Has Christ been divided?

As I read that question in 1 Corinthians 1:13, I wonder what Paul would think about the modern “church” with its thousands of denominations, factions, and divisions.

The church at Corinth was a local congregation plagued by division and sin. “Chloe’s people” had brought a report that the believers were quarreling, aligning themselves with different leaders, including the teachings of Paul, Apollos, Peter, and Jesus. Scripture doesn’t tell us what the differences were, whether of style or substance, but apparently strong feelings about who to follow had caused rifts in the body of Christ.

False religions and cults always begin with the adoration or exaltation of someone other than Jesus as the final authority and representation of God. Man’s words take the place of the plain truth in God’s Word and the Word of God, Jesus. For example, Mohammad (Islam), Mary Baker Eddy (Christian Scientists), Buddha and the Dalai Lama (Buddhism), Brigham Young & Joseph Smith (Mormonism), L. Ron Hubbard (Scientology), etc. – all religions that place human beings in the place of God and His Son, Jesus. (Here’s a great resource if you want to identify cults.)

2 John 1:7-11 – For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you receive a full reward. Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.

The Corinthian believers were not creating new cults, but they were distracted and divided by proclaiming loyalty to their teachers, rather than finding unity through the Holy Spirit in following Christ alone. Even in our conservative, Biblically-sound local church bodies, we can find ourselves more loyal to a certain teacher than to Christ.

Have you ever heard someone say, “I’m not going to church this weekend because our pastor is out of town, and I don’t know (or like) who will be speaking”? That is loyalty to a person, not to the Holy Spirit who should be speaking through the man in the pulpit.

Is your doctrine built on a serious and thorough examination of the Word itself, or do you accept teaching as right and good simply because someone you know or like said it, so it must be true?

Do you practice certain spiritual disciplines because that’s what your family has always done, or have you evaluated these rituals in light of the teachings of Christ for yourself?

Personally, I don’t believe the church was ever meant to splinter off into multiple denominations. If the same Holy Spirit lives in all true followers of Jesus, then it stands to reason that as we submit ourselves to His leading, conviction, and enlightening of God’s Word, we would agree. There would be no need for labels other than “follower of Jesus.”

My guess is these came about for one of three reasons: doctrinal disagreements, personal preferences, or the rise of a human leader in the place of Christ.

Doctrinal issues are a valid reason to separate yourself from a local body if that church’s teaching strays from full confidence and submission to God’s Word. Differences on things not essential to salvation often push us to gather with those like-minded (for example, style of music, ethnicity, or preference for a smaller or larger group setting). But if we find ourselves with more loyalty to a human leader than to Christ, we need to examine in who (or what) our faith resides.

Paul was careful to put all attention and honor on Jesus, not his great presentation skills or ability to emotionally move a crowd, and for a very good reason.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 – And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

Why do you attend the church of your choice? Is it because of the speaker? The music? The comfortable setting? Or is it because the focus and attention are all on Jesus and the gospel of salvation?

What books do you read for spiritual nourishment? A popular devotional, accepting the words as truth without personally examining it against scripture? Or is your main source of spiritual food the wisdom found in God’s Word as the final authority?

What podcasts are you listening to?

Who do you quote?

We all learn from our teachers, and I am so grateful for the pastors, teachers, and godly leaders God calls to instruct, equip, and help conform us to Christ. But let’s not go down the dangerous road of following people more than we follow Jesus.

We have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).

We have the Holy Spirit of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:12).

We have the Word of God in our language.

Let us take off our labels and our loyalties to human organizations or popular teachers and place all our allegiance on Jesus, giving honor and praise to Him, for He alone is worthy.