1 Corinthians - Chapter One Part Three - The Reprimand

Verses 10 – 17

In the KJV, the term that’s used is ‘beseech’. In the NASB, it’s ‘exhort’. In the NIV, it’s ‘appeal’.

Kinda like, “Don’t hang up!”

‘Cause he thinks they just might. ‘Cause he’s about to tell them they’re bad… and who wants to listen to that? Well, a true child of God might…

Pr 13:18 Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.

So what did they do wrong? Divisions.

Huh? That's it? Just...bickering? And Paul is lambasting 'em for THAT!?

Yup.

Imagine if you will, a group of folks taken off the street and put into a room. And the only criteria for choosing them in the first place is… they all claimed… out on the sidewalk… that they’re Christians. And then get them into the room and ask them to talk about their Christianity. How many of them would START by saying, “Well, I’m a Baptist!” or “I’m a Catholic!” or “I’m a Presbyterian!” or “I’m a…(fill in the blank)!”

And how many of them would JUST declare, “I love the Lord Jesus, all He stood for… and call upon Him and Him alone for my salvation!”

Not many. We have learned over the years to think of ourselves as...something OTHER than just Christian.

Now these Corinthians were less than 25 years removed from Jesus’ resurrection! And they were already bickering and taking up sides! Which is bad enough. But in order to DO that, they HAD to forget ‘their first love’…

Rev 2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
Rev 2:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Which is THE point of this reprimand. WHAT...are you guys DOING!? Who do you think you're serving here!?

So as bad as the bickering was… it wasn’t the worst part. It was really a symptom. Who can serve Jesus if they’re busy serving Paul or Apollos? (Who… btw… some scholars believe is the actual author of Hebrews, though no one knows for certain) This isn’t about Apollos. Or Paul. Or Cephas (Peter).

And this isn’t about the divisions, either. While this passage DOES directly apply to modern-day bickering over Denominations, the truth of the passage doesn’t CONDEMN the idea of having organization to any church. Indeed, other passages of New Testament detail how to organize any church and how very important that is.

What’s being condemned here is the underlying loyalty to something… ANYTHING… OTHER than Jesus. Someone who’s a Baptist… fine. Just don’t love being a Baptist more than being a Christian. On the other side of the spectrum, don’t love being a Catholic… more than loving Jesus. And every thing in between those two, as well. There’s no room for malice between believers. Anger and divisions MUST be worked out. 'Cause if we don't, He's gonna do it for us.

“Steven?”

“Yes Lord?”

“I’d like you to meet Joseph.”

“Lord…he’s a Lutheran! I’m a Methodist!”

“No, Steven. He’s not.”

“He IS! I saw him when he got here! He had a Lutheran Robe on!”

“Do you see that Robe now?”

“Uh……”

“Are you wearing a Methodist Rope now?”

“Uh……”

“I have a fresh Robe for you, with your new name on it, right below my own new name. Of course, if you’d rather have your OLD Robe back? But I’ve gotta tell ya… here in Heaven, this new Robe will never need washing again… while your old Robe will never come clean.”

“Uh…..”

This is only the first reprimand in 1 Corinthians. There WILL be others. In fact, this isn’t the last time Paul will give THIS reprimand. He repeats himself two Chapters later. Meantime, in the next few verses (which we’ll talk about on the next blog)… Paul gives the solution to ‘divisions’. Big ‘meat’ coming for all of us to chew on.

But before we leave this short reprimand, let’s consider that it IS a reprimand. I used to be involved a little with Dale Carnegie classes on public speaking and Mr. Carnegie’s most famous quote was…

"Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain - and most fools do."

And for the most part, scripture would have all of us Christians be civil to each other and to the rest of the world. But the world is now living by a twisted image of what Christianity should be, and weaker Christians can fall into the trap of…never say anything critical of anyone…’cause if you do…you’re ‘judging’ them. Just bite your tongue.

Hmmmm….


2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.


Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

On four separate occasions in the Gospels, Jesus refers to His own disciples as, “Oh, ye of little faith.”

And it would be hard to find another document in the New Testament that contains more reprimand than 1 Corinthians.

Coming up, the solution. The Style Points of God.