Day 28: Conflict
Illustration
“I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.”
1 Corinthians 1:10-11
In the Corinthian church, there was quarreling and division. People were at odds over who they thought was the best teacher, who they should follow, whose gifts were more significant, etc.
When it came to addressing this division and quarreling, Paul does something beautiful and productive: he runs right to the cross of Jesus! He gets their attention and redirects them to Christ and His death on the cross so that they might be humbled. As their vision is captured by the cross, they remember that they are loved, and when they look to Jesus they will be able to "agree" and have "no divisions."
Now notice how Paul guides the Corinthians to the cross of Christ. He asks some rhetorical questions and makes a definitive statement:
Rhetorical questions: "Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?" (1 Corinthians 1:13). If Christ was not divided, neither should His body be, and the way to avoid it is by the quarreling parties coming to the cross together. When Paul asks, "Was Paul crucified for you?" he is asking them to remember and consider Jesus' death on the cross, which unifies them (John 17:22-23), teaching them to follow Jesus, who died for them.
Definitive statement: “For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).
Here Paul is driving home the main theme of Scripture, Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. He was teaching the Corinthians that everything including their disagreements were to be subject to the gospel.