A Bible Study by Adam Osborne, Jr. However, I did not create this from scratch. I believe this is an outline from a sermon I heard preached by pastor Greg Wrigley, DD, while he was pastor at Orange Avenue Baptist Church in Green Cove Springs, FL. The sermon was preached in the early 1990’s; exact date unknown.
Division in the Church is Sinful:
1 Corinthians 1:10-13; Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.[11]For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.[12]Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.[13]Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
- contentions = problems, divisions, altercations
Paul is asking them to have unity and brotherly love and reprimands them for their divisions.? People broke into different sections, different teaching, different factions. Paul is reminding them that Christ is not divided, there is only one true Christ,,, do not follow Paul, or Cephas, or Apollos. Follow only Christ.
Rom 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another.
Rom 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
II Corin 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
1 Peter 3:8?Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
John 17:20-21 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; [21] That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
Christ and the Church have only one body
Ephesians 4:4? There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Ephesians 1:22-23?? And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, [23] Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
- God gave us Jesus to be the Head of all things.? Jesus was a gift to the Church.? The Church has an all powerful leader who can rule.? As Christ’s body, the Church must be ONE, not many.
I Corinthians 12:13?? For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
To support a false teacher is sinful
II John 1:10-11, If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: [11] For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
- If you support evil or false doctrine, then you yourself are sinning also.? Anyone or anything that doesn’t support Jesus Christ and the “One” unity concept is sinful.
Isaiah 5:20; Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Proverbs 17:15? He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.
Be careful who you ridicule or condemn!? If you are condemning a true Christian person you are commiting an abonination before the Lord.