1 Corinthians 1:10-13 [Be Perfectly Joined Together in the Same Mind and in the Same Judgment, Without Divisions]

[Things to Meditate On]

1. In the passage above, why does the apostle Paul exhort the brethren, that is, the members of the church in Corinth, to be perfectly joined together and become one? What problem did the brethren in Corinth have at that time (verses 11-12)?

2. "Division" does not seem to have been only a problem among the brethren in Corinth at that time. Even today, "division" is one of the greatest problems that occurs within churches. In verse 12 above, it appears that for the brethren in Corinth, it was important to whom they belonged. Because of this, there were divisions. Likewise today, even while believing in the same one Jesus, many people seem to be divided because they place importance on their affiliation, such as a denomination, a church group, a particular church, or a certain person.

Then why did the brethren in Corinth at that time consider it so important to whom they belonged? When we look at the people whose names are mentioned in verse 12 above—Paul, Apollos [Acts 18:24-28], and Cephas [Peter]—they were certainly great men of faith, so belonging to them could have been something to take great pride in. However, the people at that time did not try to follow their great faith. Rather, they tried to boast in visible people (1 Corinthians 3:21) and to make their connection to them "their own boast." Because of this, we can know that divisions arose among them. What we must think about here is this: what benefit would there really be to the brethren of the Corinthian church merely by saying that they belonged to Paul, Apollos, Cephas, or Christ? We can find the answer to this through the following passage.

Ezekiel 14:12-20 "12The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, 13Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it: 14Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD. 15If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts: 16Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate... 19Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast: 20Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness."

This passage teaches us that even if someone is together with Noah, Daniel, and Job, he cannot save his own life simply by being with them. Rather, each person will be rewarded according to what he has done (Matthew 16:27). Therefore, belonging to someone is not what is important. It is when we follow their words and deeds and imitate the faith they had that being with them becomes beneficial to us.

3. When we look at the Bible, we can see that just as Christ Jesus exalted the Father, Paul, Apollos, and Cephas, that is, Peter, all did not exalt themselves, but exalted only Jesus. If we truly like them and desire to follow them, then rather than boasting that we belong to them, we must, according to the example they showed, belong only to Jesus (1 Corinthians 3:21-23) and live by the faith that exalts Jesus and humbles oneself (James 4:10). Then there will be no divisions or strife among us, but only the work of being perfectly joined together as one in Jesus (verse 10).

1 Corinthians 3:4-8 "4For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? 5Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour."

[Decision and Application]

Therefore, the way for us not to have divisions among ourselves is, as written in 1 Corinthians 1:10 above, for all of us to speak "the same thing" in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because we are all very different in nature and disposition, it is impossible for us, by ourselves, to all speak "the same thing." However, it is possible "by the words of Jesus." When all of us forsake our own words and speak only the words of Jesus, then we can all speak the same thing.

John 3:34 "For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him."

1 John 4:5-6 "5They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. 6We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error."

The "same mind" is the same. If, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have not our own mind, but "the mind of Christ Jesus" written in Philippians 2:5, then all of us can have "the same mind." "The mind of Christ Jesus" is the humble mind that lowers oneself. This is because, although Jesus was in the form of God, He made Himself of no reputation and took upon Him the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men in order to save us. Therefore, we also must do nothing through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind esteem others better than ourselves, looking not only to our own things, but also to the things of others (Philippians 2:3-4), and become one with "the mind of Jesus."

Philippians 2:5-8 "5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

Lastly, we must be perfectly joined together with "the same judgment" in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The same judgment also refers not to the will of man, but to "the will of God." Jesus also forsook His own will and took up the cross according to the will of God.

Luke 22:41-42 "41And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."

Therefore, in order for us to become one with "the same judgment," we must, like Jesus, forsake our own will and seek to follow the will of God. Jesus taught us how important it is to forsake our own will and do the will of God when He said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21). Now, the will of God is that we obey the commandments of Jesus Christ (John 14:13-15). Therefore, we must become one through the words of Jesus, and Jesus Himself will become the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him (Hebrews 5:8-9).

Now there must be no divisions, strife, envy, or jealousy among us. The Bible says that such things are of the flesh and are like the things of little children (1 Corinthians 3:1). In fact, the reason each of us has different qualities is that the roles entrusted to us are different. However, different roles do not exist so that we may be divided. Rather, these different roles come together to form only one body, Jesus Christ, and to reveal only Jesus as honorable. Therefore, we must endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:1-6), and become "one people" who boast only in Jesus.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 "12For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ... 14For the body is not one member, but many... 17If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour... 24...but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 25That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. 27Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular."

Ephesians 4:1-4 "1I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling."

Amen.