10

Paul didn’t just recommend or suggest that ‘there be no divisions’ among the church members – he ‘plead’ with them. The Greek word is παρακαλέω, which was a very personal word to use in the context. Paul was writing that he was coming up next to them, right alongside of them as if he were physically with them, and admonishing them because of divisions in the church. This was so serious that Paul invoked the ‘name of our Lord Jesus Christ’ in pleading with them to end the divisions. Paul wanted them to ‘all speak the same thing’ and ‘be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.’

The apostle went on to write –

For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. 1 Corinthians 1:11

The word ‘contentions’ is ἔρις, meaning ‘strife, wrangling, readiness to quarrel.’ Things had become so bad among the members of the Corinthian church that many of them were ‘spoiling’ for a fight. That’s a current way of saying the same thing. Some of the members wanted to quarrel. They wanted strife. They liked a good fight. Paul said – STOP IT! Enough already!

Paul then went on to describe some of the divisions in the church and what Jesus Christ, Lord of the Church, wanted them to know. Remember that Paul was an apostle chosen by Jesus Christ and inspired by the Holy Spirit to speak and write the very thoughts and will of Almighty God. He wasn’t just a visiting speaker who came to town from time to time so share a few lessons. Paul was an APOSTLE of Jesus Christ and he let church members know what the Lord of the Church wanted from them.

Glory in the Church

Jesus set the standard for what God’s people should do inside and outside a church. Jesus brought glory to His Father. That’s where Paul went with his advice to the divided Corinthian church –

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Being a member of a church, even a leader of a church, is not about your ‘glory.’ It’s about ‘God’s glory.’ “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” There’s our key to dealing with divisions in churches. Who’s getting the glory from this division? Certainly not the Lord – unless the division is about protecting the sheep from the wolves (heretics). However, even when a shepherd protects the people of God from false teachers, which is a good thing, the shepherd should also give glory to God and not to themselves. It is a privilege to protect God’s people from false teaching, but it’s not our place to glory in it. “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” Period.

Attitude for Change

It’s one thing to ‘want’ change or even ‘demand’ change in a church divided. It’s another to actually ‘effect’ change so that God is glorified and church members finish the work God gave them to do. What’s needed to make this happen is the right ‘attitude’ for change.

We get an insight into how Paul brought about change in the next sentences –

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Paul pleaded with the Corinthians to be of the same mind, even as he shared his mind. He came to them in a spirit of true humility wanting to know one thing, “Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” That was Paul’s mission. He knew himself. He knew he was weak in light of all that Jesus had called him to do. Acts 18 says that Paul taught the Word of God in Corinth for ‘a year and six months.’ During that time he said “my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” Paul didn’t teach and preach using persuasive words of human wisdom. He depended on the power of God’s Spirit so that the people’s ‘faith’ would not be in the wisdom of men but ‘in the power of God.’

Paul did the same thing in writing His letters to the Corinthians. He didn’t try to persuade them to stop fighting with each other by using human wisdom. Paul depended on God’s Spirit to change people’s minds and hearts. That’s what we need to do as well.

‘Carnal’ Christians

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 1 Corinthians 3:1-3

Paul pointed directly at the problem in the Corinthians church, which is the same problem many of today’s churches face – carnality. The Greek word for ‘carnality’ is σάρκινος and means ‘fleshly, of the flesh.’ Paul wrote that he could not speak to the Corinthians ‘as to spiritual people but as to carnal.’ Was Paul saying that the members of the Corinthian church were not saved? Read the next part of verse 1 – ‘as to babes in Christ.’ Paul was addressing believers who were behaving like little children. They weren’t able to grow spiritually because they were not yet able to ‘receive’ the ‘solid food.’ They were caught up in ‘envy, strife, and divisions among you.’ Paul’s question to them – ‘ are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?’ Paul said that the way many believers in the church were behaving like unbelievers (mere men).

Carnality is a HUGE problem in churches. I’ve written before about the dangers of Christians following ‘celebrities’ within Christianity – whether it be pastors, evangelists, authors, or musicians. It’s not a new phenomena in churches. We read about it in 1 Corinthians 3:4 – “For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?” The answer is YES. That behavior is carnal, fleshly – in the same way unbelievers behave.

Paul closed his reasoning about ‘celebrity’ divisions this way –

Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. 1 Corinthians 3:21-23

If your church is divided in a similar way to the Corinthians, use 1 Corinthians to help people see that their envy and strife about celebrities is carnal, not spiritual. Do so in a spirit of humility depending on the power of the Holy Spirit.

Next Time

We’ll look at another serious ‘division’ in the Corinthian church and how Paul addressed it in the next part of our special series, Order in the Court of the King! Our goal is to see minds and hearts changed for the glory of God.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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